Grace Church, Elmira, NY 1977-1984

In 1977 Elmira experienced a major reduction in employment as the continuing exit of industry and trade moved out. The city is now less than 25,000 people, down from 50,000 forty years ago. Grace Church has been the center of reformed Catholic worship in the Diocese of Central New York since 1888 although the parish dates to 1864. It was founded by liberal members of Trinity Church who thought the then rector was soft on anti-slavery. Grace Church was founded without pew rents. You can see the building is stunning gothic revival with the statuary and rood carved by Franz Meyer of Oberamergau, Germany.

During my tenure the first female churchwarden was elected and the first person of color to the vestry. The parish continues to be centered in Rite II in the Book of Common Prayer which began my first Sunday there. Only one person left over the "new" prayer book!