St. John’s, founded in 1843, is a church bristling with new life. Earlier this year, the 150-member parish in Rosebank installed a new rector, the Rev. Roy Cole, after many years of working with a long-term supply priest and a dedicated vestry and wardens. The congregation is proud of its determination, its prayerful willingness to grow, and its diversity.<\/p>\n
The parish has the vibrancy of a mosaic, with parishioners who trace their roots to Europe, Africa, the Caribbean, Asia and Central America. It is a place where bright pieces of culture, language, dress, customs and history wash up against each other and meld into one distinctive whole.<\/p>\n
Father Cole made a point of honoring that diversity at his institution in February. He insisted that the event should not be catered but that parishioners should bring dishes that represented their ethnic background.<\/p>\n
“I wanted the people to be authentically included with offerings of their culture and one of the best ways to do that is through food,” Father Cole said.<\/p>\n