Who We Are

Our Priests and Staff

The Rev. Betsy Baumgarten, Vicar
[email protected]

The Rev. Dr. Larry Braden, Assisting Priest

Allen Dawson, organist

Christy Glaze, senior warden

Church History

St. John’s Parish was organized on Ash Wednesday, March 5, 1850. We were one of seven churches present at the Primary Convention held on August 24-27, 1871 when the permanent form of the Diocese of Arkansas was organized. On January 1, 1925 a congregational meeting was held and a unanimous vote was taken for the building of a new church and rectory. The church had a valuable piece of land at the corner of Harrison and Van Buren which had been donated by William and Fred Stone in memory of their parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Stone. This was decided upon as the new site for the new church, parish house and rectory. An enthusiastic congregation went to work and this could well be called an adventure for God. Certainly it was a venture of faith for sixty four communicants. The first service was held Quinquagesima Sunday (the Sunday before Lent) 1926. The church was consecrated November 14, 1943.

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Our Organ

St. John’s Hook & Hastings Organ (details from pipe organ database) was brought to Camden and installed in our previous location in 1907. It was installed on Tuesday, February 2, 1926 and first played at Sunday services on February 7. A note found in inside the organ, found by Roy Redman who completed a complete restoration in 1994, said, “ Rebuilted(sic) by A. A. Carlson, 2-2-26, Birmingham, Ala. & Memphis, Ten.(sic)”. Most of the decorative facade pipes( half of them do not work) were hidden inside the room that houses the majority of the working pipes now. Redman restored the facade pipes to their original condition. It has 548 working pipes.