It was a cold evening, that Christmas Eve in 1847, when the first service of the Episcopal Church in Medford was held. The Congregational Church loaned their meeting place and the Rev. Alexander H. Vinton, Rector of St. Paul's Church, Boston, conducted the services. It was announced that future services would be held at the Odd Fellows Hall in the upper floor of the railroad station. From this preliminary beginning, seven men under legal warrant met at the home of Mrs. Barr on February 15, 1848 and officially organized the parish of Grace Church. Wardens were elected, vestrymen and a clerk were chosen. In May The Rev. David Greene Haskins was called as the first rector at a salary of $500 a year. Later that month an additional warden and a treasurer were elected and Grace Church was off and running.
The Odd Fellows Hall had served its purpose and, in 1850 a church building was erected on a lot of land situated near where the drive of the Armory comes into High Street today. J.E. Billings was the architect and the building was consecrated on May 11th by Bishop Manton Eastburn. An earlier history of the church described the new church: "The building, a wooden structure, compared in style with an English village church. It had a porch, nave with gallery, and a chancel with a rector's room adjoining. Its outside was of planed boards, battened and painted. Although it was without tower, belfry or spire, the ends of the building and the porch were surrounded by floriated crosses. It seated, floor and gallery combined, about 200 persons. The Sunday School was in the basement which had an entrance under the chancel from the land sloping down toward the river." The cost of the land was $1,200 and that of the building, completely furnished, about $4,000. It was to become the meeting place for Grace Church for the next thirteen years.
The Church was still growing during the difficult years of the Civil War, and two years after the church building had been draped on the occasion of the death of Abraham Lincoln, it was again felt that a larger edifice could best serve the larger number of its members. In 1867 a generous offer of land and of further assistance was made by Mrs. Ellen Shepherd Brooks, widow of Gorham Brooks, to erect the present church building. A deed from her son, Shepherd Brooks, provided the land. The old church was sold, except for the organ and furniture, and the proceeds "given over to the building of the new church." Generous gifts from the Brooks family provided that the church should belong to them, but would be leased to the parish for $5.00 per year, with expenses to be borne by the parish members. The private ownership of the land gave the impression that the Church was a privately-owned chapel and could be dispossessed at will. As a result, the Brooks family conveyed it to the Trustees of Donations who were to permit its use by Grace Church; should they cease to do so, it would go to the City of Medford to use as a public library. Ownership continued in this manner until the Church celebrated its 100th Anniversary and became incorporated. The City of Medford then released its interest and Grace Church became the owner of its own church land and building.
The new church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the oldest extant church designed by the noted architect Henry Hobson Richardson. The beautiful stained-glass window "Rebecca at the Well," given by the Brooks family in memory of their mother, is one of only two designed by John LaFarge. With the increased interest in recent publications of the works of Richardson, Grace Church has attracted architectural students from many parts of the country. Mr. Dudley Hall, one of the original founders, built the first rectory on the corner of High and Winthrop Streets in 1872 and leased it to the Church for $500 a year. He, too, made a gift of the Rectory to the Church by placing a deed to it in the alms basin on May 7, 1873.
The chimes in the steeple, with an aggregate weight of 5,324 pounds were raised in 1873, and cast by Blake Brothers Company, successor firm to Paul Revere's. For over a century the steeple chimes were rung each Sunday by the young men of the Parish who mounted to the loft in the steeple and pulled the ropes. Today, with electronic controls, the chimes continue to sing out each day at noon and in the evening. In 1923, under Rev. Dwight Hadley, the Castle Mystic of the International Order of the Knights of King Arthur, a church fraternal society for boys and young men, was endorsed by the Church and organized by Chief Albert Morrissey and Emil Schlesinger. During Mr. Hadley's rectorship the Church was growing rapidly and it became apparent that a larger parish house was very much needed. A Parish House Fund was established in 1922 and the first annual fair was held. The parish house was built and for the next ten years entertainment programs, whist parties, food sales followed as all members of the Parish united to contribute to the building. Its debt was liquidated in 1932 and the parish house stands today in tribute to those devoted workers over the years.
The Rev. William M. Bradner began his service with Grace Church in 1931 and was greatly interested in the youth of the Church. In the fall of 1932, Court Grace of the Queens of Avalon, the sister organization for the Knights, was started, as was a younger branch of the Knights, the Yeomen of King Arthur. The Church School was strengthened and its enrollment increased to its greatest size in the Parish's first one hundred years. The average Church attendance grew from 262 in 1930 to 550 in 1937. The young Episcopalians attending Tufts College were organized and the group was called the Phillips Brooks Club. A club for the men of the Church was started and named The Bradner Men's Club in honor of the Rector. All of this flourished during the years of the great depression. In the spring of 1938 Mr. Bradner was elected Canon Precenter of the National Cathedral and he moved with his family to Washington, D. C. to greater fields of inspiration and service.
Rev. Charles Francis "Tod" Hall became the rector in 1938. Mr. Hall was greatly concerned with the material welfare of the Church. A Restoration Fund was established to undertake major projects of renovation of the Church property which had been neglected for some fifty years. The old rectory at 185 High Street, which was difficult to heat and in need of much repair, was sold and a new home for the rectors purchased at 56 Rural Avenue. A group of young women organized to help the administration of the fund. They called themselves the Lincoln Club and became one of the most active groups in the Church.
Rev. Hall was not remiss in his spiritual leadership and was tireless in the letters he wrote to members of the armed services during the years of World War II. Two hundred-seventy names of parish members who served are listed on the honor roll placed on the west wall of the church. Nine of them gave their lives for their country... In 1945 Dr. Hall left to take on a rectorship at St. Paul's Church in Concord, New Hampshire. He later became Bishop of New Hampshire.
Rev. Morris Fairchild "Ben" Arnold became rector of Grace Church in 1945 directly from serving for three years as Chaplain in the United States Army. Rev. William Wiechert shared the new rector's duties as an associate. Emphasis during the years after the war was upon world relationships and for the relief of the needy in war-damaged areas. The Stork Club and The Night Owls were organizations for young adults which, inspite of their whimsical names, made real contributions to the welfare of Grace Church. The Kitchen Group, named for its founder, Margaret Kitchen--an avid Church worker, brought ten young couples together every three weeks for many years for bridge games and projects for the Church. Rev. Arnold left Grace Church in 1950 to become Rector at Christ Church, Cincinnati, Ohio, and later became Suffragan Bishop of the Diocese of Massachusetts.
In the one hundred years following its organization Grace Church grew from its original seven members to eight hundred thirty-seven and had become one of the most active city churches in the Diocese. In 1948 there were 1526 Baptized members and in the year preceding the confirmation class was the third largest in the Diocese, being exceeded only by Trinity Church, Boston and St. Stephen's, Lynn.
Much of the above information was included in an anniversary booklet entitled "Grace Church 1848-1948" published in commemoration of the Church's first hundred years. It was written by Mr. John Crawford who served as clerk of the Parish for many years, by Miss Ruth Cresse and by Mrs. Muriel Morrissey, herself a tireless leader in Parish and in the community and whose husband, "Chief" Albert Morrissey, led the Knights of King Arthur for several decades.
Grace Church 1948-1989
Not a great deal of information has been published concerning the next fifty years of Church history. As a result it has become necessary to depend upon the minutes of the Vestry and the recollection of some of the long-time members of the Parish. We appreciate the comments of Richard "Dick" Bishop, Attorney and for many years Clerk of our Parish, and Arthur Hurlburt, former Senior Warden, for the following:
The Rev. Angus Dunn came from Christ Church, Hamilton and became the Rector of Grace Church in 1950 and he was still the rector in 1954 when I (Bishop) joined the Vestry as its new clerk. I joined at the suggestion and request of J. Howard Manningham whom I succeeded in that position. While at Grace Church, Rev. Dunn's focus was on the enrichment of the youth of the parish and, it has been noted, he devoted much time to the activities of the Knights of King Arthur. It was in that same year that Rev. Dunn left Grace Church to go to a parish in Carmel, California.
In 1954 The Rev. Richard P. "Dick" McClintock came to serve the Parish. Plans for a new Parish House were formulated. The Church was organized then as a charitable corporation, the City Council of Medford released the remainder interest of the City in the church property, and the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts back-dated our corporate entity to 1848. Mr. McClintock worked closely with students at Tufts University as spiritual advisor, teacher and counselor. Many Tufts students worshiped with us Sundays, and there was a pew reserved for them for Sunday services.
In 1958 the members of the Parish celebrated our 110th Anniversary. Bishop Hall was the keynote speaker at the birthday banquet on February 5th and I (Bishop) served as Master of Ceremonies.
In the Fall of 1963 Vestryman Donald Thompson called on Arthur Hurlburt. The Sr. Warden had resigned and the vestry wanted Mr. Hurlburt (a long-time advisor to the Church on financial and insurance matters) to serve as senior warden. "I (Hurlburt) wondered if I were the right man for the job. Would this be good for my family? Would the rector feel comfortable with me as senior warden?" The rector seemed "cheerful" about the prospect and I was appointed by the vestry. Rev. McClintock resigned in the Winter of 1963 and became Rector of St. James Church, Somerville in February 1964.
We then had a parish with a brand-new senior warden, no junior warden, and no clergyman. "That came over in the Hurlburt household like a ton of cold water." I found myself spending a great deal of time looking for supply clergy. The search for a new rector was a new adventure for me. An active search committee worked diligently. Following leads, the search committee visited other Parishes all the way from central New Hampshire to southern Connecticut--all at their own expense.
The Reverend Robert M. "Bob" Durkee succeeded Rev. McClintock in 1964. In February we heard about a student at the Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge. Howard Manningham (the elder statesman of the committee) and I (Hurlburt) called on Rev. Robert M. Durkee, his wife Diane, and children Sandra (a toddler) and Scott (in a playpen). Rev. Durkee seemed to fill the bill. He had served in the Navy, committed himself to God at age 18, was ordained in the Methodist Church, was Chaplain in the Air Force, and then Chaplain in the Army. (Fr. Durkee later retired as a Brigadier General of the Army.) The search was ended, the Bishop consulted, and Fr. Durkee called to serve Grace Church. The Durkees joined the Grace Church Family in May 1964. During Fr. Durkee's rectorship the Parish flourished and grew. The mortgage on the new Parish House was burned in 1967. Fr. Durkee helped us achieve a real presence in our community, particularly with his enormous energy and participation in Medford activities. The Knights of King Arthur grew to be a haven for the boys and young men of Grace Church, and their friends in the community, under the direction of Chief Albert Morrissey, Charlie Christenson, Wesley Foote, Jr. and others.
Twelve women in the Parish named themselves "The Dozenettes." Their special gift to Grace Church for almost two decades was the preparation and cooking of delicious dinners. Parish life was enriched and increased with the addition of the Martha & Mary Guild for young mothers organized by Diane Durkee, St. Anne's Guild for the women of the Parish, The Brotherhood of St. Andrew for men, the Men's Bowling League, and The Girls' Friendly Society for girls--led for over 20 years by Joan Pappalardo. Sr. Mabel and Sr. Joyce from the Order of the Sisters of St. Anne served as Sunday School teachers during the late 1960s and early 1970s. It was with great sadness that the Parish received notice that Fr. Durkee would retire in 1989.
SINCE 1989 This latest piece of our history is presented by Naida Gavrelis who served as Co-Chairman of the Search Committee for a new Rector in 1989 and June Pietrantoni who currently serves as Junior Warden.
In September 1989 Grace Church embarked on its search for a new rector. The first step in the process was establishing a profile committee which guided the Parish through a self-study exercise. The committee administered a lengthy questionnaire to approximately 400 members and held a series of follow-up meetings of the Parish to gather thoughts and opinions on key aspects of our Parish life together and to learn what Parishioners were looking for in a new rector.
As a result of this effort, an eight-page "Parish Profile" was prepared. The profile summarized the Church's history, membership, worship, leadership, education programs, outreach and fellowship activities, stewardship/finances, and our hopes and plans for the future. With the profile completed, we started a nearly year-long search for a new rector. The search committee worked closely with the Diocese in identifying candidates with the skills and experience that seemed to match the qualities and characteristics we were looking for in a rector. Largely through a Diocesan-based computer search, the committee received over 100 resumes which were carefully reviewed and ranked by the committee. We also received a number of resumes directly from candidates. Finalists were called for interviews.
During the profile and search process we were blessed with two wonderful interim ministers, the Reverends Arthur Latta and Bailey Whitbeck. Both provided new perspective while helping ready us for a new rector. Fr. Latta gave us strong spiritual guidance and imparted much knowledge about our Christian lives together. Bailey Whitbeck opened our eyes and hearts to the special ministry of a compassionate and supportive leader.
After much deliberation and prayer, in the Fall of 1990 we called Fr. Stephen Leonetti to be our new Rector. Fr. Steve and his wife, Judy, drove across the country from Oregon and settled into the rectory. His first service of worship with us was the first Sunday in Advent 1990. The Leonettis opened the rectory to Bible study two evenings each week and invited Parishioners to "come to dinner" on Friday evenings. Judy was active as a Sunday School teacher and an enthusiastic participant in the activities of women in our Parish. Fr. Steve had spent several years in the world of finance before becoming a priest. He saw one of the facets of his mission--as we had outlined in our profile--to build up the membership of Grace Church. Charlotte and Joe Brunaccini organized evenings of "Activities" for the parish. Its original purpose was to bring people and families together. Later it held fund-raising activities for outreach projects. In June of 1992 Fr. Steve resigned and he and Judy returned to Eugene, Oregon to a two-parish ministry.
In September 1992 the vestry appointed Fr. Robert J. "Bob" Bela Interim Rector. In November 1993 the vestry unanimously called Fr. Bela to be Rector and Bishop David Johnson formally installed him in February 1994. During Fr. Bela's rectorship the vestry assumed more responsibility for leading the parish. Fr. Bela worked to bring spirituality into the worship and lives of grace Church members. He helped to raise our consciousness about ministry and outreach to the disenfranchised. During this time some members of the Parish cooked and served meals to the "Bread of Life" Program in Malden. Oscar Greene organized a Monday-evening Bible Study group which he and Frank Hazel have continued to lead. Bill and P. J. Corson organized short programs in Bible Study and Faith-Building open to the Parish held over a 3-year span. Fr. Bela resigned in February 1997.
Fr. James C. Knudson served as supply priest from February through May 1997. At the urging of the vestry, in June 1997 Bishop Tom Shaw appointed Fr. Jim Priest-in-Charge, to serve a three-year term. During the third year of this term Fr. Jim will assist the Parish with a search for a rector for Grace Church. Fr. Jim brings a generous measure of warmth, caring and understanding to a Parish which has undergone much change and uncertainty in the past ten years.
The Church has been fortunate to have vestries with vision in the past few years. Two examples of this leadership have been the Grace Church one-year sponsorship of Fr. James Kibe Karanja, his wife Mary, and children, Grace, Mercy and David, from Kenya. The Karanjas have enriched the life and worship of Grace Church during this past year. Last September we began GraceWorks After-school Program for 6-12 year-olds, which had a very successful year. We expect to have other programmatic endeavors develop under the umbrella of GraceWorks.
In this 151st year of the life of Grace Church we rejoice in the past and look forward with faith, hope and anticipation to the future. We ask our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to be with each one of us on our journey.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: The 150th Anniversary Committee thanks Dick Bishop, Arthur Hurlburt, Naida Gavrelis and June Pietrantoni for their research, recollections and the writing of a short history for this anniversary. Additionally we are most appreciative of the work of Ruthie Hall, Hannah Diozzi, Paula Hiltz, and Dorothy Barros for their suggestions and editing of this material.