Building & Grounds

The architectural space of St. John’s Episcopal Church has been an important fixture in our community for decades. Parishoners as well as our neighbors in the broader communities of West Hartford and Hartford are welcome to find peace and tranquility within our walls and on our beautiful grounds.

At St. John’s, we’re proud of our building’s history, and offer tours at designated times. We regularly welcome groups who rent space in our facility, from Episcopal church organizations and local non-profits to 12-step meetings and musicians.

We consider the church grounds to be important community and spiritual spaces, and welcome passers-by to rest on our benches or stroll in the garden. The Cloister Garden features perennial plants, shrubs, and trees that make the most of every season. It serves as a memorial garden for generations of church members whose ashes are interred there, a summer worship spot, a wintertime feeding place for the birds, and a place for quiet reflection year-round. It is maintained by volunteers.

Our newest garden space is Abraham’s Welcome, which occupies a highly visible spot in front of the church along Farmington Avenue where an ancient copper beech tree used to stand. Sadly, the ailing tree had to be taken down in 2020, as dead limbs posed a risk to people and property. With a grant from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, we mulched the area where the tree used to stand and filled it with butterly- and bee-friendly perennials, evergreen trees, ornamental cherry trees, mountain laurel shrubs, two benches, a community bulletin board, and a Blessing Box or “Little Free Food Pantry,” where everyone is invited to take food if they need it and leave food for others if they are able.