About St. John in the Woods · Welches, Oregon
St. John in the Woods (formally Church of St. John the Evangelist) is a Roman Catholic mission church in Welches, Oregon, nestled in the Mt. Hood foothills at the edge of the Mt. Hood National Forest. It belongs to the East Clackamas Parishes Cluster together with St. Michael the Archangel in Sandy and St. Aloysius in Estacada, all under the pastoral leadership of Fr. Gregg Bronsema, and falls within the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon. Built in 1926 so that Catholic woodcutters, skiers, and weekend visitors to Mt. Hood could fulfill their Sunday duty, the parish has been serving the mountain corridor ever since — even hosting Lutherans and Episcopalians at various points in its long history. The parish celebrated its centennial in July 2026 with an outdoor Mass concelebrated by Archbishop Alexander K. Sample.
- Established
- 1926
- Patron
- St. John the Evangelist
- Rector
- Fr. Gregg Bronsema
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
Why belong here
St. John in the Woods offers Catholics in the Mt. Hood corridor a welcoming Sunday Mass in one of the most beautiful settings in Oregon, where skiers, hikers, retirees, and longtime mountain families worship together. As a mission in the East Clackamas Parishes Cluster, parishioners benefit from a full program of cluster-wide ministries — Faith Formation, Sacramental Preparation, Prayer Shawl, Homebound Ministry, St. Vincent de Paul, and Stations of the Cross — while keeping the intimacy of a small mountain parish. The parish also grounds its worship in deep local history, from the salvaged log pews and stained glass of the 1937 Steiner cabin to a brand-new labyrinth and memorial garden dedicated by the Archbishop in 2026.
Mass times at St. John in the Woods
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM (at St. Michael the Archangel, Sandy)
History of St. John in the Woods
St. John in the Woods traces its origins to 1926, when the Archdiocese of Oregon established a mission chapel in Welches so that Catholic woodcutters and skiers visiting the Mt. Hood Forest could fulfill their Sunday obligation. The first chapel was built on land donated by Mrs. Honora Murphy — aunt of Abbot Bernard Murphy O.S.B. — and designed by William Laing of Portland. After the 1926 chapel collapsed under heavy snow in 1937, a new log-cabin church was built by John Steiner and blessed by Archbishop Howard on September 6, 1937. That Steiner Log Church served the mountain community until 1971, when the widening of Highway 26 forced its sale. The current church was built on Woodsey Way in 1972 and blessed by Archbishop Dwyer on June 9 of that year. The parish adopted its popular 'in the Woods' nickname under Fr. Jack Krall, and in July 2026 celebrated its 100th anniversary.
- Founded July 18, 1926
- Steiner Log Church built 1937
- Moved to current Woodsey Way church in 1972
- Centennial celebrated July 19, 2026 with Archbishop Sample
The Steiner Log Church (1937) and the Highway 26 Move
When Highway 26 was widened to four lanes in 1971, the church lost 16 feet of property and Oregon land-use rules required relocation. Because moving the log cabin was too costly for the Archdiocese, it was sold to the Mt. Players theater group and eventually to private owners, who secured Oregon Historical Commission landmark status for the cabin in 1979. The Steiner Log Church was later purchased by Mike Gudge and moved in one piece to 68835 E. Barlow Trail Rd., where it was restored as a tourist destination and event venue known as the 1937 Steiner Log Church. Its stained glass windows and log pews, however, were salvaged and reinstalled in the new 1972 church, where they remain.
- Built by John Steiner, 1937
- National Register of Historic Places, 1979
- Restored by Mike Gudge, now at 68835 E. Barlow Trail Rd.
Parish Staff and Clergy
St. John in the Woods is pastored by Fr. Gregg Bronsema, who leads the East Clackamas Parishes Cluster (St. Michael, St. John, and St. Aloysius) from St. Michael the Archangel in Sandy. The parish office can be reached through the cluster at (503) 668-4446 or by email at [email protected]. Patty Wilhelm serves as parish council president as of the parish's 2026 centennial.
- Fr. Gregg Bronsema, Pastor
- Patty Wilhelm, Parish Council President
Faith Formation and Sacramental Preparation
Faith Formation and Sacramental Preparation are organized at the cluster level. Children and adults preparing for Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, and Marriage take part in cluster-wide classes and retreats. The cluster also offers adult catechism, Bible study using the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and marriage preparation classes.
- Children's Religious Education (Pre-K through 8th grade)
- First Communion and Confirmation prep
- Adult Catechism
- Marriage Preparation
Parish Ministries and Outreach
Parishioners at St. John in the Woods participate in a robust set of cluster-wide ministries. The Knights of Columbus host community breakfasts (including the centennial morning), and dedicated lay ministries support members across the mountain corridor. The parish also maintains a recently dedicated memorial garden and labyrinth for quiet reflection and meditation.
- Prayer Shawl Ministry
- Senior Group Outings
- Rosary Makers
- Homebound Ministry
- Prayer Chain
- St. Vincent de Paul distribution
- Knights of Columbus
- Memorial Garden & Labyrinth
Centennial Celebration (2026)
On July 19, 2026, St. John in the Woods marked 100 years since its 1926 founding. The day began with an 8:00 AM centennial Mass celebrated by Archbishop Alexander K. Sample and concelebrated by Fr. Gregg Bronsema. Following Mass, Archbishop Sample blessed the parish's new labyrinth and memorial garden. The Knights of Columbus then hosted a community breakfast, after which parishioners shared stories, viewed historic photographs, and toured the restored 1937 Steiner Log Church down the road. A 130-page commemorative history book by Tilton was released at the celebration.
- 8:00 AM Centennial Mass with Archbishop Sample
- 9:15 AM Labyrinth and memorial garden dedication
- 9:30 AM Knights of Columbus community breakfast
- Steiner Log Church tours
The East Clackamas Parishes Cluster
St. John in the Woods is one of three parishes in the East Clackamas Parishes Cluster, a single pastoral community led by Fr. Gregg Bronsema. The cluster also includes St. Michael the Archangel in Sandy (the mother parish) and St. Aloysius in Estacada. Across the cluster, parishioners share Mass schedules, faith formation, ministries, the parish bulletin, and Flocknote communications. Each parish retains its own identity, history, and weekend liturgy.
- St. Michael the Archangel, Sandy (mother parish)
- St. Aloysius, Estacada (sister mission)
- Cluster website: mjaparishescluster.org
- Cluster Facebook and YouTube channels
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Notker O.S.B.1926–1935
Benedictine priest from Mt. Angel Abbey, founding era
- Fr. Bonaventure O.S.B.1926 era
Named first pastor at the 1926 blessing
- Fr. Raphael O.S.B.1926–1935 era
Benedictine priest from Mt. Angel Abbey
- Fr. Hilary O.S.B.1926–1935 era
Benedictine priest from Mt. Angel Abbey
- Fr. Martin Doherty1935–1939
Pastor of St. Aloysius, Estacada; oversaw the rebuilt 1937 log cabin
- Fr. Ready1939–1940
- Fr. Crowe1940–1943
- Fr. Deplanche1943–1953
- Fr. Batory1943–1975 era
Long-tenured pastor during the mid-century decades
- Fr. Fritz1953–1958
- Fr. Jackson1958–1966
- Fr. Cormier1966–1968
- Fr. Gimpl1968–1973
First priest-administrator of the new 1972 Woodsey Way church
- Fr. Arata1975–1978
- Fr. Gimpl1978–1984
Second tenure
- Fr. Rodrigues1984–1994
- Fr. Dare1994–1995
- Fr. Mayo1995–1997
- Fr. Robert Palladino1997–2007
First dedicated administrator; retired 2007
- Fr. Pat Walsh2007–2012
- Fr. Dominic2012–2016
- Fr. Manuel Becerra2016–2018
- Fr. Gregg Bronsema2018–present
Current pastor; leads the East Clackamas Parishes Cluster (St. Michael, St. John, St. Aloysius)