About St. John the Evangelist · Fenton, Michigan
St. John the Evangelist is a Roman Catholic parish in Fenton, Michigan, belonging to the Diocese of Lansing. The parish serves the Fenton and Linden communities with a robust worship schedule (multiple Sunday Masses, daily Mass Monday–Wednesday and Friday, and Saturday vigil), a parish school (St. John Catholic School), and a wide network of outreach ministries including St. Vincent de Paul, St. John Outreach, the Gabriel Project, the Respect Life Committee, and the Knights of Columbus. Anchored by the historic 1928 fieldstone chapel that still functions as a weekday Mass chapel and parish offices, the parish blends nearly 160 years of local Catholic history with contemporary faith formation, youth ministry, and adult enrichment programs.
- Established
- 1868
- Patron
- St. John the Evangelist
- Rector
- Rev. Robert Copeland
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lansing
Why belong here
St. John the Evangelist offers an unusually rich liturgical life for a parish its size — three Sunday Masses, daily Mass four days a week, frequent confession times (including Saturdays), and Eucharistic Adoration every Friday — alongside a parish school, four active deacons, and a thriving adult formation lineup (Catholic Refresh, Women's Scripture and Fellowship, 33 Days to Morning Glory summer Bible study). Outreach is at the heart of the parish: St. John Outreach, St. Vincent de Paul, the Gabriel Project, the Christmas Giving Tree, the Respect Life Committee, and the Knights of Columbus serve the Fenton and Linden communities with food, friendship, and material assistance rooted in the Gospel.
Mass times at St. John the Evangelist
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Mondays 8:30 AM (school students first)
- Wednesdays 5:00 PM – 5:45 PM (Chapel)
- Wednesdays 8:30 AM (school students first)
- Thursdays & Fridays 8:30 AM — until all confessions are heard
- Saturdays 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM (Church)
Adoration times
- Fridays 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM (also cited as 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM)
Welcome & Parish Identity
St. John the Evangelist describes itself as a Catholic community dedicated to Christ's missionary command from Matthew 28:19 — "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations." The parish explicitly grounds that mission in the greatest commandment: love of God and love of neighbor. Visitors and newcomers are invited to use the parish's 'I'm New' page to connect through speakers, events, formation, and outreach.
History of St. John the Evangelist
Founded in 1868 with a small wooden church, St. John's grew quickly and was soon standing-room only. In the late 1920s, pastor Father Maurice Walsh led the effort to build a new stone sanctuary — modeled on a small Catholic church in a French village — using field stones carried in by local farmers. By 1965 the parish had outgrown the stone chapel and dedicated a new main church and St. John Catholic School. Fr. David Harvey, pastor from 1979, famously resisted 1970s urban-renewal plans to demolish the stone chapel and led its careful restoration beginning in 1980.
- 1868 — Dedication of Fenton's first Catholic church
- 1928 — Dedication of the new stone church (Tudor Gothic, ~$50,000)
- 1965 — Present-day church dedicated; parish school built
- 1988 — Activity Center and Gym added
- 2007 — New Worship Center addition completed
- Field stones for the 1928 chapel were donated by farming families
The Historic Stone Chapel
The 1928 fieldstone chapel is the visual and historical heart of the parish campus. Built in the Tudor Gothic style by Fr. Maurice Walsh and the parish's farming families, it served as the main sanctuary from 1928 to 1965. Saved from demolition during Fenton's 1970s urban renewal by Fr. David Harvey, the chapel was restored beginning in 1980 with many original artifacts preserved. Today it is an 80-seat chapel that hosts weekday Masses, small weddings, and funerals, and also houses parish offices. A rectory connects to the chapel via an ambulatory passageway that uses two large stained-glass windows.
Livestreamed Mass
Mass is livestreamed from the parish for the homebound and wider community during the principal scheduled celebrations.
- Weekdays at 8:20 AM
- Saturdays at 5:00 PM
- Sundays at 10:00 AM
Clergy, Staff, and Leadership
The parish is led by pastor Father Robert Copeland and is supported by associate clergy, four deacons, a pastoral associate who is a religious sister, and a substantial lay staff that coordinates liturgy, music, youth, children's ministry, RCIA, weddings, baptisms, cemetery, and parish administration. St. John Catholic School is led day-to-day by an assistant principal working with the pastor.
- Pastor: Rev. Robert Copeland
- Associate Priests: Rev. George Daisy; Rev. Steven Anderson
- Pastoral Associate: Sr. Mary Ann McCarron
- Deacons: Dcn. Larry Blondin; Dcn. Kenneth Preiss; Dcn. Richard Stoolmaker; Dcn. Freeman Tucker
- Director of Liturgy & Music: Alan Day
- Youth & Young Adult: Marie Copeland
- Children's Ministry: Annie Kitching
- RCIA / Weddings: Melanie French
- Baptism Coordinator: Carla Ward
- Office Manager: Carol Beck
Pastoral Succession
The parish has been shaped over its 160-year history by a notable succession of pastors, beginning with Fr. David Dillon and Fr. Maurice Walsh (builder of the 1928 stone chapel), continuing through Fr. David Harvey (who saved and restored the chapel beginning in 1980 and who is pastor from 1979), and now Fr. Robert Copeland.
Parish School (St. John Catholic School)
Opened in 1965, the same year the present-day main church was dedicated, St. John Catholic School is a parish-based Catholic school serving the Fenton area. The pastor (currently Fr. Robert Copeland) serves as the school's spiritual head, and the school is run day-to-day with an assistant principal on staff. School Masses and weekly confessions for students are part of the rhythm of parish life.
- Opened 1965
- On-campus assistant principal (Deborah Anderson)
- School Mass livestream (8:20 AM weekdays)
- School students prioritized at Monday/Wednesday 8:30 AM confessions
Faith Formation & Adult Enrichment
St. John's runs a varied formation program covering both newcomers to the faith and long-time Catholics seeking renewal. The parish's 'Becoming Catholic' track is the entry point for those exploring the Church, complemented by a regular rotation of small groups, scripture studies, and topical talks.
- Catholic Refresh (adult enrichment)
- Summer Bible Study: 33 Days to Morning Glory
- Becoming Catholic (RCIA)
- Women's Scripture and Fellowship
- So You Say You Want to Be Holy
- Navigating Us
Children's & Youth Ministry
Children's ministry and youth/young adult ministry are staffed positions on the parish payroll, with Marie Copeland coordinating youth and young-adult ministry and Annie Kitching coordinating children's ministry. The Student Service Corps connects student parishioners with parish and civic service opportunities that can be logged as service hours.
- Youth & Young Adult Ministries (Marie Copeland)
- Children's Ministries (Annie Kitching)
- Student Service Corps (service-hour program for students)
Outreach & Social Services
Outreach is central to St. John's mission of loving neighbor. St. John Outreach Services, the parish's social-services arm, partners with local nonprofit organizations to assist people on the basis of need rather than creed, helping income-stressed families work toward self-sufficiency while offering friendship and material aid. The parish also supports and houses several Catholic-charity programs.
- St. John Outreach Services (parish social services for Fenton & Linden)
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- The Gabriel Project (support for mothers in need)
- The Christmas Giving Tree (holiday giving program)
- Respect Life Committee
- Knights of Columbus (council)
- Support Ministries
Liturgy & Music
Liturgy and music at St. John's is directed by Alan Day, Director of Liturgy and Music. The parish supports a full schedule of sung and spoken Masses, including the daily Mass livestream and the Sunday 10:00 AM livestream Mass.
Sacraments at St. John the Evangelist
The parish celebrates and prepares parishioners for all the usual sacraments. Pastoral staff coordinate baptism (Carla Ward), marriage (Melanie French, RCIA Coordinator & Wedding Coordinator), and the RCIA process (Melanie French). Reconciliation is offered throughout the week (see schedule), and the sick are visited in the historic chapel and through the parish office.
- Baptism — Carla Ward
- Marriage / Weddings — Melanie French
- RCIA / Becoming Catholic — Melanie French
- Reconciliation — see confession schedule
- Eucharistic Adoration — Fridays
Visit, Contact, and Practical Information
Parish Office Hours run weekdays 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM. The parish accepts prayer requests online through its staff-contact page, and the historic chapel is open 24/7 for private prayer while the main church has posted prayer hours on weekends and weekdays.
- Address: 600 N. Adelaide St., Fenton, MI 48430
- Phone: 810.629.2251
- Email: [email protected] (pastor's office)
- Office Hours: Weekdays 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
- Chapel open 24/7 for private prayer
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. David Dillon
Early pastor; preceded Fr. Maurice Walsh
- Fr. Maurice Walsh
Built the 1928 stone chapel in Tudor Gothic style; also built St. Rita's in Holly
- Fr. David Harvey1979–
Saved the old stone chapel from demolition in the 1970s and oversaw its restoration beginning in 1980
- Fr. Robert Copeland
Current pastor