Christ Church celebrates 100 years on Court Street with special service Dec. 14

In Dec. 25, 1914, Christ Church parishioners celebrated their first service at the stone chapel on Court Street in Plymouth. Founded in 1844, the Episcopal parish had a new, statelier home. After many years on Russell Street, the congregation had moved to a new place of worship designed after the parish church in Scrooby, England, from which the Pilgrims had departed nearly 300 years earlier.

This Dec. 14, Christ Church will celebrate 100 years at its current location and 170 years as a parish with a special service at 10 a.m. It will involve elements of the past, present and future, including the renewal of baptismal vows. Following the service, the parish will have an informal gathering for refreshments. The entire community is invited to participate in worship and stay for the fellowship following the service.

The Episcopal Society was established in Plymouth in 1844 at the home of Robert B. Hall, who would later serve as a U.S. Senator from Massachusetts. The parish was named Christ Church and the Reverend Theodore Snow was the first rector. Two years later, the church building was consecrated on Russell Street.

In 1905, Alice B. Faulkner died and left all of her property to the church. That land included the former home of her parents, Sen. and Mrs. Robert Hall, on the corner of Court and Lothrop streets. The Russell Street church had become too small for the growing congregation, so the parish decided to build a new church building on this lot.

The Hall House was moved to the east end of the parcel and a new stone chapel modeled after the parish church in Scrooby, England, was planned. The cornerstone was laid on Oct. 4, 1912, and consecrated by Bishop William Lawrence of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts and Bishop Edward Talbot of Winchester, England, an Anglican bishop in the Church of England.

At the first service on Christmas Day in 1914, a Choral Communion with a large choir was celebrated before a packed house in the new Christ Church. The congregation has remained active at this location for 100 years now.

“Our parish consists of a wide variety of people of various ages and stages of life,” said The Reverend David Fredrickson, Rector of Christ Church. “We seek to embrace the diversity of God’s creation and strive to meet people at whatever point they are in their spiritual journey. We believe that we are called to encourage each other to discover and develop our relationship with God and to discern and carry out the ministries for which we are gifted and called.”

Christ Church offers a variety of opportunities for spiritual growth for adults and children. Worship services are planned to suit different worship styles. On Sunday mornings, the church has a quiet and contemplative service at 8 a.m. and a vibrant, family-friendly service with a diverse music ministry at 10 a.m. On Saturday evenings, there is an informal, come-as-you-are service at 5 p.m.

Ministries at Christ Church are widespread in their scope, providing many opportunities to serve God, the parish and community. These include pastoral care, education/formation, parish life, outreach, worship/music and evangelism. Ministries are open to everyone.

Christ Church is an Episcopal church in the Diocese of Massachusetts. Founded in 1844, Christ Church Parish is open to all people for prayer, worship and celebration of the Christian faith through the promotion of justice, peace, healing and love.

Located at 149 Court St. in Plymouth, Christ Church offers an informal service with contemporary music on Saturdays at 5 p.m. On Sundays, Rite I is celebrated at 8 a.m. and Rite II with music is held at 10 a.m. Church school classes begin at 9:30 a.m. Family Sunday is the first Sunday of each month September through May. Rector is The Reverend David Fredrickson.

For more information, contact Christ Church Parish at 508-746-4959 or office.christchurchplymouth@gmail.com, or go to the website: www.christchurch-plymouth.org.