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Moments In Our 325 Years
Here for God. Here for Good.
Although it’s said that our second church building served us for 107 years, the reality is that after the Battle of Whitemarsh in December of 1777, the structure suffered tremendous damage. In 1786, as noted here previously, the Vestry decided to reopen and start repairs on the church. There were many challenges, not the least being an issue that has always plagued church communities, that of finances. Since we were no longer affiliated with the Church of England, the salaries of the clergy were no longer paid by the Diocese of London. We had to share clergy with several other churches. It became obvious that the second church needed to torn down and a new structure erected. That too presented financial issues since collections averaged only $2.00 a Sunday. The parish had to take out a construction loan for $1,000. With such tight restraints and while the term “recycling” wouldn’t enter our vocabulary for several more centuries, it was decided to use parts of the 1710 church where possible. (This would come back to haunt us decades later.). The new church was of modest proportions, with stucco, whitewashed walls on the outside. Gothic doorways and windows reflected the growing fascination with the Middle Ages in the nineteenth century.
On March 26, 1818, Bishop William White, that patriot during the American Revolution, Chaplin of the Continental Congress, later Chaplin of the United States Senate, and now the first Bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania climbed our holy hill to consecrate our new building. And on that day, we officially became St. Thomas Whitemarsh, an Episcopal Church!
One final point: a “church” is not a building. A church is the community of believers. For 325 years, it’s been the people of St. Thomas, the oldest Episcopal church in Montgomery County and one of the oldest Episcopal churches in the United States, who have been the lifeblood of this faith community. WE are the church. You are our church!
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