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Warren’s 175-year-old Christ Episcopal Church fills religious and secular roles
By LINDA M. LINONIS
warren
Christ Episcopal Church has existed almost as long as the city it calls home. It was founded in 1836, 37 years after Warren was settled.
Having been a presence in the county seat of Trumbull County for 175 years, the church has filled a religious role in the community and also evolved into a hub for secular activities.
Christ Episcopal marked its 175th year recently with a celebration Oct. 2 featuring a tour of the grounds and church, a choral evensong service and reception with music by The Garrettones, a 22-piece big band.
The church and its members adhere to the theme, “Preserving our past, embracing our future.” Recently, the Rev. Jeff Baker, priest-in-charge; Wayne Thomas, co-chair of the anniversary with Jim Johnson; and Dan Mason, senior warden, offered insight into the church family.
As a supply priest, Father Baker had filled in at the church. Mason had also heard positive comments about him from his children who attended a church camp where Father Baker ministered. Mason said the church’s previous pastor left for another calling and a search committee was formed. The process of confirming the priest as pastor is now with the Ohio diocese. Thomas and Mason noted that the new priest is a “good fit” with the family-oriented church.
Father Baker noted that Christ Episcopal was experiencing a growth and resurgence, buoyed, in part, by the success and inspiration of the anniversary and after a downturn endured by many mainline denominations. The church has about 300 members, with attendance about 120 on Sundays.
“The sanctuary was not only filled with bodies, but with their voices,” Father Baker said of the anniversary event. “The Holy Spirit was there.” Members of St. Luke Episcopal in Niles, St. John’s Episcopal in Youngstown and St. James Episcopal in Boardman sang in the choir. The evensong service, which dates to medieval England, includes prayer, certain hymns and readings. “It’s an ancient tradition of singing the evening prayer,” Father Baker said of the uplifting service with chanting.
Father Baker said a healing service takes place at 10 a.m. Wednesdays in Old Christ Church Chapel with from 15-20 people attending. “Different liturgies ... from New Zealand, England, Scotland and Wales ... are used,” he said.
A recent pet blessing, honoring the Oct. 4 Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, patron of animals, was well-received.
Another well-attended service is Lessons and Carols, usually the second week of December, Thomas said, adding the candlelit service highlighted by beautiful music promotes the Christmas spirit.
The men emphasized the church focuses on family-friendly services and activities. Father Baker said he includes a children’s sermon at the 10 a.m. Sunday service. A youth group is open to all in the church’s Southeast Mission Area of the Ohio Diocese, covering from Warren to Steubenville. The group, which meets from 4 to 6:30 p.m. every other Sunday, is for those in the fifth grade and older. Participation ranges from 10 to 20.
The church involves members in a variety of avenues, Thomas explained. Lay readers assist in services and lay ministers take communion to the sick and homebound. An altar guild, mostly women, tends to the altar linens and special decor. The Brotherhood (male church members are automatically in it) is a self-funded organization devoted to philanthropy. Among activities are sponsorship of a pancake breakfast for students at Lincoln School, next to the church.
The Brotherhood’s female counterpart is the Ladles of Love, which involves female church members who make meals for members and community residents who are ill or homebound, Thomas said.
Tuesday Crafters, senior church women, produce a unique item — church mice in an array of outfits. A case displays the women’s handicraft, showing mice dressed for many occasions such as church, Christmas, choir and school.
The church also plays a prominent role in the community, Thomas noted. A backpack progam, in conjunction with Second Harvest Food Bank, takes place at 6 p.m. Thursdays when some 200 backpacks are filled with weekend food for local students.
A handbell choir involves church members and community residents and plays at various services. The church sponsors a team in Warren Relay for Life. For a small fee, the church rents space to SCOPE, a Monday through Friday program for seniors.
The church also is home to the Warren Philharmonic Orchestra. Dean Hunt, organist, choirmaster and director of music ministries, said he sees the church involvement in this venture as “outreach and ministry.” The orchestra plays in the main sanctuary under soaring ceilings and magnificent stained glass windows. “We love having the orchestra,” he said, adding that the music venue maintains a church tradition of being open and welcoming.
Hunt also said plans are in the works for Arts on Atlantic with art shows and concerts.
Thomas said support of the arts continues an Anglican tradition. Doug Thomas and Gary McCoy will be in concert at 8 p.m. today; tickets available at the door.
Hunt said the church sanctuary also is home to a Casavant Freres pipe organ, installed in 1988 at a cost of $350,000 and now valued at $1.2 million. “About one-third of the pipes are visible,” Hunt said of the organ built by a Candian company and reputed to be among the “biggest and best” between Cleveland and Pittsburgh.
The sprawling church abounds with history, a tribute to its past and foundation of the future. “Love God, love your neighbor, change the world” is a heartfelt belief, Thomas said. Church members also tend Chapel, Peace and Garth gardens.
Mason said of the church, “It’s a very friendly place where people care about each other. It’s like a family ... they welcome you.”He added members see one another throughout the week at church activities.
Christ Episcopal Church in Warren recently marked its 175th anniversary with an open house tour of the church and grounds. A choral evensong service followed by a reception took place. The Right Rev. William Persell of the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio attended.
The beginning: Christ Church was founded in 1836, 37 years after the settlement of Warren. The town was the county seat of Trumbull County, which originally contained all the of the Connecticut Western Reserve. In 1845, a lot on the corner of Liberty (now South Park Avenue) and Franklin Streets was bought for $600 in gold. On Sept. 1, 1847, the cornerstone was laid for the first church building. The first service took place during the summer of 1848 and the church was consecrated on Sept. 23, 1849. Growth: The congregation outgrew the building and plans were being made to enlarge it. A major fire on April 30, 1860, in downtown Warren postponed plans. In 1862, a decision was made instead to build a new church. The old church was sold June 22, 1863, to a Roman Catholic congregation. The second building, on High Street, was begun in 1863. The cornerstone was laid on May 14, 1863, and the building was consecrated May 24, 1865. The Gothic design by architect J. H. Blackburn of Cleveland was used for more than 90 years. The original cost of the building was $17,410.56. The tower chimes were dedicated Easter day of 1925. They were installed in the belfry by J. Ward Packard as a memorial to his mother, Mrs. Warren Packard.
Current building: On June 6, 1957, groundbreaking for the present building at 2627 Atlantic Ave. took place on the 12-acre property. The cornerstone was laid for Old Christ Church Chapel on Oct. 6, 1957. The structure was built in two phases; main services were in the parish hall from 1958 until the sanctuary was completed in 1966. The first service in the completed church was on Christmas Eve of 1966. Dedication was May 7, 1967. Harold Wagoner designed the main sanctuary in contemporary form with sandstone walls. The altar and font are of Italian marble. Stained glass windows represent the six seasons of the church. The chapel blends old and new with the baptismal font, pews and altar with inlaid marble from the first Christ Church that was built in 1847-48 on the site of what is now the Tribune Chronicle. Stained glass windows from the first church also highlight the chapel. The children’s chapel houses the Iddings altar that was used for 10 years in the parish hall. The chapel features a Benedicite ceiling designed by Helen Hansen and painted by church members. The triptych on the wall behind the altar was used at the old Christ Church. Two stained glass windows called the “Packard Windows”were donated by the family of Mary Doud Packardand a third, “Hare Window,” by Betty Hare’s family.
Original agreement: The church has the original agreement organizing Christ Church. A note is dated 1863 and states that the agreement itself dates from 1836.
First church: A picture of the interior of the first Christ Church building on Franklin Avenue reveals how ornamentation was minimal. The picture shows three plaques against the wall. In England, the law required the Ten Commandments to be posted. It also became common practice to post “The Belief” and The Lord’s Prayer. The boxed pews are typical of the period. Two chairs in the picture remain in use in Old Christ Church Chapel. Baptismal certificate: A baptismal certificate for Laura Grant Smith was signed by the second Bishop Of Ohio, the Right Rev. Charles P. McIlvaine, and the fifth rector of Christ Episcopal Church, Cornelius S. Abbott. The date is Dec. 12, 1862.
Old directory: A Christ Church directory from 1901 reveals many advertisements filling the booklet. Phone numbers were two digits.
Web site: www.christ-churchwarren.org and www.musicministrywarren.org
Source: Church records