A Neighborhood Church on Lincoln Avenue in Evansville
St. John's East sits at 7000 Lincoln Avenue in Evansville, Indiana, where every Sunday morning its Fellowship Café opens at 10:00 am in Haas Hall and the Sanctuary fills shortly after. The congregation has chosen a simple motto to describe what it is about: "Connecting People to Jesus Christ and to Each Other." Members and visitors arrive to coffee, water, sweet treats, and friendly conversation in the café, then move into the Sanctuary for a traditional worship service at 10:30 am.
St. John's East calls itself a "neighborhood church" and a "self-governing" congregation, working cooperatively with other churches and faith-based organizations in Evansville while remaining independent in its decisions. That mission shapes everything from the Sunday schedule to the Wednesday Bible study to the prayer ministry that gathers requests every week.
Sunday Mornings: Coffee, Hymns, and a Pipe Organ
The Sunday rhythm at St. John's East is unhurried. The Fellowship Café opens in Haas Hall at 10:00 am, where coffee, water, and a sweet treat are set out for anyone who comes through the doors. At 10:30 am the focus shifts to the Sanctuary, where Lay Minister John D. Herring, Jr. leads a traditional service that includes congregational and individual worship through hymns, prayer and confession, special music, and a Bible-centered sermon meant to be applied to daily life.
The music at St. John's East is led by Henry Maurer, who has served as Director of Music since September 2016. Maurer studied organ with Dr. Douglas Reed at the University of Evansville, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Music with a minor in Religion. He has served as Sub-Dean of the Evansville Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and holds a Service Playing Certificate from the organization. Under his direction, services are accompanied on a pipe organ that the church describes as "outstanding." Music has long been part of the SJE tradition, and Maurer encourages anyone interested in joining the music ministry to reach out through the church office.
Services are also live-streamed on YouTube and Facebook for those who cannot attend in person. Sermons are recorded and shared on YouTube so that visitors who travel or who miss a week can keep up with the Lay Minister's preaching. The Lay Minister preaches most Sundays, with occasional guest speakers filling the pulpit.
Children's Ministry on First Sundays
On the first Sunday of each month, Children's Ministry meets at 9:30 am in the time slot just before the Fellowship Café and Morning Worship. The church describes itself as "family-friendly," and the dedicated Sunday morning slot for children is part of that identity. Parents and guardians bring their children to a program designed to run alongside the adult Sunday schedule, so the whole family can move together to the Fellowship Café at 10:00 am and worship at 10:30 am. Children's Ministry is a regular part of the monthly rhythm at St. John's East, and families are welcome to bring their children along for the morning.
Fellowship Team on Fourth Sundays
Once a month, on the fourth Sunday at 9:30 am in Haas Hall, the Fellowship Team gathers to prepare and serve the Fellowship Café that follows. Organized by Misti Wagemann, the team arrives an hour before the café opens to set out the coffee, water, and treats, and to make sure the morning runs smoothly for visitors and regulars alike. The fourth-Sunday rhythm has continued month after month and is the hands-on fellowship ministry that welcomes people into the building before worship begins.
Wednesday Bible Study: In Person at Noon, on Zoom at 6 pm
Studying the Bible is a stated priority at St. John's East, summed up in a line the congregation often quotes: "You can't lead where you won't go and you can't teach what you don't know." To put that conviction into practice, the church hosts a Community Bible Study every Wednesday throughout the year, with two ways to take part.
At 12:00 pm the group meets on the church premises for in-depth study and lively discussion. The study alternates between a book study and a topical study, and the topic can be seasonally driven as well. At 6:00 pm the same study continues on Zoom, hosted through a meeting link that is available from the church office. Both sessions are open to members and visitors, and the church encourages questions, honors opinions, and welcomes personal sharing as a way to build a stronger biblical foundation together. The current book study, "Forgive Like Christ," comes with a study guide that anyone can request through the church office.
A Lay Minister's Heart for Outreach and Discipleship
John D. Herring, Jr. has been the Lay Minister at St. John's East since August 2020. A Reitz High School graduate from the class of 1973, he went on to earn an Associate degree in Accounting and Computer Science from Lockyear Business College in 1975. He first accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior in 1967 at New Hope Baptist Church and was baptized by the late Rev. Dr. W. R. Brown, Sr. After a re-commitment of his life in April 1981 he was ordained as a deacon that same year and served in many roles, including Youth and Adult Sunday School Teacher, Vacation Bible School Instructor, Trustee, Bus Driver, and member of the Outreach/Evangelism Team. In September 2001 he moved his membership to Memorial Baptist Church under the leadership of the Rev. Dr. Adrian M. Brooks, Sr., where he served as Vice-President of the Deacon Board, Director of the Members Orientation Ministry, and Wednesday Bible Study Instructor.
At St. John's East, Herring has set two clear priorities: evangelism and outreach, getting unsaved and unchurched individuals into right relationship with Jesus Christ; and discipleship, building teaching and training programs to help new and existing believers grow, develop, and mature. His personal motto at the church is: "God does not bless us just for us to be blessed... He blesses us so we in turn can be a blessing to those we come in contact with." He has been married to his wife Patricia for over 35 years, and they have two children, two grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
What St. John's East Believes
The congregation has published a clear statement of beliefs that reflects the broad Christian tradition. The church affirms that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and Lord and Savior, and that the scriptures are the inspired Word of God. God is three-in-one: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is given to believers to show God's love in the world. In keeping with the teachings of the Lord, the church recognizes two sacraments: baptism and the Lord's Supper, or Holy Communion, as outward signs of the inward work of grace.
St. John's East teaches that each person is responsible for responding to the Good News that forgiveness for sin is found in and through Jesus Christ; that sin separates people from God and that reconciliation comes through Christ's sacrifice; and that as members of the Church, the Body of Christ, every believer is called to minister to others. The church is self-governing and free to act in accordance with the collective decisions of its members, guided by the Holy Spirit in light of the Scriptures. It also believes that God is love, and that one expression of faith is love toward everyone.
Prayer at the Center of the Week
Every Sunday morning, time is set aside during worship to lift up prayer requests and words of thanks and praise. At St. John's East, prayer is described as "not a last resort, but a best practice and a first choice in the best of times, in the hardest of times, and in all of the times in between." Visitors and members are invited to send prayer requests by email to the church office, and the community holds to God's promise that He hears and answers when His people call out to Him.
Supporting the Neighborhood
St. John's East describes its outreach simply: through collections and donations, the congregation supports local nonprofit organizations to help those in need. The Plaza Park Neighborhood Association meets at the church, and the building also hosts two business networking groups, BNI High Noon Networkers on Mondays and BNI River City Referrals on Tuesdays, which use the facilities during the week. A Church Council gathers on the fourth Tuesday evening of the month to guide the life of the congregation, and groups that need meeting space can inquire about facility use through the church office. The church sits in the Plaza Park neighborhood and serves as a community hub, with the Sanctuary for worship, Haas Hall for the Fellowship Café and team gatherings, and other rooms for children's ministry and the Bible study.
Leadership and Music
St. John's East is led by a Church Council made up of elders, deacons, and trustees who together oversee the spiritual life, finances, and operations of the congregation. Electra Shane serves as President and Elder, with Rosie Kelley as Vice President and Elder, Kim Morehead as Secretary and Elder, LaNell Lucius as Treasurer, Deacon, and Trustee, David Foster as Trustee, Brenda Rogers as Deacon, Dr. Ed Hogg as Elder, Mike Sensmeier as Deacon, and Debbie Wilson as Deacon. Henry Maurer continues to guide the music ministry as Director of Music, helping newcomers get plugged in to the program that accompanies Sunday worship on the pipe organ. The council's work is supported by a church secretary and a bookkeeper who keep the day-to-day operations running.