St. John’s in the Wilderness is a summer chapel in the Episcopal Diocese of Albany, which means that we are not a permanent, year-round parish but rather serve a primarily non-residential summer community. We were founded in 1876 by summer residents of the St. Regis and Spitfire Lakes, with many families worshipping here through the generations over the past century and a half.
We gather primarily on Sunday mornings in July and August for either Holy Eucharist or Morning Prayer, and occasionally for midweek Evensong. We also host a Sunday evening hymn sing at a local residence. While an Episcopal church, all are enthusiastically welcomed, and all baptized Christians are welcome to receive communion.
St. John’s is managed by a vestry, with oversight from the Episcopal Diocese of Albany and its Northern Adirondack Deanery, and supportive relationships with nearby year-round parishes such as St. Luke’s in Saranac Lake and St. Eustace in Lake Placid.
St. John’s also operates a non-denominational cemetery on the surrounding grounds.
