On Madison Square in the historic district of Savannah, Georgia, St. John's Church faces Bull Street across from the Green-Meldrim House, the Second Empire mansion that General William Tecumseh Sherman used as his headquarters in December 1864 and that has served as the parish's parish house since 1943. Within walking distance of Christ Church on Johnson Square, where the parish had its first home, St. John's is one of a small and shrinking number of Episcopal parishes in the United States that worships according to the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. Visitors who step through the doors on a Sunday morning find the same prayer book that shaped Anglican worship in this country for most of the twentieth century, sung by a choir that includes boys and girls drawn from across the Savannah area, in a hammer-beam sanctuary consecrated in 1853 and adorned with stained glass, brass, and a reredos figure of the risen Christ who reaches out his arms in blessing.
Founded in 1841, Consecrated in 1853
St. John's was incorporated by an act of the Georgia State Legislature in 1841, when a group of Episcopalians in the south end of the growing city south of Liberty Street banded together to establish a second parish. Its first members came from Christ Church, and its first rector was Stephen Elliott, who later became the first bishop of the Diocese of Georgia. The first St. John's building was consecrated in 1843; when the congregation outgrew that space, the present church was built across from the Green-Meldrim House. Designed by Calvin N. Otis of Buffalo, New York, and consecrated on May 7, 1853, the building is the spiritual and architectural center of the parish, known for its hammer-beam ceiling, its stained glass, the pipe organ in the west gallery, and the commanding figure of the crucified and risen Lord above the altar.
Over the following decades the parish built its first Parish House (now the office and chapel annex), acquired the Green-Meldrim mansion in 1943 for use as its parish house, and built and rebuilt its church school building, now known as Cranmer Hall. The historic buildings themselves, the parish notes, "proclaim that they are only part of the legacy which we enjoy here, in virtue of the freedom which is our in law - a spiritual legacy of historic Faith and Order, set forth in historic forms of Worship, by which our souls are formed."
Worship in the 1928 Book of Common Prayer
At St. John's, the worship is grounded in "the truth of the Bible as transmitted in the beauty of the Anglican tradition." The parish upholds and propagates "the historic Faith and Order as set forth in the Book of Common Prayer," using the classical 1928 edition that prevailed in the American Episcopal Church before the 1979 revision. The 1662 English Prayer Book is recognized as the normative standard, with the 1549 first Prayer Book, the Ordinal, and the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion standing alongside as the "historic formularies" of Anglicanism.
Some services are very simple, others have elaborate music, vestment, and ceremony, and most of the congregation dresses up for church - jackets for men, equivalent attire for women. Visitors who are baptized and have been admitted to communion in their own churches are welcome to receive communion; all other visitors are welcome to come forward during the Communion to receive a blessing.
A Full Sunday on Madison Square
Four services shape the rhythm of a typical Sunday at St. John's, all held at the church at 325 Bull Street:
- 8 a.m. Holy Communion. A quiet and meditative spoken service focusing on the words of Scripture, the prayers, and the Sacrament.
- 9 a.m. Family Worship. A newcomer- and family-friendly service with active participation from the parish's youth; alternates between Morning Prayer and Holy Communion.
- 10 a.m. All Ages Sunday School. Christian formation classes for children, youth, and adults, held in Cranmer Hall across the street.
- 11 a.m. Principal Service. The main liturgy of the week, "beautiful and reverent ceremonial in the Anglican tradition, with choral and congregational singing, a sermon and prayers." Alternates between Morning Prayer and Holy Communion and is livestreamed on YouTube and posted afterward.
A nursery for newborns through four-year-olds is open from 8:45 a.m. until after the final service and is located on the first floor of Cranmer Hall.
The Round of Daily Prayer
Few parishes keep the full Daily Office as visibly as St. John's. The rector, the Rev'd Gavin Dunbar, livestreams Morning Prayer every weekday at 8:15 a.m. on Facebook, with the lessons for the week posted as downloadable PDFs so that people online can follow along from the 1928 Prayer Book.
On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings, a quiet, spoken service of Morning Prayer is sung in St. Mary's Chapel, the small chapel tucked under the arches on the Macon Street side of the campus. A spoken Holy Communion is offered at noon in the chapel on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, and in the main church on Wednesday. Evening Prayer follows in the chapel at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday - Thursday's service includes Holy Communion. On Wednesday evenings, the day closes with Compline at 9 p.m. in the church, the traditional final prayer of the day, contemplative and restful. Saturday mornings bring an 11 a.m. spoken Holy Communion in the chapel.
A Choir School on Madison Square
The music ministry is one of the parish's best-known features. "The choirs of St John's Church exist to inspire the hearts and minds of those who attend liturgies or concerts of the Parish," the parish explains. The music is "traditionally Anglican or Episcopalian - a mix of choral and congregational singing accompanied by pipe organ." Congregational singing is based on the canticles of the Prayer Book and hymns from the 1940 Episcopal Hymnal and other hymnals of similar character.
Four choirs share the work. The Choir of Boys and the Choir of Girls draw trebles from across the Savannah area (typically grades 3-8 for boys and grades 4-12 for girls). They are supported by a team of professional adult altos, tenors, and basses, and they take part in special services, tours, recordings, and retreats. The Choir of Adults sings a varied repertoire spanning more than 800 years of music and leads the music for the Sunday services in rotation with the boys' and girls' choirs. The Schola Choir is a core ensemble of professional singers who provide the alto, tenor, and bass lines for the trebles and make an extra commitment to the schedule and to supporting the work of other adults and children.
The Chorister Program is open to all children regardless of church affiliation or background. There are no fees, and previous musical training is not expected; incoming choristers "should demonstrate a bright mind, a good ear, and a desire to excel." Choristers learn music theory and sight-reading, take private singing lessons, and share "the bonds of teamwork and fellowship, education and travel," performing great works of music in national and international venues.
The Aquila Music Foundation, a supporting nonprofit dedicated to the music ministry and incorporated in the legacy of the late Father William Ralston and Leonard Trosten, Esq., funds the chorister program and the Music on Madison Square concert series. The foundation's name comes from the Latin for eagle, the symbol of St. John the Evangelist, the parish's patron. Patron levels ($250 and above) reserve concert seating at the Music on Madison Square series, which has welcomed visiting choirs and ensembles such as the Charlotte Master Chorale, and the parish's own choirs present a Christmas concert each December in the church.
The Clergy
Father Dunbar has served as rector since 2006. Born and raised in Toronto, he studied classics at the University of Toronto and Dalhousie University in Halifax before studying theology at Wycliffe College, Toronto, and was ordained a priest of the Anglican Church of Canada in 1992 in the Diocese of Nova Scotia. He joined St. John's in 1997 as a Priest Assistant and now serves as President of the Prayer Book Society of the U.S.A.
The Rev'd Jonathan Jameson joined as Associate Rector in February 2022. A native of San Diego, he toured internationally as a professional musician before turning to theology at Nashotah House (MTS, 2019) and Montreal Diocesan Theological College (MDiv, 2021), and was ordained to the priesthood by the Bishop of Central Florida on the Feast of St. Agnes in 2022.
The parish receives episcopal sacramental and liturgical ministry, by gracious permission of the Bishop of Georgia, through Delegated Episcopal Pastoral Oversight (DEPO), in the person of Bishop Paul E. Lambert (Ret'd.), who has served in this role since Easter 2015. The Rev'd J. Patrick Hunt serves as a non-stipendiary assisting priest, chiefly at the 12:15 p.m. Sunday service and on weekdays, and the Rev'd David Thurlow serves as an Honorary Assisting Priest.
William Douglas came on staff in 2024 as Organist and Choirmaster. A graduate of the University of South Carolina, where he earned bachelor's and master's degrees in organ performance as a pupil of Dr. Jared Johnson and studied continuo and harpsichord with Dr. Jerry Curry, Douglas previously served on the music staff of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Columbia, South Carolina, and the Cathedral of All Saints in Albany, New York.
Two vergers, B. Ray Summerell (also a Licensed Eucharistic Minister) and Jim Morris, support the ceremonial life of the parish, and Carter C. Hubbard, Sr., serves as Acolyte Director and Master of Ceremonies, training the acolytes who serve the priests and congregation at the main Sunday services and on major holy days.
Faith Formation for Children, Youth, and Adults
"Christian education has long been central to St. John's mission." On Sunday mornings at 10 a.m., Christian formation classes meet in Cranmer Hall for children and youth, with adults gathering in classes led by the clergy that focus on formal instruction in a Gospel or a specific theological theme, or in moderated discussions of the Sunday Scripture readings. Sunday evenings bring additional offerings: "Fr. Jameson's Formation Group," and a "Sundays with the Bishop" class led by Bishop Lambert.
Children's ministry is led by Sarah Bosiack Ross, who trained as a catechist for three to six-year-olds at Calvary Episcopal Church in Summit, New Jersey, before joining St. John's. The children's program uses StoryMakers, a gospel-centered curriculum. On alternating Sunday evenings, a youth group for older students is led by Tyler Lonaker, the Minister for Youth and Young Adults, who joined the staff in 2026; parents' nights out are offered in conjunction with the Sunday Night Sessions to encourage whole-family participation.
Adult faith formation extends beyond the classroom. A monthly Faith + Fiction group, led by novelist and parishioner Heather Cross, focuses on ethical and theological engagement with literature, meeting at 5:30 p.m. in the Green-Meldrim House. The Anglican Future Forum is a three-part panel series on Memory, Identity, and Mission, hosted in the Green-Meldrim House with clergy and special guests, refreshments, and childcare for younger children while the youth group meets at the same time. A Thursday morning men's small group study meets at 7 a.m. in the Green-Meldrim House kitchen with Charles Ezelle and Fr. Dunbar, and a women's small group study gathers on Mondays.
Hope Haven, P.A.C.K., and Stephen Ministry
Outreach is woven into parish identity under the motto "Freely you have received, freely you will give." Three programs stand at the center.
Hope Haven is a faith-based respite program for those living with mild to moderate dementia or other cognitive impairment. Members gather twice a week - Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. - in Cranmer Hall for a day filled with games, music, art, exercise, shared meals, and purposeful service projects, alongside trained volunteers. "There is no distinction made between a member and a volunteer," the parish explains, creating an atmosphere of service in which everyone supports one another. A monthly caregiver support group meets on the third floor of Cranmer Hall, and a free quarterly caregiver education series is open to the community. Hope Haven is directed by Cathy Baxter.
P.A.C.K. Savannah packs bags of food for local children identified by partner schools. Volunteers of all ages from St. John's meet at the P.A.C.K. facility on the first and third Wednesdays of the month from 4 to 6 p.m. (children under 12 must be accompanied by a parent), and the parish also staffs a "Fancy Nancy" girls' size-6 closet at P.A.C.K.'s Boutique. Stuart Clifford serves as St. John's P.A.C.K. coordinator.
Stephen Ministry offers one-on-one, Christ-centered spiritual support and encouragement for individuals in adversity. Bishop Paul Lambert, Sally Lambert, and Rick Wright completed training to become Stephen Leaders at St. John's Church in late 2024, and lay Stephen Ministers meet weekly with care receivers experiencing grief, the loss of a job, divorce, loneliness, illness, or other life difficulties, listening, understanding, accepting, and praying with them.
Additional parish partners include The Prayer Book Society USA; The Living Vine, the parish's outreach partner for 2023 through 2026; and The Cradle of Prayer, a free daily-prayer audio resource started by a former parishioner.
The Women, the Men, and the Chancel Society
The Women of St. John's Church, organized to unite the women of the parish in worship, study, and service, gathers four times a year for a short business meeting, a presentation, and fellowship, and stewards the annual Holly Days Bazaar, a Savannah tradition of more than 80 years supporting area charities. All female parishioners are members, with no dues and no obligations.
The Men of St. John's Church unites the gentlemen of the parish in worship, study, service, and fellowship - all male members of the church are considered members of the Men's Club. The men provide lay readers for Morning and Evening Prayer, sponsor evensongs and parish picnics, serve as ushers, and host the annual Oyster Roast & BBQ, held in winter at Camp Villa Marie.
The Chancel Society is a ministry of women of the parish with "a special ministry to support the worship offered at St. John's." Members keep the sanctuary and sacristies clean and in good order, arrange altar flowers for Sundays, weddings, and funerals, launder linens and care for vestments, prepare the vessels and elements for every communion, polish the silver used in Baptism and Holy Communion, and deliver smaller bouquets after Sunday services to hospitals, shut-ins, and parishioners recuperating at home.
Coffee hours follow Sunday services in the Green-Meldrim House and are organized by a separate team of volunteers.
The Green-Meldrim House and Cranmer Hall
The Green-Meldrim House, on the north side of Madison Square at 14 West Macon Street, serves as the parish house and a public historic site. Designed by John S. Norris for cotton merchant Charles Green and completed in 1861, the house became St. John's property on December 30, 1943, and today hosts Sunday coffee hour, meetings, receptions, concerts, and other parish events. Tours are offered Tuesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., free to the public with donations welcome. The house also hosts many of the parish's Arts + Faith programs, including Faith + Fiction and the Anglican Future Forum.
Cranmer Hall, across Bull Street at 27 West Charlton Street, houses faith-formation classrooms, the nursery, fellowship spaces, the Hope Haven program, the third-floor support group meeting room, and The Children's School at St. John's Church, a preschool and "mother's morning out" program serving children ages 3 months through pre-kindergarten and developing them spiritually, intellectually, physically, and emotionally.
The 1841 Society and Giving
The parish's planned-giving program is named The 1841 Society, in recognition of the year a group of Episcopalians in Savannah founded the parish south of Liberty Street. Members (any individual, couple, or family who makes a planned gift and notifies the parish office) are invited to special events, recognized in specific publications and on the parish website, and receive an 1841 Society pin.
Regular giving is accepted online, by text (text "1928BCP" to 73256), by mail to the parish office at One West Macon Street, by check in the offering plates on Sundays, and through gifts of appreciated stock, qualified charitable distributions from IRAs, and other planned gifts such as bequests, charitable lead trusts, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, life insurance, and real estate. The Children's School can be reached at (912) 232-1225, and its own information page lists its program in detail.
Anglican Doctrine, Briefly
Historically, the parish explains, Anglicans have defined their faith as adherence to the teaching of "One Lord, Jesus Christ; Two Testaments, Old and New; Three Creeds, Apostles', Nicene, and Athanasian; Four Councils, Nicea 325 A.D., Constantinople 381, Ephesus 431, and Chalcedon 451; and Five Centuries of Catholic tradition in doctrine and worship." To these ancient witnesses the parish adds the historic formularies of Anglicanism: the Book of Common Prayer (1549 to 1662, and in the USA 1789 to 1928), the Ordinal, and the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion as adopted in the USA in 1801.
St. John's does not believe it has the right or authority to set aside the fundamental commitments of Anglicanism to historic Faith and Order, and is "determined to uphold and propagate the same, and to transmit this legacy unimpaired to our posterity." By gracious permission of the Bishop of Georgia since 2010, the parish receives episcopal sacramental and liturgical ministry through Delegated Episcopal Pastoral Oversight.
Practicalities for Visitors
Worship services are held at the church on Madison Square, 325 Bull Street. The office and St. Mary's Chapel are entered from the north side, under the arches on West Macon Street; if the chapel doors are locked, ring the bell for assistance. Most of the congregation dresses up for church - jackets for men, equivalent attire for women. The nursery for newborns through four-year-olds is available from 8:45 a.m. on Sunday mornings on the first floor of Cranmer Hall. Baptized visitors who have been admitted to communion in their own churches are welcome to receive communion; all other visitors are welcome to come forward during Communion for a blessing. The principal Sunday service is livestreamed on YouTube, and Fr. Dunbar livestreams weekday Morning Prayer on Facebook at 8:15 a.m. for those who cannot be present in person.