[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 146 (Monday, September 8, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E820-E821]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING THE 175TH ANNIVERSARY OF ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST EPISCOPAL 
                                 CHURCH

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOSH HARDER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 8, 2025

  Mr. HARDER of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
175th anniversary of St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church in 
Stockton, a congregation whose presence has helped define the heart and 
history of the city since 1850.
  Founded the same year Captain Charles M. Weber established the City 
of Stockton, St. John's stands as one of the oldest Episcopal churches 
on the West Coast and one of the few that remains on its original site. 
The church's legacy is not only one of remarkable longevity, but also 
of deep service and enduring community impact.
  Its original Gothic brick building was consecrated in 1858. The 
current Norman-style sanctuary, completed in 1892, preserved several 
historic elements--stained glass windows

[[Page E821]]

believed to be the oldest in the San Joaquin Valley, as well as the 
original baptismal font and pipe organ.
  Over the past 175 years, St. John's has hosted more than 9,000 Sunday 
services and an untold number of baptisms, weddings, funerals, and holy 
observances. Yet its mission has always reached beyond its walls. 
Through initiatives like the HUB--Helping Urban Bicyclists--founded by 
Deacon Rev. Stephen Bentley, the church provides refurbished bicycles 
to those without transportation. The program has grown to include 
mobile showers, laundry services, meals, medical care, and case 
management, offering vital support to Stockton's unhoused community.
  St. John's is a church where everyone is welcomed with dignity and 
joy. Whether attending Sunday service, receiving a meal, or arriving 
with a dog--who are greeted each week with a biscuit and a blessing--
each visitor becomes part of a tradition rooted in compassion. Above 
the church doors, the words ``Enter, Rest, Pray'' offer a simple but 
powerful invitation--one that has endured through generations.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring St. John the 
Evangelist Episcopal Church for 175 years of faithful service, 
inclusivity, and leadership in Stockton.

                          ____________________