History

The first worship service was held on Sunday, April 26, 1970 in the community
room of a Naples bank located at 2400 N. Tamiami Trail. The Rev. Tom Moss, Vicar conducted the service for the ten persons attending.

Trinity-by-the-Cove parish, Naples, was the “mother parish,” assisting the
organizers in a number of ways including giving the property at 605 Parkview on which the Vicarage was built. One of these ways was working with Raymond Lutgert, developer of the Park Shore neighborhood. Mr. Lutgert donated the 3.5 acres of property on which the church is built.

The group soon grew to 32 and, by October 1970, St. John’s was
granted official mission status by the Diocese of Southwest Florida.
Groundbreaking for the Church building took place on February 21, 1971, and the completed building was dedicated in November 1972.

Full parish status was achieved in October 1980. Initiated by a challenge
gift of $100,000 in February 1977, ground was broken for Sugden Parish Hall,
completed in November 1980.  During the period 1981 to 1987, stained glass
windows and a pipe organ were installed in the church and the Garden of the
Resurrection (for interment of cremation remains) was completed.  The Thrift
Shoppe, committed to community outreach, opened its doors in April 1982.  In
1987, Brewster Hall construction was begun with completion in 1988. St. John’s
support for a new North Naples mission helped St. Monica’s begin worship
services in January 1991.