About Saint John's Episcopal Church Salem

Ann Stokes Neff comes from northern New Jersey, having been raised and educated there and in NYC. Her religious experience included the National Catholic Church, Methodism, and some reform denominations. She discovered the Episcopal Church while living in lower Manhattan, working for New York Telephone.

In 1993 she moved to South Jersey and came upon St. John’s Episcopal Church in Salem City, where she became an active member the following year. Despite a brief break in attendance, she has been a regular member of the church for over 25 years.

Through the years, Ann has been involved in many activities and played more than a few roles at St. John’s. Her faith has grown and deepened over time and become an indelible part of her life. She is grateful to God for all their blessings, mercies and the Love that shines forth.

Ron Magill became a St. John's parishioner over 20 years ago, coming from deep Presbyterian roots and an early Salem family that goes back to before the American Revolution. He was drawn to St. John's because he had a deep love of Christ to be sincere and expressed in a formal style of worship that fit his needs. Ron has served as Sr. Warden several times and was the parish Treasurer previously before agreeing to serve again in 2025. He has also served as Treasurer of the Salem County Historical Society and is currently the Treasurer of the Salem Cemetery Association who owns Eastview Cemetery in Salem.

  I have been a member of St. John’s for eight years and it’s where I felt my faith strengthened.  I grew up in a Catholic Croatian speaking household and I felt very at home with the Episcopal church and it gives me peace. 

Hello, I’m Curt Harker and I’ve been a St. John’s Church member for about 30 years. I enjoy the challenging sermon messages to spur me on and opportunity to be part of the Vestry oversight team guiding the Church to partner with parishioners to bring the good news to neighborhoods.

My name is Christine Hoehn. I first joined St. John’s in 2006. I had been Roman Catholic and not fulfilled in my faith. At Saint John’s I found a new adult found faith. I was born again! I was received as an Episcopalian. I left after a few years…life happens. But I rediscovered St. John’s in 2021. I’ve rarely missed a Sunday since. This is my Spiritual home and my family. 

Since joining the choir in 2015, I have grown with the church by being confirmed in the Episcopal tradition and married in St. John's in January 2025.

There are so many things I love about St. John's. As a classical singer, the music at St. John's is an absolute joy. The quality of the music we provide is something you typically only find in large city cathedrals. We at St. John's are truly blessed to be able to provide such high quality sacred music to our congregation and community. The church itself is incredibly beautiful with a rich history, as are the liturgical services. St. John's is an affirming church where we take loving our neighbors seriously, and I adore the combination of the traditional beauty that exists at St. John's in tandem with our commitment to holding ourselves accountable to our highest calling as Christians. As someone who cares deeply about social justice, being a member of the Episcopal church and St. John's, with the church's LGBTQIA affirming stance and commitment to racial reconciliation with the NJ Diocese's Anti-Racism commission, keeps the spiritual fire of justice alight in my heart. It gives me hope, direction, and the support I need to stay focused and make meaningful change in myself and outward in my community in line with God's love for the world

As a member of the vestry, and as the vestry liaison to the Care Committee, my goal is to continue and celebrate the work that we at St. John's do for each other. Caring for each other through hospitality and weekly coffee hour after Sunday worship, through prayer, through sick visits, and making sure our congregation members have warm meals during difficult times not only deepens our connection to each other but also to God, and is holy and commendable work. I hope that as your vestry member I am able to be a bridge builder, finding the common ground shared between us and others so that we may find new ways of living out God's love in our community and in ourselves.