On June 1, 2004, The Reverend Kevin P. Von Gonten accepted the invitation to become Priest in Charge on a part time basis at The Episcopal Church of St. John the Baptist. At the invitation of the Vestry and with the full approval of The Right Reverend Orris G. Walker, Jr., Seventh Bishop of Long Island, he began his work here.

Prior to his arrival, Fr. Von Gonten was Vicar at the Church of All Souls in Stony Brook, NY where he served for 13 years. During that time, he also served as Executive Assistant to the then Archdeacon of Suffolk, The Venerable John E. Madden the former Rector of this Parish. It was in this capacity that he first became acquainted with St. John's.

Fr. Von Gonten was born in Brooklyn, NY and spent his childhood in Brooklyn and Queens. He attended St. Francis College in Brooklyn where he earned the Bachelor of Arts degree with a major concentration in Religious Studies. He also attended Fordham University in the Bronx where he earned the Master of Arts degree in Historical Theology. Prior to his Ordination in the Episcopal Church, he attended the General Theological Seminary in New York where he earned the Stm in Liturgical Study.