The chapel is available for your use.

The original St. John’s Episcopal Church is on the list of Minnesota Historical Site buildings, having been completed in July 1882. It was renovated is being used as a chapel at the Worthington Memorial Gardens.

The Episcopal congregation was a part of Worthington’s religious community almost from the start, when settlers of the National Colony arrived in Worthington in the spring of 1872. Christian denominations established a common Colony Christina Union, which worshipped regularly for about a year, then split into three denominations, Congregational, Methodist and Presbyterian.

The few Episcopalians in the village of Worthington met in members’ homes until a fund-raising effort was began to build a church. The effort raised $25.50 and was swelled by a $300 pledge from Bishop Whipple who promised, if possible, to raise it to $500. The building was begun in 1881, largely through the efforts of the Rev. Mr. D. Gunn, and completed on July 18, 1882.

In St. John’s history of the local church, it was noted that “priests frequently traveled by train and service times were scheduled to coincide with the arrival of the train, usually late afternoon or early evening.”

The church building served the congregation until the growing membership decided to build a new church. Ground was broken May 1954 and the new church, now known as St. John’s by the Lake, was completed with first services held on Easter Sunday, April 10, 1955.