Holy Family Episcopal Church was formed through the merger of two historic congregations: Church of the Atonement in Laurel Springs and Church of St. John-in-the-Wilderness in Gibbsboro.

The two congregations began conversations in the spring of 2015 about their shared mission, ministry, and future. After a thoughtful period of prayer and discernment, both parishes were dissolved, and a new church community was officially formed on January 21, 2018. Together, the congregations chose the name “Holy Family,” reflecting their commitment to unity, faith, and welcoming all people into the life of the Church.

The name “Holy Family” also carries deep historical significance. A note recorded in the October 14, 1936 Parish Register of the Church of the Atonement by John Quincy Martin recalls an earlier ministry known as “The Mission of the Holy Family.” According to the account, prior to 1900, during the rectorship of Fr. Milby in Gibbsboro, Bishop Scarborough envisioned an associated mission centered around Gibbsboro. Supported by the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, this mission connected several communities, including St. John-in-the-Wilderness in Gibbsboro and St. Joseph’s in Laurel Springs, later known as the Church of the Atonement. St. Joseph’s was organized in 1899.

Today, Holy Family Episcopal Church continues that legacy of shared ministry, community, and faith, carrying forward a story that spans more than a century.