Grace Church (Kilmarnock, Virginia) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Grace Church Kilmarnock |
|
---|---|
![]() Facade
|
|
Location | 303 South Main Street Kilmarnock, Virginia 22482 |
Country | United States |
Denomination | Episcopal |
Website | http://www.graceepiscopalkilmarnock.com |
History | |
Founded | 1852 |
Architecture | |
Style | Colonial |
Years built | 1855 |
Administration | |
Parish | Grace Episcopal Church, Kilmarnock |
Diocese | Episcopal Diocese of Virginia |
Grace Church in Kilmarnock, Lancaster County, Virginia, is a very important and large church. It is the biggest rural Episcopal church in the whole state of Virginia.
The Story of Grace Church
The first part of Grace Church was a brick building. It was the very first church in Kilmarnock! An assistant bishop named John Johns officially dedicated it in 1852. This old building is now a chapel connected to the main church.
For many years, Grace Church shared its main priest, called a rector, with other old churches nearby. These included historic Christ Church, which started way back in 1670, and St. Mary's Church Whitechapel, founded in 1669.
The main part of the church you see today was dedicated by Bishop Goodwin in 1959. A special walkway, called an arcade, links this newer part to the original chapel.
The church continued to grow! In 1988, Bishop Peter James Lee dedicated an expanded building called Grace House. More additions were made in 2002, making the church even bigger.
Because of its long history and importance, Grace Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2017. This means it is recognized as a special historical site in the United States.