-- Excerpts taken from "People in our Parish History" by Heather McEnaney

      The early history of St. John's Church is not well documented but we know that in 1889 the Venerable Robert Weeks, Archdeacon of Suffolk, reported to the Diocesan Convention in that year that "On the first Sunday in May a new mission was begun and services for the first time were held in the Moriches". Services continued at various locations and in 1898 the congregation purchased a lot and school building from the school district. This is the present Church building. The purchase price was $900.00.

Services continued under a variety of clergy and the congregation continued to grow steadily. During this time, the Moriches grew as well and new people brought with them the need for additional community services and religious services as well.

In 1969 the Church building was renovated and redecorated. This included repair of the stained glass windows. On October 13, 1967, Bishop Sherman designated the name of the mission as the Church of St. John the Baptist. This was done in an effort to avoid confusion with St. John's Roman Catholic Church also located in Center Moriches.

      The Episcopal Church is a branch of Christ's one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church which is both catholic and reformed. The historical roots of the Episcopal Church in North America are traced to the Anglican Church, which traces its origin through a line of succession to the Apostles. St. Augustine visited England early in the sixth century and i generally credited with bringing the church to Great Britain, although Celtic Christianity may extend even further back in time.

The Church is Catholic in its worship and liturgy and professes the same faith as that of the Apostles. The central act of worship in the Episcopal Church is the Eucharist. Episcopalians confess Christ sacrificed for all and we accept our responsibility as Christians to minister to the troubles of human society. At the same time, the Church is reformed in its ability to meet each person as an individual and to minister to them individually; in short, the Episcopal Church has the ability and the willingness to meet each person "where they are" without pre-judgment.