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St
James-In-The-Woods
Episcopal Mission 1881 |
The Clinton Township Board of Education gave permission for a small
group of persons to meet
for weekly
worship at the new Clinton Elementary School at the corner of High St. and
Clinton Heights Ave. in 1881.
Worship was held on Friday nights by kerosene light while the
building was still warm from the
banked
coals of the school day. Clergy from The Church of the Good Shepherd on Buttles Avenue
(now merged with St Stephen's' on OSU
Campus) would ride the trolley past wood decked sidewalks and mud roadways
to the prospering wooded
township of Clintonville on the busy High Street (US Rt. 23) thoroughfare
leading to Marion and Worthington to conduct worship
services. Columbus population was 90,000 persons.
In
1893 James Loren who platted North Broadway and Oakland Park Avenue donated
a lot, 110
feet by 146 feet on Beech Hill Avenue (now Calumet Street) in a heavily
wooded area to the new residents from the Columbus hub.
The cornerstone was laid October 29, 1894, after an exerted effort of
the entire Clintonville community.
One historian wrote, `the projected construction became, in fact, a
community enterprise of donated labor and money.'
The stone foundation, still visible in the undercroft of the present
sanctuary was 'no bigger than a house.' As St James-in-The-Woods
members gathered to dedicate their new house of worship:
'Tears filled the eyes of
persons who stood around the precipice of the stone walled basement, as singing was heard
through the tree draped Beech Hill Avenue. Marching and singing, priest, acolytes and
dedicated lay leaders paraded from a parishioner's home on North Broadway onto the dirt
road leading to the new Episcopal Church.'
The Rev. George Edwards, Bishop Vincent Boyd's representative from
the Episcopal Diocese in
Cincinnati, and Rev. Clarence Graham Rector of the Church of the Good
Shepherd officiated at the ceremony. On May 15, 1895, St James held
its first confirmation celebration in the newly constructed sanctuary with
its high-pitched beam-supported roof. Men of the Mission cut wood from
the surrounding area to place in the churches wood-burning stove and women
dressed
in leg-of-mutton sleeves prepared the altar. The Rt. Rev. Boyd Vincent
placed hands on two children, Ella Moon and Ellery Guthrie during the sacred
Rite of Confirmation, beginning over a century of Christian service.
The Mission of St. James was formally consecrated on January 29, 1896. The
mission church was elevated to independent parish status in June 1941,
however, declining attendance caused the church to revert to mission status
in 1997. St. James was restored to Parish status in 2004.
A parish hall was built in 1915 south of the sanctuary building and this was
replaced in 1930. The wing located north of the sanctuary was erected in
1961 and serves as an educational facility and meeting area. On the upper
level, it contains the Lamborne Room (Fellowship Hall) where the coffee hour
is held, the Sacristy, and classrooms for Christian formation (education). The lower level houses
a fully equipped kitchen and a large
meeting room in which luncheons or dinners can be served. Then, in 1971, the
1930 parish hall building was replaced with a new two-story wing matching
the north wing in style. The southern wing houses the parish office, the
rector’s study, a choir room, and a nursery on the upper level, with
meeting, office, and storage areas on the lower level. Building
indebtedness was retired in 1988 after all loans were paid in full.
Our organ is a baroque style Tracker organ, built by the John Brombaugh
Company. (See History of Brombaugh Organ) The
organ was dedicated on May 26, 1971.
The park-like
beauty of the St. James’ lawn and surrounding garden areas are a delight and
inspiration to many as they arrive for worship and visit outdoors. A
memorial garden is located on the southwest corner of the church.
Our St. James
worship community comes together from all over the Greater Columbus and
Franklin County area. Ours is a diverse community encompassing all spectrums
of age, education, and nationalities drawn together by our deep sense of
tradition and ceremony.
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