Our History
Grace Church is a part of the World Wide Anglican Communion of over 77 million Christians. The parish is an outpost of the Diocese of West Missouri, and has been a part of it since the Diocese was organized in 1891.
The parish was established in 1858. The early members of the parish met in a second story meeting hall on Washington Street, and continued to meet until the War Between the States caused a rift that was not healed until after the war’s conclusion.
The local Episcopalians were regathered by a priest who came to visit from the town of Macon, Missouri (about 65 miles east of Chillicothe). Thus, about 1865 the parish reorganized and the members began to make plans to erect their church building. They had already purchased property in the 400 block of Elm Street before the Civil War.
Grace Episcopal Church congregation, 1890.
Grace Episcopal Church, 1908.
Grace Episcopal Church is the oldest church building still in use in our community and is on the Historic Register.
In 2002, the Church won the Missouri Historic Preservation Award for institutional building restoration.
The building was manufactured in St. Louis and brought to the Elm Street location by river boat and wagon in 1870.The church building, which is described as either Gothic Revival or Prairie Gothic, was assembled on the site and equipped with furnishings that year. The current furnishings were added when Trinity Episcopal Church in Utica, Missouri, was closed and razed in the early 1900s. The beautiful stained glass and painted glass windows were financed through donations from families, the Sunday School and the Order of the Daughters of the King.
There have been some changes made in the structure over the years, but very few, and none have changed the basic appearance of the church building.
The first of these changes was the addition of the organ in 1876 (the same one used today). At one point in the late nineteenth century, a storm tilted the building, making it insecure, and steel rods were installed to pull the main support posts together.
Other changes have included the razing of the rectory to build the parish hall, the addition of gas lighting, then electrification, changes in the heating, and, recently, upgrades of all electric, heating and cooling systems. Additionally, the front doors were replaced to carefully match the original ones.
The parish hall, formally called Leeper Hall in honor of the Chillicothe pioneer, was added in 1912. This part of the building has a rich history, too. The building was originally Trinity Episcopal Church in Utica, Missouri. The Utica Church was deconsecrated in 1912, lovingly disassembled and moved to Chillicothe. The original Chillicothe High School was located nearby and Leeper Hall was used for sporting events (even girl’s basketball!), dances, socials, plays, and gatherings. It was the site of the very first Boy Scout troop to be organized in Chillicothe which formed the same year the hall was added to the church.
Over the years, the parish hall has been improved with new interior siding and effective lighting. A nursery and an office were placed in the area that once was the stage. The Episcopal Church Women have undertaken the kitchen as a project, continuously updating it as needed.
During the World Wars, the basement housed a shooting range to encourage marksmanship among the young men. During World War II the flags of the Allies were displayed in the church’s nave. Those flags are still preserved in the church as a reminder of those difficult and dark days.
Grace Episcopal Church, 1950.
Grace Episcopal Church, present.
Much has happened to Grace Church and its members over the years. The Civil War, the Reconstruction, the Spanish-American War, World War I, the Great Depression, World War II, the Cold War, Korea, Viet Nam, the Gulf War and the fight against terrorism have touched members of our church profoundly. In this new Christian Millennium, we look forward with hope that the Peace of God will come to us.
In 2010, Grace Episcopal Church chose the Rev. Denise C. Vaughn as our Rector. She is the first woman to be the Rector here.
The most important thing to happen to the church over the years it has stood is that it has remained a place of worship. Grace Church is a very special place. In this old structure generations of couples have been married, generations of children have been baptized, and many people have been buried from the church. It is an important part of many family histories and is a treasured gem of the community.
Growing Our Church for God’s Work
Together we can make a difference in our community. Please feel free to donate to Grace Episcopal Church to help us grow our ministry and outreach.
