Grace Episcopal Church (Sheboygan, Wisconsin) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Grace Episcopal Church
Grace Episcopal Church, Sheboygan, Wisconsin, 2020.
Religion
Affiliation	Episcopal, Anglican
District	Diocese of Fond du Lac
Province	Province V
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Parish church
Leadership	The Rev. William Bulson
Location
Location	1011 North 7th Street, Sheboygan, Wisconsin, United States
Architecture
Architectural type	Church
Completed	1871
Construction cost	$7,752
Materials	brick
Website
Grace Episcopal Church

Grace Episcopal Church is a special church located at 1011 North 7th Street in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. It is part of the Episcopal Church, which is a Christian church. This beautiful building is one of four important churches that make up the Downtown Churches Historic District. This district is so important that it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

History of Grace Episcopal Church

Early Beginnings in Sheboygan

In 1847, a small piece of land was bought in Sheboygan. A wooden church was built there. The very first church service at Grace Episcopal Church happened on Christmas Day in 1847. Two years later, a new church was officially dedicated by Bishop Jackson Kemper. He was a missionary bishop for the Northwest Territory at that time.

Building the Current Church

The church building you see today was built in 1871. It was designed in the High Victorian Gothic style. This style is known for its strong, detailed look. On July 17, 2009, the church was added to the Wisconsin State Register of Historic Places. This was because it is part of the Downtown Churches Historic District. The entire district was then added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 1, 2010.

Special Items Inside the Church

Relics from the Holy Land

Grace Episcopal Church holds several special items called relics. These are small pieces of things that are important to the church's history. Many of these relics come from the Holy Land, which is a region in the Middle East.

Inside the church's foundation, there are rocks from the Jordan River. The Jordan River is a famous river mentioned in the Bible. The arch above the chancel (the area around the altar) has small stones from Bethlehem. Bethlehem is known as the birthplace of Jesus. Inside the main Altar, there are pieces of olive wood from the Garden of Gethsemane. This garden is where Jesus prayed before his crucifixion. There are also five stones from under the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. This church is believed to be built where Jesus was crucified and buried.

The Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham

The Lady Chapel

On the west side of the church, there is a special area called the Lady chapel. This chapel is considered the National Shrine to Our Lady of Walsingham for the Episcopal Church in the United States. It was built in 1930 and officially dedicated in 1931. This happened when William Elwell was the church's rector (leader) from 1938 to 1955.

On the altar in this chapel, there is a copy of the original statue of Our Lady of Walsingham. The original statue is in Norfolk, England. This shrine is thought to be the first one dedicated to Our Lady in any Anglican church in the United States. Since 1980, people have made an annual pilgrimage (a special journey) to the Lady Chapel.

In the middle of the chapel floor, there is a small, wedge-shaped stone. This stone was brought all the way from Glastonbury, England. Above the altar, there are five beautiful paintings. They show the Blessed Virgin Mary on a throne, with Saint Agnes, St. Cecilia, and Angels around her. These paintings were created by an artist named T. Noyes Lewis from London.

Beautiful Stained-Glass Windows

The main altar

The church has many stunning stained-glass windows. These windows are in the nave, which is the main part of the church where people sit. A local glass company from Milwaukee created these windows. Each window shows a different part of the life of Christ. All of these colorful windows have been put into the church since 1968.

All Saints Chapel

In the late 1930s, a reverend named A. Parker Curtis started holding church services. He used a room at the Sharpe Resort for Episcopalians who were on vacation at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. These services happened during the summer months. Eventually, it was decided that a chapel should be built in that area. Grace Church bought a small piece of land for this purpose. The chapel was finished and dedicated in 1951.

The All Saints Chapel is built from local fieldstone. It has a wooden beamed ceiling throughout the building. The floor is made of a special slate that is common in the area. This same type of slate is also used for the floor of the Walsingham Shrine inside Grace Church.

See also

• William Elwell, a person connected to the church who served as a curate and rector.