From April 1969 to April 1976, Fr. Richard Avery served as vicar. On November 16, 1969, there was a groundbreaking ceremony at the present site. The ECW's fundraising work completed, the thrift shop closed its doors. Several changes in the Episcopal Church affected the stability of the congregation: the ordination of women, a new Book of Common Prayer, and the introduction of Lay Eucharistic Ministers. St. John's reflected the tensions within the national church and our country.

The dissenting congregations in the San Diego Diocese are members of St. Anne's in Oceanside and Holy Trinity in Ocean Beach. In January 2006 and September 2006 respectively, leaders of these congregations renounced their membership in the Episcopal Church and aligned themselves instead with a foreign diocese. Four years later, the issue has been decided in favor of the diocese. In his ruling, Judge Denton wrote that once St.

CREW: For example, those proposing an Anglican Covenant purport to promote unity, but do so at the expense of homosexual persons and their friends. Scripture can seem on their side: Scripture tells us to value unity. But not above all else. First you must love your neighbor as you love yourself.

In his carefully calibrated response to the covenant (which comes only weeks after the Pope offered a 'safe haven' for Anglo-Catholics), Archbishop Rowan Williams offered up the following statement.