"St. John’s in the Mountains began in Stowe in 1901,
with occasional worship services in homes and local inns, before formally organizing as St. John’s Mission in 1922 with about 25 members. Worship was largely lay-led, and hospitality quickly became a defining feature of parish life. In 1954, the Diocese purchased the West Branch Schoolhouse
at the crossroads of the Mountain Road and Luce Hill Road as the congregation’s first permanent home. Soon after, the parish adopted the name St. John’s in the Mountains. Traditions such as Shrove Tuesday
pancake suppers began in the late 1950s and continue today. 

The parish grew steadily, gaining its first full-time resident vicar, the Rev. Marcus Hall, in 1965. Ecumenical cooperation flourished, including the
creation of the Stowe Mountain Chapel on Mount Mansfield. In 1985,
St. John’s officially became a parish, and lay leadership expanded significantly under the Rev. Dr. Daniel Riddick. Subsequent rectors introduced new programs and saw increased attendance, particularly during the tenure of the Rev. Joade Dauer Cardasis in the 1990s.

After years of planning, the parish built a new church building to
accommodate growth. Following a major fundraising effort, the congregation left the old schoolhouse in 2006 (which is now the Stowe Historical Society
and Museum), worshiped temporarily at JCOGS and Stoweflake, and moved
into the new church building in 2007. 

After a period of transition and interim leadership, the Rev.
Dr. Rick Swanson became rector in 2010, marking a new chapter in
the long history of St. John’s in the Mountains. Under the leadership of “Fr. Rick,” St. John's saw increased ecumenical and interfaith bonds, use of the church building by expanded community partnerships, and technological updates to meet the needs of worshipping during a Pandemic as well as a changing world. In December of 2025, St. John's called our current priest,
The Rev. Dr. Robert K. Leopold, who is just fine if you call him Bob. 

As we reflect on this history, we ask how it is being honored as we move forward into all that God – the source of Love – is calling us to become. Our mission statement, “Daily, we strive to deepen our relationship with God, one another, and the wider community,” captures the heart of that call. This mission is fundamentally communal; from our earliest gatherings in homes and shared spaces to our life together today: nothing happens in isolation. We discern, decide, and act as a community, rooted in a strong grass-roots tradition. 

We understand growth not only in terms of numbers, but in deepening faith, service, and engagement with the world around us. We are continually
learning, responding, and being shaped by God’s call. And finally, our
mission reminds us that this is not merely an intellectual journey. As we
grow in deepening our relationships, we are also invited to experience
and embody the love of Christ Jesus: within our hearts, our parish,
throughout our wider community, and beyond.

How might you be being called to contribute to the story of
St. John's in the Mountains?"