St. James House of Prayer Episcopal Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. James House of PrayerEpiscopal Church |
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Episcopal Church |
| Province | Province IV (Sewanee) |
| Leadership | The Rev. Ernestein C. Flemister, Rector |
| Status | Active parish |
| Location | |
| Location | 2708 North Central Avenue and Columbus Drive (Tampa, Florida) Tampa, Florida USA |
| Territory | Diocese of Southwest Florida |
| Website | |
| http://www.sjhoptpa.org/ | |
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Episcopal House of Prayer
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in Florida
Location in the United States
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| Built | 1922 |
| Architect | Louis A. Fort |
| Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival |
| Part of | Tampa Heights Historic District (ID95000979) |
| NRHP reference No. | 91000105 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | February 21, 1991 |
| Designated CP | August 4, 1995 |
St. James House of Prayer Episcopal Church is a special and historic church building in Tampa, Florida. It is also known as the Episcopal House of Prayer. This church is still active today and is located in the Tampa Heights neighborhood.
The building became a part of the National Register of Historic Places on February 21, 1991. This means it is recognized as an important historical site in the United States. The church is also a key part of the Tampa Heights Historic District. This district was named a national historic area on August 4, 1995. It was also recognized locally by the city of Tampa on September 7, 2000. St. James House of Prayer is one of only two churches in Tampa to be named a Local Landmark Structure.
Contents
A Look at the Church's History
St. James House of Prayer is an active church community, also called a parish. It belongs to the Tampa Deanery within the Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida. This diocese is part of a larger group called Province 4 of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. All these groups are connected to the worldwide Anglican Communion.
How Two Churches Became One
The church community, or congregation, officially formed in 1997. This happened when two older churches, St. James Episcopal Church and The House of Prayer Episcopal Church, joined together. The original St. James Church property was chosen as the site for the new Blake High School. Because of this, the St. James congregation needed a new home.
At the same time, The House of Prayer had lost its main priest and its status as a full parish. This was because fewer people were attending. Joining the two churches helped everyone. The St. James members found a priest, and the House of Prayer priest found a church to lead. This joining led to the new St. James House of Prayer becoming a full parish in 2001.
St. James Episcopal Church: A Century of Service
The first St. James Episcopal Church started in 1892. It was an Anglican Episcopal Church created for the city's black population. Back then, segregation was common. Many black people from the Bahamas and Cuba were coming to Tampa. They came to work in the cigar industry. St. James Episcopal Church served Tampa's African-American community for over 100 years.
The House of Prayer: A Church for Tampa Heights
The House of Prayer was almost as old, founded in 1907. It was Tampa's third Episcopal church for white people. This church served the people living in Tampa Heights. By 1926, it was named a full parish by the local church leaders.
In the 1960s, The House of Prayer became one of Tampa's first churches to welcome people of all races. However, in the next ten years, many members moved away. The Tampa Heights neighborhood was going through a tough time. Efforts to improve the neighborhood began in the 1990s. This led to the creation of the Tampa Heights Historic District at both local and national levels.
The Historic Church Building
The historic church building was built in 1922 and opened in February 1923. Reverend William C. Richardson, a doctor who became a priest, led the building project. He even bought and gave the land for the church. He chose architect Louis A. Fort to design the church.
Unique Design and Materials
The church was designed in the Gothic Revival style. This style often includes tall windows, pointed arches, and decorative elements. The church has a tower, battlements (like small castle walls), and beautiful stained glass windows.
The building is special because of how it was built. The inside walls are 16 inches (about 40 centimeters) thick and made of concrete. The outside walls are made entirely of flint rock. These rocks are stacked together with mortar.
Rocks from Around the World
The rocks used for the church were collected from the bottom of the Hillsborough River. This is where the river flows into the bay. However, these rocks did not naturally come from there. Centuries ago, sailing ships from all over the world would carry rocks as "ballast." Ballast is heavy material used to keep a ship stable. When ships arrived in Tampa, they would often throw out their ballast rocks. This is how these rocks from different places ended up in the Hillsborough River. Because of its amazing stone exterior, the building is sometimes called "The Rock Church."
The church's official name on the National Register of Historic Places is "Episcopal House of Prayer." This is because it received its historic status before the two churches merged to form St. James House of Prayer Episcopal Church.
See also
- Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida
- Tampa Heights Historic District
