St. Andrew's Episcopal Church (Darien, Georgia) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Andrew's Episcopal Church |
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St. Andrew's Episcopal Church (2011)
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 St. Andrew's Episcopal Church
Location in Georgia (U.S. state)
St. Andrew's Episcopal Church
Location in the United States
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| 31°22′06″N 81°25′56″W / 31.36820°N 81.43213°W | |
| Location | 310 Green Street Darien, Georgia, United States |
| Denomination | Episcopal Church |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Episcopal Diocese of Georgia |
| Province | Province IV |
St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Darien, Georgia, is a very old and important church. It is part of a special historical area called the Vernon Square–Columbus Square Historic District. The first church building was finished in 1844. Sadly, it was destroyed during the American Civil War. A new church was built north of Darien. Then, the church you see today was finished in 1879. This new building helped bring people together after the war.
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The Church's Early Days
The idea for the first church began in 1841. Bishop Stephen Elliot gave his approval. It was first called St. Peter's Church. The name was later changed to St. Andrew's. In 1843, it officially became a parish. A parish is a local church community. The first leader of the church was Reverend Richard T. Brown. He was called the rector.
The First Church Building
The first St. Andrew's church building was completed in 1844. It was located a short distance north of where the church stands today. During the American Civil War, in 1863, the town of Darien was attacked. Union troops, led by Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, burned down the church. The town was also looted at that time.
Colonel Shaw was not happy about this order. He wrote to his mother about how upset he was. Colonel Shaw later died in battle. This happened during an attack on Fort Wagner in South Carolina.
Rebuilding After the War
After the Civil War ended, people wanted to heal and reunite. Mrs. Sarah Shaw, who was Robert Shaw's mother, helped. She and her friends raised money. They sent it to help rebuild the church. This effort was a big part of bringing the North and South back together.
The money was first used to build a church at a place called the Ridge. This was just north of Darien. About a year later, the church members raised more money. They bought land on Vernon Square. This spot was near where the town was attacked during the war.
The Current Church Building
Construction began on the church building you see today. It was designed to look like old English country churches. The new St. Andrew's church was finished in 1879. It was officially dedicated that same year.
Over the years, the church sometimes changed its status. It went from being a "self-supporting parish" to a "mission." A self-supporting parish pays for itself. A mission gets help from the larger church organization. However, in 1989, St. Andrew's became a self-supporting parish again. It has been ever since.
See also
- McIntosh County, Georgia
- St. Cyprian's Episcopal Church (Darien, Georgia)
