The Rev. John L. Blackburn, SSC
Priest-in-Charge
The Rev’d John L. Blackburn was ordained to the Diaconate in June of 2020 became the Deacon-in-Charge of Saint Christopher’s Church on July 1, 2020. He was later ordained as a Priest and became Priest-in-Charge of Saint Christopher’s on the Feast of Saint Thomas, December 21st, 2020.
Fr. Blackburn is a Bi-vocational priest; he serves this parish on Sundays and Feasts Days, and is “around and about” several days a week. The rest of his time, he maintains a secular job or managing the day-to-day affairs of his family’s ranching and agricultural business, which has been in continuous operation since 1884. His seminary training with through the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas and their partnership with the IONA Collaborative, a series of courses provided for bi-vocational clergy through the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas. Fr. Blackburn also is a Priest Associate of the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham. Prior to become a member of the Clergy, Fr. Blackburn was the Organist and Director of Music at Saint Philip’s Episcopal Church in Beeville, Texas, where he still makes his home. He has also served as Director of Music
for St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and Organist for Temple Rodef Shalom, both in Waco. Fr. Blackburn graduated Baylor University with a Bachelor degree in Church Music with Organ Emphasis and later a Master of Music in Church Music degree.
Fr. Blackburn has also participated in the Doctorate of Musical Arts program from the University of Texas at Austin, where he studied with Judith and Gerre Hancock.
As a musician for sacred service, Fr. Blackburn has excelled at the Art of Improvisation. He is a member board member for Baylor University’s Center for Christian Music Studies. As a hymn writer, his hymns have been sung around Texas and the Southeast, including at a National Convention of the Organ Historical Society in Washington, D.C. in July of 2011.
Fr. Blackburn is active in the community. He is a member of Rotary International, served as president of the school board of St. Philip’s School for 5 years, and aids various organizations through charity concerts including Habitat for Humanity, the Beeville Vineyard, The Texas Water Mission and Rotary International’s “End Polio Now” Campaign.