St. Agatha's Episcopal Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
St. Agatha's Episcopal Church
|
|
|
U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
|
|
|
 Location in Florida
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 144 Circle Drive DeFuniak Springs, Florida, |
|---|---|
| Built | 1896 |
| Architectural style | Carpenter Gothic |
| Part of | DeFuniak Springs Historic District (ID92001048) |
| Added to NRHP | August 28, 1992 |
St. Agatha's Episcopal Church is a very old and beautiful church in DeFuniak Springs, Florida. It's known for its special "Carpenter Gothic" style. This means it looks like a fancy, old wooden house with pointed arches and detailed trim. The church is an important part of the DeFuniak Springs Historic District. This district is a special area with many historic buildings.
Contents
History of St. Agatha's Church
How the Church Started
In the late 1880s, a bishop named Edwin G. Weed visited DeFuniak Springs. He found three families who were part of the Episcopal church. From these families, the idea for St. Agatha's Church began. The first baptism happened in a private home in 1890. Building the church started in 1895.
A Special Easter Story
In 1896, the church building was not yet finished. It was Easter, and the women of the church really wanted to have services inside. They asked the men to lead the prayers, but the men said no. They felt the church wasn't ready because it hadn't been officially blessed yet. Also, no men in their group were allowed to lead services.
So, the women decided to take charge! They decorated the unfinished walls with flowers and green plants. They made the church look beautiful from top to bottom. Then, they led the morning prayers themselves. This was a very brave thing to do, especially since women were not usually allowed to lead services back then.
Unique Features of the Church
St. Agatha's Church has something very special: the only pipe organ in the entire county! A person from the church built this amazing organ, and it was finished in 1990.
Restoring a Historic Building
Over many years, the church building started to get old and needed repairs. Vinyl siding was put on the outside to save money on painting. But sadly, some of the wood underneath began to rot. Rain also damaged the foundation, and the beautiful stained-glass windows started to bend.
From 2000 to 2007, the church worked hard to fix these problems. They received special money from the state to help restore the outside of the church to its original look. They also made other repairs inside the church and to the Parish House. The church was celebrated again on December 9, 2007, after all the hard work.
The Church Today
St. Agatha's Church has always been a small community. It usually has about 30 to 40 people attending services. In 2011, the church members were able to buy a house next to the church. This house was used for the church's leader for a short time. Now, it's used for church offices, classrooms, and community meetings. This historic house also needs repairs, and the church is working to get help for that. St. Agatha's is still an active church today.
See also
