Our History

Past rectors of our parish:

• The Rev. Robert Carter Jett (1893-1913)
• The Rev. William G. McDowell (1913-1918)
• The Rev. Dr. J. Lewis Gibbs (1918-1957)
• The Rev. Victor S. Ross, Jr. (1958-1965)
• The Rev. Allie W. Frazier, Jr. (1966-1968)
• The Rev. John T. Chewning, Jr. (1969-1971)
• The Rev. Hugh C. White (1971-1982)
• The Rev. Delmas Hare (1983-1986)
• The Rev. Walter Dawson (1987-1990)
• The Rev. Jane E. Sigloh (1992-1998)
• The Rev. Walter D. Clark (1998-1999)
• The Rev. Edward M. Covert (1999-)

A Brief History of Emmanuel Episcopal Church

Emmanuel Church was founded in 1893 as an offshoot of neighboring Trinity Church. The new group of Episcopalians sent a letter of intention to the bishop on March 6, was granted permission to form a congregation on June 8, met officially for the first time at the YMCA on June 27, and called their first rector, the Rev. Robert Carter Jett, on June 30.

From the very first, Emmanuel has shown concern for the community and provided a theologically based vision of the Church as calling men and women to God's justice. Emmanuel has always been a church accepting and tolerant of change, so the parish has become a community in which political and religious conservatives and liberals work and worship together in mutual respect and caring. We have welcomed women to leadership positions.

In 1990, Emmanuel engaged a team from the Alban Institute to help us at a crisis point in our history. From the Alban experience came a reaffirmation of our desire to continue as a community. Part of this reaffirmation was the decision to become more consciously and intentionally a laity-led parish. This is accomplished by hiring part-time clergy particularly adept at helping the laity take on roles many would traditionally see as "the priest's job," including adult and children's education, outreach, stewardship, and fellowship.

Emmanuel has experienced a spiritual renewal since 1990, and a slow but steady growth. Our average Sunday morning attendance is 95. We are a parish comfortable with our size, being neither complacent about growth nor frantic about not becoming larger. We are an active congregation that welcomes new members to the ministry of Jesus Christ.

Our church building

On February 23, 1894, the vestry of the new parish voted to use the plans for the church made by local architect T. J. Collins. The Gothic Revival brick structure was built in 1896, with a simple interior, a center aisle on a north-south axis, and lights fitted for both electricity and gas. The construction contract was for $10,082.

In response to changing liturgical practices, the church was remodeled in 1903-1904 to provide for a high Victorian-Gothic chancel with a richly decorated vaulted ceiling. This drastic renovation effected an east-west axis for the center aisle, an extension of the west wall to allow a polychrome chancel, and enlarged seating for the choir. The marble altar, with a depiction of the Last Supper, was given in 1911 in memory of a Stuart Hall girl who died earlier that year at the school. The reredos was added in 1916. The parish house wing was built in 1930 in a Tudor Revival variation of the Gothic style. The pipe organ was installed in 1942 and rebuilt in 1992. The stained glass windows were cleaned and repaired in 1993. More recently, the electrical system has been updated and the nave has been restored with new plaster, decorative painting, and carpeting. Our latest addition is an elevator to make the sanctuary accessible to all.

 

Emmanuel Episcopal Church, as seen from the northeast side.
(Photo was retouched to remove the electrical wires.)

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Our church's place

Emmanuel Episcopal Church is part of the Augusta Convocation of the Episcopal Diocese of Southwestern Virginia, which is part of Province III (Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania) of the Episcopal Church U.S.A., which is part of the Anglican Communion.