Church History




Grace Episcopal Church was established under the direction of the Rev. H.W. Lee rector of Christ Church, Springfield in 1846 with 18 members. The first meeting (of the vestry) was held April 6, 1846 in Ferry’s Hall. At this meeting, John Wells was chosen as moderator, Milo Taylor as Collector and Treasurer, Benjamin Ellis and W.W. Goodwin, Wardens and Phinias Graves, H.C. Bowles and H.C. Flagg, Vestrymen. The wardens were instructed by the meeting “to make any alterations and repairs of Ferry’s Hall as may be necessary to render it suitable for Public Worship. On May 4, 1846, an adjourned meeting of the Parish was held, at which it was voted to “give Rev. Charles R. Fisher a formal call to be the Rector of the Parish and to appropriate the sum of $500 per year for the support of the clergyman…” The first mention of the name of the parish, “Grace Church” occurs in the meeting held April 13, 1848, without stating when or why the name was adopted. It is thought that the name was taken from a statement by the members “By the grace of god we have a parish.” At a parish meeting held April 11, 1856, Grace Church was constituted a “Free Church”, (support had been secured up to this time by “selling” i.e. renting seats.) The first church was built on Cabot Street near the corner of Cabot Street and was consecrated in May 24, 1848. The church was without services from April 1851 to November 1853 but was reopened at that time and continued until September 1867. Here is a wide gap in the official records of the parish and it was apparently almost twenty years before a service was held in the church. The church was partially destroyed by fire sometime in 1874, Christ Church Springfield continued to take an interest in Grace Church and in the late 1870’2 its rector, the Rev. Alexander Burgess held services for a time on Sunday afternoons in the Methodist Church. Worship was also conducted in private homes and later in the music hall on Exchange Street and in the Universalist Church over the Chicopee Public Market in Market Square. The State Missionary, the Rev. John S. Beers, became interested in Chicopee and it was under his direction that the old church was restored and the building rededicated on Whitsunday, 1885. This served the parish until 1895 when it was found that the floor was not safe and there were many parts that needed repair. It did not seem practical to build on that spot for the surroundings had changed. There was a boarding house on either side of the church and the odors of cabbage and onions cooking were not pleasant. A large parking lot was purchased on the hill on Springfield Street at the corner of Pleasant Street, at a cost of $5,000. The house which stood on the corner was moved so as to give room for the church. It is interesting to note that the moving of the house cost $100. The church was built in 1896 by Mr. L. S. Scott of Springfield at a cost of $6,625 and the service of the laying of the cornerstone took place on August 29th. A stone from the old baptismal font was used for the cornerstone. The service was conducted by the Arch Deacon of Springfield, The Rev. John Brooks, laying the cornerstone with a beautifully engraved silver trowel which was made at the Ames Sword Company of Chicopee, the engraving being done by Mr. Richard Price, the Senior Warden. Mr. Price presented the trowel to Rev. Brooks after the ceremony. A Boston woman, who attended a meeting of the Women’s Auxiliary, was so impressed with the work of the Rev Newton Black and a little girls’ report of what the children of the Sunday School had collected in their mite boxes during Lent, that she gave Rev Black $5,000 toward the new church. People over the diocese gave generously and those of other churches in town gave, and the people of the parish pledged what they could afford. One woman who worked in the cotton mills gave a weeks pay. The first service was held on Christmas Eve and was a time to always remember. There had been an ice-storm and the brightly lighted church with icicles hanging from the roof and windows resembled a beautiful Christmas card. The church was consecrated on July 6 1897 by Bishop William Lawrence. As was always happening, finances were not enough to carry on as was wished and in 1904 the Rev Newton Black left. He had been the rector since 1892. The Rev Frederick Sandford was rector from 1905 to 1907. The Rev George W. Phillips came in 1908 and remained until 1910. From 1910 to 1913, the Rev Alvin was the rector. He was responsible for raising the money for the new organ. The Rev Frederick Deforest stayed from 1913 to 1917. The Rev George Burgess came in 1917 and remained until 1923. Through his efforts, a mission, Holy Trinity was established at Chicopee Falls (Holy Trinity Mission at Chicopee Falls later became part of St Luke’s in East Springfield.) New pews were placed in the church. A need of a parish house was evident as there was no place for entertainments. A school house near the church was used by the women who met to sew and had suppers. The house next to the church property was purchased and the first floor was to be used for living quarters for Rev and Mrs. Burgess and the rectory was rented. This was not a satisfactory arrangement and the house was sold. The Rev Ernest Pugh was here from 1923 to 1924. The Rev Alfred Snively was the Rector from 1924 to 1931. During his stay, the church building was raised and parish rooms were built underneath. It should be noted here that the men of the parish dug out the cellar using wheel barrels, pick and shovel. The Rev Edgar D. Brown was here from 1931 to 1945, the longest time a clergyman had stayed. The church was without a Vicar for several months, but services were not discontinued. They were conducted by Lay Readers and clergymen from the Cathedral in Springfield. In 1945, the Rev Leslie L. Fairfield was the rector for about two years. He was a missionary in China and had to leave on account of World War II. He was anxious to go back to China as soon as the war was over but the doctors advised him to stay until he was in better health. In spite of his ill health, he did much to strengthen the church. He celebrated our 100th anniversary and a service was held in the evening of Easter Day, April 21, 1946. Rev & Mrs. Fairfield left for China in 1947. The church was without a Vicar until April 1948 when the Rev Russell Dewart came and remained until October 1950. From October 1950 to June 1951, we were in charge of Canon Raymond H. Kendrick of the Cathedral. The Rev Robert Cummings, who was graduated from the Berkeley Theological School in New Haven Connecticut, came to us immediately after his graduation in June 1951. During his ministry the church began to grow, financially, spiritually and in membership. Through the assistance of Bishop William A. Lawrence, Rev Cummings began a mission in Fairview that resulted in the formation of St Christopher’s Church where, in 1959 he became its full time pastor. Once again, Grace Church lost not only a Priest but newly acquired members, some old members and much financial support. The Rev Harold Batchelor was appointed as Pastor and remained for a little over a year, until 1961. In 1962, we were under the direction of Canon Rush W.D. Smith. Soon after he arrived, an associate priest was appointed, the Rev Alan Baldwin. Canon Smith stayed with us until 1965. Rev Baldwin took over the services at St Luke’s. In 1965, the Rev Leonard LePoidevan was appointed our full time pastor. Over the next twenty years, Fr. LePoidevan fulfilled his challenge to build and restore Grace Church. He began by restoring the church building; redecorating entrances and encouraging the continued giving of stained glass windows as memorials. Finally through the efforts of Fr. LePoidevan and faithful members of the parish, the Church was granted full status as a Parish in 1975 and Fr. LePoidevan was inducted as the 1st Rector of the church. In 1986, Fr. LePoidevan retired due to ill health. During this time Rev David Nicholson was appointed Interim-Pastor. Under his leadership and with the help of the Senior and Junior Wardens, the church flourished and a search committee was formed to seek out a new rector. In 1987, on advice from the Search Committee, the Wardens and Vestry called the Rev William Watts, Jr. to be named second rector of the Parish. Fr Watts instituted many changes. A new stained glass window was installed, the outside of the church building was repainted, the undercroft completely renovated and a new parking lot built and many new families were added.