Welcome to St John-at-Hackney and our new website.

St John-at-Hackney is an icon set in the heart of Hackney. We have served the people of Hackney for over 700 years, and today we continue the work of glorifying God through worshipping joyfully, building community and celebrating diversity.

We seek to build bridges between people new to faith and those born into it, between people on the margins of society and those at its centre, between people of different ages and different backgrounds. We seek to look outward to the world that challenges us and energises us, and to look inward with honesty and integrity.

As an image of the past, you can see in the churchyard a venerable thirteenth-century church tower. Our green spaces resound with the sounds of the past, where history and identity meet, and now following a major restoration they are well used as spaces for play, exercise and contemplation in the midst of a busy shopping area.

In the present, our current building is a magnificent Georgian splendour. Our worship is inclusive and vibrant, where we aim to strike a balance between awe and intimacy. Children are especially welcome, and various groups exist to cater for the diversity of the people of Hackney.

In addition we maintain strong links with Hackney Free & Parochial Secondary School, building on almost 500 years of partnership. St John and St James Primary School and In the future, we want to develop our work with children, with older people and in promoting good health. And we want to equip our building better to serve the people of Hackney and the God who loves us.

Enjoy your visit to this website, and enjoy even more a visit in person. A warm welcome awaits you.

Fr Rob
Rector of Hackney.