Grace Episcopal Church

Grace Episcopal Church
File:Grace Church 114 East A Street, January 31, 2018 (1).jpg

History

Brunswick's first Episcopalians attended St. Mark's in Petersville, but as growth of the new railroad town quickly out-paced that of Petersville, the need for a church in Brunswick readily became apparent.

Grace Chapel was built in 1892 at the southwest corner of "A" Street and Second Avenue and was consecrated September 12, 1893, in services conducted by Bishop Paret and rector Rev. E. T. Helfenstein (later to become Fishop of Maryland), among others.

The brick chapel was about one-fourth the area of the present church. Bricks from earlier edifices of the mother church at St. Mark's were used in its foundation. The late E. Virginia Wenner, born in 1892, was the first baby baptized in the chapel.

The chapel was razed in 1922 to make room for a larger church on the same site. The cornerstone of present Grace Episcopal Church was placed May 31, 1922, in services conducted by Rt. Rev. John Gardner Murray, DD, Bishop of Maryland, assisted by Rev.Edward Elliott Burgess, rector. The new church had a seating capacity of about 320 and was dedicated on May 21,1923. After the debt had been paid, the church was consecrated on May 21, 1928. Charles T. Meyer directed the choir and Mrs. Thelma Nixon was organist. Mrs. Nome (Julia) Conway, organist, and Mrs. Charles (Faye) Gross, director and organist, were other long-term choir leaders. Mr. Frank R. Watson of Philadelphia was architect of this medieval, modified Gothic English, countrystyle church. Four large round pillars support the nave roof and the arches that separate the nave from the side section; the masons insisted to the architect that the arches would never stay up! Instead of using a regular keystone, Mr. Watson himself installed Gothic keystones—two stones with the pint at the middle of the arch. The church and its arches have remained these 67 years. The altar is of Indiana limestone, and is a memorial to GarlandAlder, son of of the merchant Frank Alder and his wife. Garland died in military service in World War I. The bishop's chair and Caen stone font used in the chapel are still used in the present church as is the bell, which is housed in a stone bell-cote surmounted by a stone cross.

The two-manual Moller organ with electropneumatic action was installed in 1923.

The reredos triptych was installed in memory of Rev. Mr. Burgess (priest 1914-1933) during Father Thomas Withey's tenure (1940-1945). The latter also developed the room under the sacristy into a chapel, which was completely renovated in 1987 and blessed by Bishop A. Theodore Eastman in memory of Eugenia Deener.

The open undercroft was divided into four classrooms, two restrooms, and assembly room; and the attic area above the sacristy was converted into a church office. (Fr. A. Dickerson Salmon,19631970).Replacement of the original windows by memorial stained glass windows has been ongoing under Fr. James C. Fenhagen (1955-58), Fr. Salmon, and Fr. Thomas Staup (1970-present).

A record of the many memorials is kept by the Altar Guild.

Media

<categorygallery cat="Grace Episcopal Church"/>