about the LAYMEN'S CLUB

In 2008, The Laymen's Club of St. John the Divine will celebrate 100 years of involvement by the laity of the diocese and the metropolitan region in the vital life of our international cathedral!

A century ago, our predecessors were not only the volunteer ushers, tour guides, and guidebook publishers for the Cathedral; they were also Cathedral Builders.  They donated the magnificent "Pilgrim's Pavement," covering the nave in Vermont slate and ornamental bronze medallions.  Over the years, Club members became the historians of the Cathedral, sponsoring lectures on Cathedral arts and architecture.  We were also the founders of the Gift Shop in the North Transcept (which burned in 2001); we provided seed money for the Cathedral Soup Kitchen; and we donated our Clubhouse for use as the Shelter for the homeless.  Among our many contributions to Cathedral building and maintenance, we gave the Compass Rose Medallion in the Great Choir (symbol of the worldwide Anglican Communion) and made a substantial contribution to the refurbishment of the historic Ithiel Town Building, connected to the Cathedral on the south.  It is our goal to extend the Pilgrim's Pavement through the Crossing.