About St. John the Evangelist · Summitville, Ohio
St. John the Evangelist Parish is a small, historic rural Catholic community in Summitville, Columbiana County, Ohio, established in 1839 — making it one of the oldest parishes in the Diocese of Youngstown. The parish worship site stands at the rural crossroads of Smith, Emerick and Acker Roads, while its offices are shared with Holy Trinity Parish in East Liverpool and St. Agatha Mission in West Point. Weekend and weekday Mass is celebrated here, and the parish is known for its strong lay ministries, a youth program connected to local agriculture, and a beloved homemade turkey dinner tradition.
- Established
- 1839
- Patron
- St. John the Evangelist
- Rector
- Rev. Bala Prasad Marneni
- Diocese
- Diocese of Youngstown
Why belong here
St. John the Evangelist is a tight-knit rural parish where lay involvement is the heartbeat of community life — from the Altar and Rosary Society, St. Rita Society, Knights of Columbus and St. Vincent de Paul, to a youth ministry tied to local 4-H and Future Farmers of America. As one of the oldest parishes in the Diocese of Youngstown, it offers the chance to belong to a faith community with deep Columbiana County roots, including its parish cemetery still serving local families. Visitors are welcomed at Sunday Mass and are warmly invited to stay for the parish's famous homemade turkey dinner on the third Sunday in October.
Mass times at St. John the Evangelist
Weekly Mass schedule
History of St. John the Evangelist Parish
The parish was established in 1839 when a priest from Steubenville purchased a one-acre tract with a log cabin to serve rural Catholics. In 1845, two more acres were acquired across the street and work began on a brick church and cemetery; the cornerstone was placed in 1846 and the church was dedicated by Bishop John Purcell of Cincinnati. Several Church officials predicted the rural mission would become obsolete, but the area grew through an influx of young families in the early 1900s. The parish's longstanding turkey dinner — held the third Sunday of October every year since the 1930s — remains a community-wide event. The active parish cemetery, recently expanded with lumber harvested on parish land, still serves Summitville families today.
- Established 1839; cornerstone placed 1846; dedicated by Bishop John Purcell
- Originally under the Diocese of Cincinnati before the Diocese of Youngstown era
- Annual homemade turkey dinner began in the 1930s and continues today
- Cemetery recently expanded using lumber from parish land
Parish Patron: St. John the Evangelist
The parish's patron, St. John the Evangelist, was a Gospel writer, an Apostle and is considered one of the three Pillars of the Church, helping to establish the Church after the death of Jesus. The parish community follows in his footsteps by staying close to the heart of Jesus through the Gospel message. His feast day is celebrated on December 27.
- Patron: Saint John the Evangelist
- Feast Day: December 27
- Charism: to nurture a diverse and welcoming community, committed to following fearlessly wherever God is leading us and making Disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of Summitville and the world.
Staff & Clergy
The parish is currently served by an administrator/pastor with parish staff handling religious education and music. Records on the diocesan directory are kept current through the shared offices with Holy Trinity Parish in East Liverpool.
- Administrator/Pastor: Rev. Bala Prasad Marneni
- Director of Religious Education (D.R.E.): Maxine Primm
- Music Director: Donna Bergfeld
Ministries & Outreach
Parishioners of St. John the Evangelist are active in a remarkable range of lay ministries — from traditional parish societies to a youth program closely tied to the area's agricultural life through 4-H and FFA. The St. Vincent de Paul Society and Knights of Columbus extend the parish's charitable reach into the wider Columbiana County community.
- Youth Ministry (ties to 4-H and FFA)
- Altar and Rosary Society
- St. Rita Society
- Knights of Columbus
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- Lectors and Finance Council
- Cemetery Committee
Community Life: Turkey Dinner & Annual Traditions
Since the 1930s, the parish has hosted an All-You-Can-Eat Turkey Dinner on the third Sunday in October, with all foods prepared from scratch by parish volunteers. The event is open to anyone in the community and serves as the parish's signature outreach and fundraiser.
- All-You-Can-Eat Turkey Dinner — third Sunday of October
- Open to the wider community, not just parishioners
- Homemade, from-scratch preparation by parish volunteers
Parish Cemetery
The parish cemetery on Smith Road continues to serve Summitville-area Catholic families. The grounds have been expanded in recent years, with the project funded in part by lumber harvested on parish land.
- St. John Cemetery — 16017 Smith Rd., Summitville, OH 43962
- Recently expanded; expansion funded by timber from parish property
Collaborating Parishes (Columbiana County 'Crossroads')
For more than a decade, St. John the Evangelist has shared pastoral collaboration and administrative offices with neighboring Catholic communities in southern Columbiana County — sometimes referred to in diocesan coverage as the 'Crossroads' parishes.
- Holy Trinity Parish, East Liverpool (shared offices & bulletin)
- St. Agatha Mission, West Point
- St. George Parish, Lisbon
- St. Philip Neri Parish, Dungannon
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Stephen Wassie
Pastor of St. John the Evangelist, St. George, St. Philip Neri and St. Agatha parishes (served through at least 2024).
- Rev. Leo Wehrlin
Pastor of Holy Trinity East Liverpool (which shared leadership of St. John's offices) before April 2025 reassignment.
- Rev. David Bridling
Assigned April 2025 as Pastor of Holy Trinity East Liverpool, St. Agatha Mission West Point, and St. John the Evangelist Summitville; also named Dean of the Columbiana Deanery.