About Saint John · Greenfield, Iowa
St. John Parish is a small, rural Catholic community in Greenfield, Iowa, part of the Diocese of Des Moines. Located at 303 NE Elm Street, it serves the surrounding Adair County towns of Greenfield, Fontanelle, Bridgewater, Orient, and nearby Massena. Weekend Masses are celebrated Saturday evening at 5:15 p.m. and Sunday morning at 8:15 a.m., with weekday Masses on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and Friday at noon. The parish is currently pastored by Rev. Philip Yaw Bempong, who also serves as pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Massena. St. John's is known for its warm welcome, an active faith formation program for grades K–12, and a strong tradition of community outreach — most visibly when the parish became a relief collection point after the devastating 2024 Greenfield tornado.
- Established
- 1912
- Patron
- St. John
- Rector
- Rev. Philip Yaw Bempong
- Diocese
- Diocese of Des Moines
Why belong here
St. John Parish is a place where everyone is greeted warmly — whether you arrive in bib overalls from the farm or in an Iowa State Patrol uniform. The parish pairs a faithful traditional worship life (Saturday vigil and Sunday morning Mass, daily Mass three days a week, weekly Reconciliation) with a serious commitment to forming the next generation through K–12 faith formation on Wednesday evenings. Add in its many small-group ministries — the Rosary Ministry, Decorating Ministry, Stewardship, Knights of Columbus, CCW, and parish safety team — and you have a community where newcomers are quickly known by name.
Mass times at Saint John
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:30 PM – 4:45 PM (per diocese directory)
- Saturday 4:50 PM – 5:00 PM (per parish About page)
- Sunday 7:50 AM – 8:00 AM (per parish About page)
- By appointment
Adoration times
- 30 minutes prior to each Mass (per diocese directory)
About St. John Parish
St. John Parish describes itself as a rural parish of the Diocese of Des Moines providing the Catholic faith to Greenfield, Fontanelle, Bridgewater, Orient, and surrounding areas. The parish's self-stated mission is 'to be fully devoted to Jesus by opening our arms to those in search of the truth,' showing 'God's love and concern for our fellow man at every opportunity.' Father Philip Bempong (Pastor) and Pam Jensen (Secretary/Bookkeeper) lead parish administration, with Katie Ohms serving as Catechetical Leader and Michelle Carns as the RCIA contact.
- Pastoral leadership: Rev. Father Philip Bempong (Pastor)
- Parish Secretary / Bookkeeper: Pam Jensen
- Catechetical Leader: Katie Ohms ([email protected])
- RCIA Contact: Michelle Carns
- Massena yoked parish: St. Patrick, also pastored by Fr. Bempong
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. John's runs a robust Faith Formation program for youth in kindergarten through 12th grade, meeting in the Church Hall (the walkout basement of the church) on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 7:30 PM, beginning in late August and continuing through Easter. The program prepares second graders for First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion, and prepares high school juniors for Confirmation, with parish volunteer catechists and a suggested $20-per-child registration fee.
- Grades K–12, Wednesdays 6:30–7:30 PM, Church Hall
- First Reconciliation & First Holy Communion — 2nd grade
- Confirmation — high school juniors, expected through 12th grade
- Catechetical Leader: Katie Ohms
- Volunteer catechists; suggested $20 registration
Sacraments
St. John offers the full sacramental life of a Catholic parish to members and visitors. Baptisms, weddings, anointings, and funerals are all coordinated personally with Father Philip; marriage preparation uses sponsor couples and the FOCUS inventory, and the parish accompanies those seeking annulments. Anointing of the Sick may be requested by the sick person, a family member, or via a direct call to Father — not only at the point of death.
- Baptism — by appointment with Father; during Mass or privately
- Marriage — prep, ceremony, sponsor couples, FOCUS survey; blessings for those married outside the Church; annulment assistance
- Anointing of the Sick — call Father directly; 'no need to wait until a person is at the point of death'
- Mass of Christian Burial / Celebration of Life Mass — coordinated with Lamb Funeral Home
- Funeral florals: Colors Floral & Home Decorating (Gina School, Greenfield)
Parish Ministries & Service
The parish is sustained by many lay-led ministries. Every woman of the parish is by default a member of the Council of Catholic Women, which serves funeral dinners and prepares meals for hall rentals. The Knights of Columbus John Mark 9712 Chapter is co-sponsored with a neighboring parish. Liturgical, decorating, stewardship, finance, pastoral, and safety councils each have named chairs; the parish also actively supports the Adair County Benevolence Fund, an annual American Red Cross Blood Drive, CRS Rice Bowl during Lent, and diocesan vocations.
- Council of Catholic Women (CCW) — automatic membership for parish women
- Knights of Columbus — John Mark 9712 Chapter (Grand Knight Nathan Jensen)
- Finance Council — Michele Brant (chair), Mark Schildberg, Renee Schwartz, John Gruss, Andrew Martin
- Pastoral Council — Dan Britten (chair), Barb Baker, Angie Ford, Tina Phillippi, Mark Lantz
- Trustees — Mary Jensen & Jerry Meisenheimer
- Stewardship — Michelle Carns, Brett Welsch, Nathan Jensen, Amy DeVault, Bill Yount
- Safety Ministry — Clel Baudler (chair), Jim Reis, Bill Yount, Renee Schwartz, Ryan DeVault, Nick Kintigh
- Decorating Ministry — Mary Carole Baudler, Bethany Kintigh, Joan Mitchell
- Rosary Ministry, Liturgical Ministry
- Adair County Benevolence Fund (5th-Sunday donations)
- American Red Cross Blood Drive (annual, June)
- CRS Rice Bowl (Lent)
- Diocesan Vocations collection
Outreach & Community Life
Outreach is central to St. John's identity. Each 5th-Sunday collection goes to the Adair County Benevolence Fund, helping neighbors with utilities, prescriptions, rent, and transportation to medical appointments. The parish also hosts the local Red Cross blood drive each June and supports area seniors through scholarships tied to those drives. The signature community event is St. John's Fest, an evening of live music and food (with the Adair County Cattlemen grilling on-site) that draws families from across the parish area.
- Adair County Benevolence Fund (5th Sunday)
- American Red Cross Blood Drive — every June
- St. John's Fest — annual summer community celebration
- Bible Study group (meets regularly)
- 2024 Greenfield tornado relief: parish became collection/meal/shelter point
Giving & Finances
The parish has moved to facilitate online generosity through Our Sunday Visitor's electronic giving platform. Donors may set up direct debit contributions, route gifts to special collections of their choice, and pay with debit or credit cards. The Finance Council and Stewardship Committee steward these gifts alongside regular envelope giving.
- Electronic giving via Our Sunday Visitor
- Direct debit and credit card payments accepted
- Special collections can be designated by donors
- Finance Council oversight
Visit, Contact & Practical Info
The parish welcomes visitors, those newly moved to the area, and anyone curious about joining. Music during Mass mixes traditional and contemporary hymns; the congregation reflects the community's rural character, with farmers, first responders, and families all attending. Changes to the schedule are announced on the parish's Facebook page.
- Address: 303 NE Elm Street, Greenfield, IA 50849
- Phone: (641) 343-7065
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: stjohns3.wixsite.com/home
- Mass length: ~1 hour
- Dress: come as you are — jeans/polo common; bib overalls and uniforms welcome
- Faith Formation held in the walkout basement 'Church Hall'
- Schedule changes posted on the parish Facebook page
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Fr. Ken Gross
Listed in diocesan records as pastor of St. John Greenfield and St. Patrick Massena
- Rev. Tom Kunnel, TORJuly 2011–
Franciscan TOR; began July 14, 2011 per neighboring parish history
- Rev. James Ahenkorato 2019
Reassigned to St. Patrick, Council Bluffs in 2019
- Rev. Philip Yaw Bempong
Current pastor; also serves St. Patrick, Massena