ST. THOMAS’ EPISCOPAL CHURCH ROCHESTER, NEW YORK
Historical Highlights
Today, St.Thomas’ Episcopal Church is located at the corner of Winton Road and Highland
Avenue. But this has not always been so.
In fact, what was to become St. Thomas’ began in 1889, when Will Congdon, an active
member of Christ Church, Rochester, organized a Sunday School for neighborhood boys in his home
at the corner of Pearl and Goodman Streets. Soon, more space was needed for the School, and the
second floor of an unfinished house at 25 Boardman Street was rented. Christ Church’s Brotherhood
of Saint Andrew lent their support to the growing Sunday School and issued an invitation to its
opening on June 30, 1889, noting that “everybody is welcome--both young and old.” Later that fall, the
Little Women’s Sewing School for “all well-behaved and tidy girls” met there early in the afternoon,
followed by an hour-long Sunday School, and then a service for adults and children. Christmas was
celebrated in the still unlathed and unplastered “upper room,” decorated by the teachers with donated
spruce trees. Year-end records show that the December 15th attendance of 93 people and offering of
$1.26 were the largest for 1889.
In July of 1890, the Mission Sunday School moved to a site on Monroe Avenue near the corner
of Adwen Place. An announcement card distributed in the spring of 1892 shows a new address, 447
Monroe Avenue, as the location of the Sunday School, now called Christ Church Mission. Christ
Church decided to withdraw its support in 1896, and, after consultation with the city clergy, the
mission was “taken in hand” by the Archdeacon of Rochester. His report indicates that soon
thereafter, “the closing of a saloon next door left the adjacent room vacant; the mission now rents it, as
well as the original apartment; the partition was removed, and now they have a place of worship
commodious and attractive.” At this time, it also “attained the dignity of a name, and is now known as
St. Thomas’ Mission.”
During the seventeen months that followed, St. Thomas’ thrived under the new management
of the Board of Missions and “was able and did pay its current expenses.” By December, 1897, it
became a parochial mission once again, this time under the care of St. Paul’s Church. However, the
Archdeacon reported that early in 1899, St. Paul’s “ministers withdrew from the responsibility. The
services ceased; the rented hall was given up and for more than a year the work has been
abandoned.” The future of St. Thomas’ was still uncertain a year later as the Board of Missions
considered “the propriety of attempting to revive the abandoned mission on Monroe Avenue.”
In 1901, the Rev. Evan H. Martin, who previously had been active in the work at St. Thomas’
Mission while assistant rector at St. Paul’s, left St. Paul’s to become vicar at St. Thomas’. He procured
space in Number 35 School on Field Street and, on May 5, began holding regular services and
Sunday School for the revived mission. At last, St. Thomas’ had a full-time clergyman. A subscription
was begun, a nearby lot on Field Street was purchased, and the cornerstone for a new church was
laid on April 20, 1902. On August 1, the people of St. Thomas’ gathered for the first worship service in
their newly constructed church. As one parishioner recalled some years later, “for all this work
accomplished, and in such a short time, we must all take off our hats to our Rector, and his faithful
supporters at that time.”
Several years later, a change in diocesan policy led to new developments at St. Thomas’
Mission. In November, 1908, Mr. Martin received a letter from the Board of Missions saying that
pastors receiving a missionary stipend would be required “to devote one day each week in visiting the
families residing in the districts in their charge.” After reporting this to St. Thomas’ Executive
Committee, Mr. Martin “stated with good reasons why this would be simply out of the question in his
case.” Preliminary steps began at once to change St. Thomas’ status, and, at a special meeting on
Easter Monday, 1909, the congregation voted to become “a regularly incorporated parish of the
Protestant Episcopal Church” and elected its first Vestry. The next major change in parish procedure
occurred in May of 1920 when, just three months before Congress passed the Nineteenth
Amendment, the Vestry voted “that all women communicants 21 years of age and meeting all
canonical requirements be allowed to vote” at parish meetings and elections.
The original plans for the 1902 church on Field Street called for a Gothic stone structure.
Actually, the funds raised were only sufficient for the purchase of the lot and the construction of a
modest building. Thus, just the nave with a shingled exterior was built. However, the church rested
on a substantial foundation in anticipation of later stone construction, and, in 1919, when the
mortgage was paid off and this document was burned in celebration, a committee began soliciting
pledges for a building fund.
When the parish began developing plans to expand the church building and add a parish
house, it turned to Bishop Brent for his support. The Rt. Rev. Charles Henry Brent, a most notable
church leader, had served as the Bishop of the Philippines and as the Chaplain-in-chief of the
American Expeditionary Forces in France during World War I before being elected Bishop of Western
New York. (The Diocese of Rochester was formed later, in 1931.) Parish leaders first discussed their
goal of raising $10,000 with the Bishop in 1923. Three years later, the Building Fund Committee met
with Bishop Brent and reported that he was in favor of going forward with the addition. However, when
the parish committee in charge of purchasing additional land met with Bishop Brent in March of 1927,
“the Bishop suggested that it might be better to move the Church to a new location near Cobbs Hill.”
Much parish discussion followed this turn of events. Later, the Rt. Rev. David L. Ferris, Bishop
Coadjutor, presented the advantages of moving at the Annual Meeting on December 5, 1927. In his
remarks, Warden H. V. Consler “showed by his figures that the Church was not expanding in its
present location and spoke of the fast growing district into which it was proposed to move the Church.”
After a straw vote showed only two in opposition, a formal motion to move the parish was made and
approved.
The following spring, the northwest corner of Highland Avenue and Winton Road was
recommended by St. Thomas’ Site Selection Committee. Around this time, the Vestry conducted a
careful survey of the Home Acres, Bel-Air, Struckmar and Roselawn neighborhoods and found
considerable interest among the several hundred Episcopalian residents in the establishment of a
nearby parish. By November, 1928, the church on Field Street had been sold to Congregation Beth
Sholom, and the ownership was transferred in July of 1929. Since the new church was unfinished at
that time, St. Thomas’ services were held temporarily at the Monroe Avenue YMCA.
Bishop Brent’s vision for St. Thomas’ and the resulting events are an extraordinary chapter in
the history of the parish. The purpose for relocating the church was to serve the spiritual needs of the
new and rapidly developing community southeast of the city. Furthermore, the new parish was
expected to be significantly larger than it had been on Field Street. The scope of this project called for
support beyond what St. Thomas’ alone could provide. By April, 1927, before St. Thomas’ had voted
to move, Bishop Brent had requested and received promises of aid for St. Thomas’ relocation from
three city churches: Christ Church, St. Luke’s and St. Paul’s. In October of 1928, Bishop Brent sent St.
Thomas’ a check for $500 toward the purchase of the new site and wrote to all Episcopal parishes in
the city of Rochester asking that two members be named to represent each parish on “a general
committee to secure funds.” The following month, St. Thomas’ purchased three lots at Winton and
Highland and, soon thereafter, added a fourth lot. Now, the fundraising effort could begin.
The design of the financial campaign was unique. The city-wide involvement of parishes in this
effort, a general approach used successfully by other denominations, had not been used before in
Rochester by the Episcopal Church. The Central Committee, consisting of two representatives from
each of the twelve city parishes, which was formed just for this project, not only endorsed the move,
but also recommended that the new church be larger than the one envisioned by St. Thomas’ Vestry.
To accomplish this, they increased the goal for the campaign from $100,000 to $150,000. In addition,
a Campaign Committee was appointed and chaired by a St. Luke’s parishioner, with the Rector of St.
Paul’s, and parishioners from St. Paul’s, Christ Church, Church of the Epiphany, and St. Stephen’s as
members. Individual Episcopalians throughout the city and also the residents of the community
surrounding the new church in Rochester and in Brighton were canvassed. The pledge campaign took
place from March 1 to 11, 1929, with assistance provided by a professional campaign manager
employed by St. Thomas’. While these efforts were going on in the community at large, St. Thomas’
Vestry conducted its own parish pledge drive.
Construction began in May. The laying of the cornerstone by the Rt. Rev. David Ferris, the
new Bishop of Western New York, followed a month later on June 28, 1929. Included in the
cornerstone was a list of all contributors. In his address, Bishop Ferris commended the community,
saying, “I have never before known of people who, regardless of their religious connections, entered
so wholeheartedly into the erection of a church.”
Indeed, it is noteworthy that the nearby community pledged 5% of the financial support for the
new church. Of even greater significance is the fact that 67% of the funds pledged came from
parishioners of other Episcopal churches in Rochester, with those from St. Paul’s accounting for
two-thirds of this number. St. Thomas’ own contribution of 26% was made up of pledges, plus
monies from the old building fund and the sale of the Field Street church. Other sources provided
2%. Yet, the campaign total of nearly $82,000 fell far short of its $150,000 goal.
On October 29, 1929, the stock market crashed. Construction of the church was, by then, well
under way. The Yates Memorial Organ, a gift from Mrs. Arthur G. Yates in memory of her late
husband, and her additional gift of all the chancel fittings were of significant help, but the general
economic conditions and the parish’s financial picture were grim. Nevertheless, the church was ready
for the parish’s first worship service on February 2, 1930, and, at last, its move from the Monroe
YMCA. A thankful parish gathered on March 9, 1930, as Bishop Ferris formally dedicated the church
for use.
A letter from the Vestry to building-fund contributors in September of 1930 reported that 80%
of the total pledged had been paid and urged prompt payment of the balance. It also noted that “while
the problem of meeting our permanent current expenses is still to be worked out, we feel that the
future of St. Thomas’ is assured.” However, the parish encountered major difficulties in collecting
unpaid pledges. Given the shortfall in the campaign and the unpaid pledges, the parish went deeply
into debt and remained so for a generation. Vestry minutes during the Depression focus on bank
notes, the mortgage, and loans from the Diocese. By 1933, the Diocese also had agreed to pay
$3,000 a year directly to the bank toward the interest on parish indebtedness. In 1936, the debt was
$97,000, and eventually, the rectory was repossessed.
The Rev. Canon Arthur R. Cowdery, whose ministry at St. Thomas’ was to span thirty years,
arrived in 1940 as the world descended into World War II. The spirit of the war years is reflected in a
general letter from parish leaders that spoke of a “greater need than ever for the comfort and
inspiration of the Church.” The letter went on to describe St. Thomas’ as “a friendly church, not
restricted alone to Episcopalians. True, its ritual is strictly Episcopalian. It does, however, welcome
all, regardless of faith or creed. St. Thomas’ chooses to be a Community Church.”
The post-war era was one of great growth at St. Thomas’. By 1953, the parish included about
700 adult members and nearly 425 children in the Church School. A faculty and staff of 53 taught two
complete sessions for the children. Classes were held in every available location, including the
kitchen, for at that time, the building had no classrooms. The Junior Choir sang at both children’s
services and occasionally at church services. The 47 boys of the Acolytes’ Guild served at the three
Sunday services. Programs for youth included the Girls’ Friendly Society and the Young People’s
Fellowship. The parish sponsored a Brownie troop, a Cub Scout pack and a Boy Scout troop, all open
to the community. Local teenagers attended dances held by the YPF.
Parish life in the 1950’s included a wide variety of other church activities for adults, as well.
Many joined committees, sang in the choir or volunteered for special projects. However, only men
served on the Vestry and provided ushering for the Sunday services. The men also ran an annual
fun night for the children, with many games and prizes. All women were potential members of the
Auxiliary, which was divided into five independent chapters. Most chapters met during the day to
work on various outreach, mission and fundraising projects. Other organizations included the
Bishop’s Men and three social clubs.
At this time, Canon Cowdery asked his challenging question: “At the start of a new decade,
what are the most important things that all of us in St. Thomas’ Parish must do to keep our parish
healthy and strong enough to meet the growing needs of our church families and the community?”
The prayer included in all Sunday leaflets that sought “serenity of mind to accept that which cannot be
changed, courage to change that which can be changed and the wisdom to know one from the other”
provided a context for the planning that followed. After careful review, a lay committee concluded that
the greatest need was more space for the Church School, and it called for parish-wide input. In 1955,
a $200,000 campaign was held to build an addition containing classrooms, offices and meeting
facilities. When, and only when, total pledges met this goal, could construction begin. On Easter
afternoon, April 1, 1956, the successfully completed campaign was celebrated at a cross-of-flowers
service and ground-breaking ceremony, with the Rt. Rev. Dudley S. Stark, Bishop of Rochester,
presiding.
Another major priority of the 1950’s was repayment of all debt from the church construction in
1929. When Canon Cowdery became rector in 1940, capital indebtedness, while somewhat less than
in 1930, stood at $95,000. Immediately after World War II, the mortgage was substantially reduced by
“a favorable arrangement with the bank, through the assistance of the Diocese” and gifts from within
the parish of cash and war bonds. By 1950, total debt was down to $38,000. Parishioners also gave
hours of work and loyal support to public fundraising events. The annual Fall Bazaar and the
Strawberry Supper Festival, which began in June of 1952 and later evolved into the popular
Strawberry Festival, were very successful. After a major kitchen modernization in 1953, complete with
a dumbwaiter to transport food to the Great Hall, fundraising dinners could serve as many as 600
people. All these efforts over many years finally resulted in the last payment on the debt in 1961.
At that time, Canon Law stated that “no Church or Chapel shall be consecrated until the
Bishop shall have been sufficiently certified that the building and the ground on which it is erected
have been fully paid for, and are free from lien or other encumbrance.” Because of parish debt, the
structure completed in 1930 had been dedicated for use, but not consecrated. As the parish neared
this goal, each year’s Vestry was “unanimous in delaying seeking formal consecration until all
parochial debt was paid in full and not merely the church building part alone, the minimum required
by Canon Law.” On June 17, 1962, a “significant and memorable day,” Bishop Stark consecrated the
church. Canon Cowdery, after recognizing past accomplishments, reminded the congregation that
“we have only reached a clearing in the path of service for God. There is much more to do, and in a
sense we are just beginning our real task.” Among those in the crowded pews were two former
vestrymen who had signed the original mortgage.
At the March, 1962 Diocesan Convention, Bishop Stark had announced plans for a new
mission in Henrietta. As St. Thomas’ shifted its focus to its “real task,” it remembered that it had been
helped by many to build its church. Then, in the spirit of past generosity, it decided to assist the
mission in Henrietta, later named St. Peter’s Church. To do so, it donated a total of $30,000 from the
regular budget to this mission between the years of 1963 and 1966.
Another new direction for the parish began in 1966 with the founding of St. Thomas’ Episcopal
Church Christian Social Action Housing Corporation, officially called STECCSA Housing Corporation.
It, too, was supported by the Vestry from the regular parish budget. The corporation’s goal was to help
large families in the inner city become homeowners by sponsoring their participation in an FHA
program that “guaranteed mortgage money for those without sufficient down payment.” In this way,
STECCSA assisted “families who could afford mortgage payments, but who lacked the know-how to
purchase a home and who needed help with the closing costs.” The first recipient identified by the
city’s Urban Relocation Office was a family of ten living in two dilapidated rooms. The parish helped
this construction worker, who was often unemployed in the winter, his wife and their eight children to
become homeowners, as well as seventeen additional families, until the federal program was
discontinued in 1978.
In 1964, an amendment to Canon Law permitted, for the first time, election of women as
“churchwardens and vestrymen.” After voting the necessary resolutions in the Vestry and at the
Parish Annual Meeting, St. Thomas’ elected its first woman to the Vestry in 1965 and its first woman
as warden in 1970. In 1965, the Diocesan Constitution was also changed by affirmative votes in two
successive conventions to allow the election of women as convention delegates.
Canon Cowdery’s death in November, 1970 marked the end of a remarkable ministry. His
leadership in all aspects of parish life was a great blessing for an entire generation and firmly
established St. Thomas’ tradition of strong clergy.
In October of 1971, St. Thomas’ welcomed the Rev. John W. Bishop as rector. Under his
leadership, the parish reorganized and expanded its commission system, established an
endowment fund and introduced a new church school curriculum. The Chancel Drama, now a
long-standing Advent tradition, was first presented by the children of the Church School in 1972. A
Ministry to the Aging, under the direction of a new part-time staff member, was created in 1974 to
provide transportation for the elderly and regular visits to house-bound parishioners.
Late in the 1970’s, the Episcopal Church initiated a significant nation-wide program called
Venture in Mission. The Church strove both to stimulate outreach ministries at the national, diocesan
and parish levels and to provide the necessary financial backing for these programs through a related
fund drive. During Lent in 1980, parishioners at St. Thomas’ studied the plans for VIM and voted
overwhelmingly to proceed. On a designated Sunday in April, 169 pledges raised nearly $50,000
payable over the following three years. By September, St. Thomas’ had chosen as its parish project
the establishment of a volunteer ministry with the Monroe Developmental Center, a residential
treatment unit for developmentally handicapped people. The parish hoped “to show the clients of
MDC that God loves them and that people care, to humanize institutional life by our gifts of time and
talents, and to help lift the morale of the staff by our voluntary commitments.”
The first step in this relationship was a large worship service at MDC attended by over 100
people from St. Thomas’. Parishioners soon began participating in a wide variety of activities at MDC.
St. Thomas’ adopted a unit and met monthly with these clients to present special events planned by
various parish groups, such as holiday parties, clowning performances and a show featuring disabled
“Kids on the Block” puppets. Individuals took part in many other direct and indirect ways, as well. At
the end of the first year, St. Thomas’ had provided 700 hours of volunteer service directly at MDC.
This program continued for two more years and was seen as “one of the most significant” projects at
the parish in recent years.
Another important undertaking in the late 1970’s was the renovation of the chancel. First, this
area needed to be “completely redesigned, providing greater openness.” Then, a dais was
constructed for the altar in the center of this space, thus enabling parishioners to gather around the
altar “like a family.” Wendell Castle, a nationally known artist, designed and crafted the new oak
furnishings including the altar, the base of which is carved in the form of a tree trunk, and the large
cross above the altar with a carved grapevine detail symbolizing the Biblical passage, “I am the vine,
you are the branches” (John, 15:5). A special weekend in September, 1979, which celebrated the
50th anniversary of St. Thomas’ relocation to its present site, was brought to a fitting close at a
dedication of the new furnishings by the Rt. Rev. Robert R. Spears, Jr., Bishop of Rochester.
In October of 1983, the parish welcomed its new rector, the Rev. John W. Martiner. Under
his guidance, planning began for several special events. The next spring, the Rev. Dr. Charles
Price, a noted Episcopal liturgist and theologian whose work appears in The Book of Common
Prayer and The Hymnal 1982, visited as guest preacher. In September, 1984, on the Sunday
nearest the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, St. Thomas’ celebrated its first annual Blessing of
Animals with a brief liturgy of thanksgiving for the companionship of pets. Later that faIl, Miriam
Therese Winter, a Roman Catholic Medical Mission sister known for her world-wide ministry, led
the parish in several sessions of reflection and song.
The need for a new church organ became an important focus in 1984. It had been showing its
age for some years, and, “in keeping with the Vestry’s policy, only necessary repairs” had been made.
At a special meeting in November, the Vestry voted to purchase a tracker-action organ. The Elaine P.
and Richard U. Wilson Foundation’s challenge grant of $110,000 met half the cost of the entire
project. Two leadership donations plus memorial gifts, pledges and contributions from parishioners
provided the needed matching funds. In December, 1985, a few months before the new organ was
scheduled to be built at the Andover Organ Company, “the old organ, with uncanny timing, chose the
late service on Christmas Eve for its latest malfunction. A stuck note, or ‘cipher,’ meant that the
service had to end unaccompanied.” The old organ console was given away to an Episcopal church in
Bath, New York the following summer, and the installation of the new organ was completed that fall. At
last the magnificent Andover organ, Opus 95, was in place. On January 18, 1987, the dedication
service was held and Robert M. Ferris, D.M.A., St. Thomas’ Organist and Choirmaster, performed the
inaugural recital.
During the spring of 1989, the parish celebrated its centennial. A Morning Prayer service
according to the rite in use a century ago took place on April 16. Only men served as clergy and
ushers that day, and the choir included only men and boys. Parishioners were encouraged to dress in
period clothing, and some of the women added “We Want the Vote” sashes to their costumes. The
service was followed by a potluck brunch, served by the men, that featured a light-hearted play
depicting humorous moments from past years, written and presented by members of St. Thomas’
Women Together.
Other special events took place during the next few weeks. Rob Ferris gave an organ recital
that included two works from the March 11, 1930 dedicatory recital program for St. Thomas’ first
organ at this site. About 150 people attended a festive dinner dance at the Rochester Riverside
Convention Center. Parishioners were asked to help fund some extra tickets so that all could attend.
On the last Sunday of Church School, a time capsule containing materials made by the children was
buried in the church lawn in anticipation of its recovery and opening ten years in the future. On June
11, the parish gathered for a service of rededication, recommitment and thanksgiving celebrated by
the Rt. Rev. Robert R. Spears, Jr., retired Bishop of Rochester and, by then, also a clergy associate
on the staff of St. Thomas’. An ice cream social followed on the lawn.
At its May meeting, the Vestry voted to make a “centennial gift of $10,000 to the ‘Futures Fund’
of the new parish in Hilton, New York, St. George’s, in thanksgiving for the many parishes and people
who helped us during our first one hundred years.” During the next Vestry meeting, Warden David
Watson reported that the parish in Hilton “had decided that they had to spend $5,000 to hire an
architect, although they did not know where they would find the money. The next day they learned that
we are giving them $10,000!”
By 1993, it became clear that major improvements were needed for the church. The Vestry
resolved to have a capital fund drive with a goal of $385,000 beginning in April, 1994. These funds
were to be spent according to a prioritized list of projects. This campaign, called Block by Block,
successfully raised enough funds to complete some of the listed projects. Construction of the North
Porch came first. This addition, located near the back of the nave, provided a fully accessible rest
room with a changing table, as well as a lounge area for use as a small meeting room, a bride’s room
or a quiet place to feed or calm a fussy child. The Rt. Rev. William G. Burrill, Bishop of Rochester,
dedicated the North Porch during his visit on May 12, 1996. As funds accumulated, major repairs to
the tower and repointing of the exterior masonry all around the building were done. Eventually, minor
projects to improve the kitchen, the steam traps and the clear-glass windows were completed, but
funds were insufficient to work on the stained-glass windows.
The parish welcomed its new rector, the Rev. Christopher S. Luedde, in September of 1996.
During the months that followed, the Rector and Vestry began reviewing the needs of the parish and
exploring ways to address these needs. Two new groups were formed, one in support of singles and
the other for empty nesters. The Rector also offered parishioners an opportunity for Bible study on
Tuesday evenings, an event that he continued to lead, whenever possible, during his entire ministry.
In January, 1998, the Vestry established an ad hoc committee to take another look at the
church’s accessibility needs. A decade earlier, a proposed chair lift for the staircase that connects the
three separate floors of the building in split-level fashion had failed to receive the required permit.
Other efforts to improve accessibility were also considered at that time, but, ultimately, were not
feasible.
By the summer of 1998, the ad hoc committee, now called the Access Committee, was
working on both short-term projects, such as railings and door hardware, and long-term
improvements, such as an elevator and additional handicapped parking. A year later, the Committee
reported to the Vestry, which, in turn, began work early in 2000 on a facility improvement plan that
featured accessibility work. That April, the Vestry adopted the Access Committee’s recommendations
and proceeded to investigate the possibility of having a capital campaign. “In early June, 60 members
of St. Thomas’ were invited and attended an informational meeting in which they were asked to serve
on various committees that would support a Proposed Capital Campaign Project.”
The next step was to hire a professional campaign consultant to conduct a feasibility study.
This study was undertaken late in 2001 after a significant period of reflection and preparation filled
with meetings and forums, video presentations and guided tours of the building. Parishioners were
encouraged to ask questions, to share concerns, to make suggestions, to ponder and to pray.
The parish considered three large projects: making the building accessible inside and out;
enlarging the existing nave; or relocating the nave by demolishing the great-hall and lower-hall areas,
constructing a larger nave in their place and converting the present nave into a multi-purpose hall.
Other possible projects included new stained-glass windows and improved lighting for the nave, a
columbarium and/or memorial garden, and roof repair.
The campaign consultant presented the feasibility study results to the Vestry and parishioners
on January 13, 2002. The Vestry voted in February to conduct a capital campaign and hired the
consultant as advisor. In March, the Vestry set the goal for the campaign at $550,000, with a stretch
goal of $750,000, which, if realized, would be used to build “an enclosed, heated walkway” to serve
the Highland Avenue tower entrance.
The time line for the capital campaign, named “Open to All,” included a month for advanced
gifts solicitation in May and three weeks in June for the official campaign. During this period, “all of
us--even those working on the campaign, even the clergy and the staff--will be visited at home by a
campaign volunteer.” By July 8, pledges totaled $553,508. The Vestry could now begin to plan for the
work on the circular driveway with handicapped parking and an entrance ramp, the LULA elevator to
serve all three levels of the building, the new stained-glass windows and improved lighting for the
nave, the wheelchair-accessible bathrooms for two floors, the roof and chimney repairs, as well as
other improvements.
The start of work on the circular driveway in October, 2002 marked the beginning of Open to All
construction. Demolition of the stairs in preparation for the elevator began late in August, 2003. On
each Sunday during this phase, greeters guided parishioners by various routes through the building,
depending upon the current stage of operations. The final project, begun after Easter in 2004, was the
installation in the nave of glorious new stained-glass windows designed and constructed by the Pike
Stained Glass Studio. These windows feature “medallion symbols interpreting the ‘I am’ statements in
the Old and New Testaments,” as well as the coordinating “theme of grapes, leaves and vines
intended to enhance the Castle designs in the altar work.” Creation is depicted in the scenic pair of
windows above the Winton Road door.
On September 26, 2004, people gathered for the dedication and consecration of the
renovations. This joyous service was preceded by a large group photo on the lawn and followed by a
luncheon to celebrate the completion of the Open to All project.
Early in the fall of 2002, at about the same time that the first bids were being sought for the start
of Open to All construction, the Vestry voted to approve the Rector’s proposal that a Futures
Committee be appointed “to assess the present mission and ministry priorities of St. Thomas’,
develop a vision of St. Thomas’ in ten years and develop a plan to accomplish that vision.”
Beginning in March, 2003, the Futures Committee requested input from St. Thomas’ clergy
and staff, from parishioners and from diocesan staff members. The Committee’s report, which
contained many specific ideas and broadly based principles and recommendations, was presented
to the Vestry in November and to the parish at the January, 2004 Annual Meeting. A subcommittee
of the Vestry then began reviewing this material. What resulted was a plan to reorganize the
programmatic portions of the parish’s commission system.
The central feature of this new design is the Council of Ministries, which is headed by an
elected lay chair and vice chair. The eight commissioners, who are the members of the Council,
coordinate activities in their area of responsibility: worship, Church School, evangelism and
marketing, member resources, member enrichment, mission/outreach, parish life and youth. There
are no programmatic commissions, per se; rather, the commissioners “empower and enable” the
various ministries within each area and also encourage and support the creation of short-term new
ministry projects by parishioners who “are thus able to determine their time commitments.” The Chair
oversees the Council programs and reports monthly to the Rector and Vestry at the Vestry’s
Executive Committee meeting. As in the past, the Finance, Property, Endowment, Stewardship and
Personnel Commissions continue to report directly to the Vestry. When the Council of Ministries held
its first meeting in September, 2005, the Vestry voted to reduce its own size from twelve to nine
members.
In the fall of 2008, St. Thomas’ celebrated the 30th anniversary of the arrival of Dr. Ferris,
whose full title is Assistant to the Rector for Administration and Music. In addition to being parish
organist and directing the Senior and Junior Choirs, Rob’s music ministry has included performing
organ recitals and directing choral Evensongs and choral concerts. He has also been Musical
Director of the youth musicals, “humorous and inspiring” annual performances based on Biblical
stories.
After over thirty-two years of ordained ministry and more than twelve years as rector at St.
Thomas’, the Rev. Christopher Luedde announced in a letter to the parish on November 1, 2008
that he would be retiring from active ministry at the end of February, 2009. When this time drew
near, a special reception for Christopher and his wife Susie on their last Sunday at St. Thomas’
gave parishioners of all ages an opportunity to bid them Godspeed and to fill a memory box with
farewell notes, cards and photos. On the following Saturday evening, family members, colleagues,
parishioners and friends gathered in their honor for a festive retirement dinner and celebration.
Roxanne McNamara Parish
Historian September, 2009