Christ Episcopal Church (Reading, Pennsylvania) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Christ Episcopal Church
St. Mary's Parish (1765)
Christ Episcopal Church (at right), circa mid-1900s
Location	Reading, Pennsylvania
Country	United States
Language(s)	English
Denomination	Episcopal Church (United States)
Website	http://rdgchristchurch.org/live/
History
Former name(s)	Christ Church (1815)
Founded	1763 (congregation begun) 1823 (formal ministry) 1824 (Episcopal Diocese acceptance) 1825-1826 (church construction)
Founder(s)	Rev. Alexander Murray (church mission, 1763) Rev. Robert Davis (first rector, 1823)
Dedicated	May 10, 1826 (official church consecration)
Earlier dedication	June 8, 1825 (cornerstone laid)

Christ Episcopal Church is a very old church in Reading, Pennsylvania. It started in 1763, making it the oldest English-speaking church group in the city. You can find it on the northwest corner of Fifth and Court Streets. The main part of the church, called the nave, was built around 1826.

Many important people from Pennsylvania have been members here. This includes De Benneville Randolph Keim, a journalist who advised Ulysses S. Grant during the American Civil War. Another famous member was David McMurtrie Gregg, a Civil War general known for his bravery at the Battle of Gettysburg.

The Story of Christ Episcopal Church

Christ Church officially began its ministry in 1823 with the Rev. Robert Davis. The building you see today was constructed between 1825 and 1826. It was later updated in 1847 to look like Gothic Revival style. The tall, pointed tower, called a spire, was added in the early 1860s. It was designed by Edward Tuckerman Potter, an architect who specialized in churches. One of the first leaders of the church was Henry John Whitehouse.

But the church's roots go back even further in time.

How Christ Church Began: The 1700s

The first mention of Episcopalians in Berks County, Pennsylvania, was in 1759. A letter from Rev. Thomas Barton said there were people who wanted an Episcopal minister. In 1760, William Bird asked for a missionary to come to Reading. He said a church had already been built nearby by English and Swedish people.

By 1763, a missionary named Rev. Alexander Murray arrived. He reported that his English Church group had 48 members from seven families. They met in a rented house used for court meetings. Sometimes, about 20 Anabaptists from Reading would join their services. Reading had about 1,300 residents at that time. By the next year, the group had grown to 121 people from 18 families.

In 1765, the group named themselves St. Mary's Parish. They were still meeting at the courthouse. They started planning to buy land for a new church building. This land was at what is now North Fifth and Walnut streets in Reading. However, they couldn't raise enough money to build the church. Rev. Murray left the group in 1778.

Building the Church: The 1800s

In 1815, the group changed its name to Christ Church. They received a new piece of land from Mrs. Rebecca Price. This land was on the west side of Fifth Street, just north of Court Street. They hoped to build a new church and a burial ground there.

After nine years of planning and raising money, Christ Church joined the Episcopal Diocese of Philadelphia in 1824. Construction on the church began in the spring of 1825. The first stone, called the cornerstone, was placed on June 8, 1825. Many people, including church leaders and city officials, attended.

The new church was finished in less than a year. It was an early English Gothic style building. It was 35 feet wide and 50 feet deep. It could seat 300 people. The new Christ Church was officially dedicated on May 10, 1826. Bishop William White gave a sermon at the ceremony.

In the 1880s, Christ Church became part of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania. It was the first church in this area to have its own boys' choir.

The church was expanded in 1848, allowing 800 people to sit inside. In 1863, a special area for the altar (chancel), side sections (transepts), and the tall spire were added.

In March 1870, the church started a monthly bulletin called "The Parish Monitor." This was led by the church's rector, Rev. J. Pinkney Hammond.

In 1873, new rooms were added for the church leaders (vestry) and the choir. The chancel was also made larger. That same year, the family of Isaac Eckert, a former member, gave the church a gift. It was a set of ten bells in memory of Eckert, who had passed away. These bells were made by the Meneely Bell Foundry in New York. They weighed over 10,000 pounds and were played using pedals.

In 1881, money from Lucretia Dash Wood, another former member, helped add a new building. This building had classrooms and a chapel. As the church grew, it became a popular place for important events in the lives of many leading families in Berks County.

In June 1886, Christ Church installed a new stained glass window. It was in memory of De Benneville Keim, the son of a long-time church member.

In October 1898, the church celebrated Rev. Dr. William P. Orrick's 25 years of service. He was the church's rector for a long time. Richmond L. Jones, a church leader, praised Orrick for being a good example and a faithful friend.

In September 1899, the church honored Henry M. Keim. He had been a church leader from 1864 until his death that year. They placed a bronze tablet on the church's south wall. It was next to the De Benneville Keim window. The tablet had oak leaves and acorns carved around it. It said:

"To the Glory of God, and in Loving Memory of Henry May Keim,
for Thirty-Five Years a Vestryman of this Church.
1864-1899.
Born August 16th, 1842.
Entered Into Rest Feb. 18, 1899.
A Faithful Friend—An Earnest Churchman. A Sincere Christian."

The 1900s at Christ Episcopal

In May 1901, church leaders and members celebrated the 75th anniversary of Christ Episcopal Church. The service included music from a 74-member choir. Bishop Leighton Coleman of Delaware gave a sermon about the church's history.

Rev. Dr. William P. Orrick, who had been the church's rector for over 36 years, passed away in May 1910. His funeral was held at Christ Episcopal Church.

His assistant, Rev. Wallace Martin, took over as the interim minister. Martin later became the rector.

Rev. Frederick Alexander MacMillen became the new rector in March 1911. He was from Canada. He started his duties at the beginning of Lent, a special time for Christians.

Five years later, in 1916, the church lost its long-time Sunday School superintendent, Thomas P. Merritt. He was a community leader and helped many charities. He had also been the mayor of Reading.

In November 1927, members honored Rev. Dr. William P. Orrick again. They dedicated a two-story building in his memory. This building would be used as a warm-up room for the church choir. A bronze plate with Orrick's picture was placed at the room's entrance.

In 1935, MacMillen was elected vice president of the Reading Ministerial Association. He retired from his position as rector of Christ Episcopal in October 1946. He passed away in 1970 at the age of 102.

Church Rectors

Here are some of the church leaders, called rectors, from the 1800s and early 1900s:

• Rev. Robert Davis (1823-1824)
• Rev. W. C. Mead (1826)
• Rev. H. J. Whitehouse (1827-1828)
• Rev. M. Leonard (1829)
• Rev. J. H. Cummings (1830-1831)
• Rev. S. A. McCoskry (1832-1833)
• Rev. G. W. Cole (1834)
• Rev. R. U. Morgan, D.D. (1834-1850)
• Rev. M. C. Lightner (1850-1861)
• Rev. A. G. Cummins (1861-1867)
• Rev. J. P. Lundy, D.D. (1867-1869)
• Rev. J. P. Hammond (1869-1872)
• Rt. Rev. M. A. De W. Howe, D.D. (Oct. 7, 1872)
• Rev. William Pendleton Orrick, D.D. (Oct. 1, 1873-May 21, 1910)
• Rev. Wallace Martin (1910-1911)
• Rev. Frederick Alexander MacMillen (March 1911-October 1, 1946)