Welcome

St. John's Christian Church was founded in 1983 by the late Rev. Joseph L. Coleman, together with his devoted wife, First Lady Ollita Coleman, at 346 Shennecossett Road around a single, clear vision: evangelism. Pastor Coleman was called by God while a member of Walls Temple A.M.E. Zion Church under the leadership of Pastor Ruffin, and with the support of his wife, family, and friends, he started St. John's A.M.E. Zion Church. Services were initially held at the YWCA here in Groton. Upon hearing and heeding the voice of the Lord, St. John's became a non-denominational, faith-based Christian church in 1985, founded on the principles of evangelism, drawn from Luke 19:10, Christ's call to seek and save that which was lost.

From the beginning, Rev. Coleman's desire was to see all men, women, and children reconciled back to God, irrespective of color, creed, or background. That's why St. John's has always been what he called a "rainbow congregation" — Black, white, red, and yellow believers worshipping side by side as one body, made one by the Holy Spirit, a true representation of Heaven.

As the congregation grew, ministries were added to meet the needs of the people. In 1990, the Lord blessed St. John's with its present location, formerly the Knights of Columbus Building. In May 2000, the church took out a loan to pay off its existing mortgage of $105,000, and paid it off in full in exactly two years. In May 2002, the congregation broke ground on the present edifice.

Rev. Coleman carried that same heart into the wider Groton and New London community for decades through the United Way, as a mentor at West Side Middle School and Fitch High School, through his work with MASH (serving the homeless), and as Chaplain for the City of Groton Police and Fire Departments.

Pastor Coleman went home to be with the Lord on May 22, 2025, after 41 years of faithfully leading this congregation alongside First Lady Ollita Coleman. The church he planted continues the vision he was given: a place where every person is free to use the gifts, talents, and skills God gave them to build up and lift high the name of Jesus.

Nicole Thornton is the daughter of Pastor Joseph and First Lady Ollita Coleman, and the sister of Carla Coleman. She was raised up in the house of the Lord, attending Walls Temple A.M.E. Zion Church with her parents. When Pastor Coleman ventured out to start his own church, Nicole, as a teenager, was an instrumental leader in starting a choir. She has always been a part of the music ministry, serving in some capacity, as a choir member, director, and now as a psalmist. So it has been no surprise that she has been called into the ministry.

Upon acknowledging her call to the ministry as a teacher, she enrolled herself into the Living Word School of Ministry, facilitated by Pastor Bill Winston and located in Chicago, Illinois. She received her ministerial certification on June 4, 2022, with her father in attendance at the ceremony, not knowing she was receiving her certification.

She has become a valuable member of St. John's Christian Church, especially with the induction of her Word Up! Ministry, where she brings biblical stories to life as a means of providing Christian principles and life lessons to the everyday believer. She desires to continue in her studies in the future, so that she can be equipped to face the challenges that will come her way and to teach others the sustaining power of Jesus Christ!