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The history of St. Peter’s begins on a Thursday evening, February 1, 1838. It was on this date that a number of men met at Morgan’s School House to discuss forming an Episcopal congregation in Phoenixville. During a second meeting, held at the Tunnel Hill School House, a resolution was passed to ask Christ Church in Pottstown to help. With the help of Christ Church and The Society for the Advancement of Christianity in Pennsylvania, a rector was secured. The Rev. Henry F. M. Whitesides officiated at the first Episcopal service in Phoenixville on June 4, 1838. The Rev. Whitesides was ordained into the priesthood in St. Peter’s Church, Philadelphia. Because of this connection, our congregation earned its name. In September of the following year, a Constitution and by-laws were adopted and the first regular vestry was chosen. At this time, the first building campaign for St. Peter’s commenced. Prominent citizens of St. Peter’s formed a building committee and ultimately solicited subscriptions totaling $1,650. St. Peter’s and its Campus During March of 1840, Benjamin Reeves, David Reeves and Joseph Whitaker donated land to the fledgling congregation. This plot of land was located on Church Street between Gay Street and Starr Street, and is still the location of St. Peter’s today. The cornerstone of St. Peter’s original church building was laid on Easter Tuesday, April 21, 1840. This building was of the Victorian style and had its main entrance on Prospect Street. At this point in Phoenixville’s history, Church Street was nothing but an insignificant lane. On December 5, 1852, the church building was consecrated. Unfortunately, nothing remains of this original church building, except its foundation. The St. Peter’s currently standing was built between 1900 and 1932, with the new building gradually replacing the original structure. The first changes to the original structure took place between 1900 and 1902. During this time, several major changes were made, including the construction of the current chancel and Lady Chapel at the Prospect Street end of the church. The chancel was built in the medieval Gothic Style, which emphasized the use of colors, symbolism and ritual, similar to the styles of medieval churches. The chancel was built by Mr. James Keenan and consecrated in 1902. Inlaid in the floor of the altar is a large memorial cross made of bronze. Inside this larger cross is a smaller cross made of marble. This stone was a gift to St. Peter’s Church from Queen Victoria, and it was taken from the ruins in Hastings, England. The chancel was built in memorial to Margaret handy Reeves by her son Samuel J. Reeves. Because of the construction of the chancel, the entrance to St. Peter’s was changed from Prospect Street to Church Street at this time. Also, during the construction, the nave was lowered several feet. Shortly after the completion of the chancel and Lady Chapel, St. Peter’s began to work with prominent Philadelphia architect George Nattress to design a new St. Peter’s. The firm known as George Nattress & Son Architects is identified as a church designer and watercolorist. George Nattress presented St. Peter’s with plans in 1905, but due to financial constraints, the full scope of the design did not begin at that time. In 1906, construction of the George Natress designed parish house began. It was built in a U shape, surrounding the chancel on three sides. This formation created an enclosed garden between the structures which still exists today. This expansion of St. Peter’s was also created as a memorial by Samuel J. Reeves; this time it was dedicated to his wife, Mrs. Samuel J. Reeves. The remainder of the construction plan did not begin until approximately 1930, which was after the dissolution of George Nattress’s firm in 1917. At this point, the construction project was still under financial constraints, so a few aspects of the original design were altered to give us what we know today. The construction was completed by Mr. John Keenan, son of Mr. James Keenan. The cornerstone of the present nave was laid in 1931 and the first service was held on Easter Sunday 1932. During this major re-building, the congregation worshipped in what is currently known as St. Margaret’s Hall, located in the parish house. St. Peter’s current worship space was built in the 19th Century Gothic Revival Style; this reflects the Oxford or high-church movement which was very prominent during the early parts of the twentieth century. The roof has a large crowstop gable with finials at its peaks. The front elevation has a large pointed arch stained glass window with cinquefoil and pointed arch tracery over an elaborate pointed arch recessed doorway with ornate ornamentation. The window and doorway are flanked by double pointed buttresses. The corners of the building and the windows on the side elevations also have smaller buttresses. The side elevation windows have circular and pointed arch tracery. The building spreads out across a large arch with similar roof and window treatments. St. Peter’s and its Windows The windows of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church are simply breathtaking. The windows in the nave were created by the Willet Studios of Philadelphia and were installed in 1946. The reputation of the Willet Studios was well known both in the local area, as well as beyond. Three of their most notable projects include the Chapel at Valley Forge, the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. and the Cadet Chapel at West Point Military Academy in West Point, NY. The windows in the Lady Chapel were designed by Meyer, which is a stained glass window design studio that originated in Germany. Every window in St. Peter’s sanctuary and Lady Chapel tells a story. The center window of the High Altar depicts the Resurrection, which is flanked on both sides by windows depicting the four evangelists, St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke and St. John. The evangelists are then flanked by windows depicting the Trees of Life as mentioned in the Book of Revelation. The windows in the Lady Chapel are dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary; the window above the Mary Altar depicts the Annunciation and the window to the left of the chapel depicts a Nativity scene. The windows on the east side of the church include Moses and St. John the Baptist, St. Paul and St. Polycarp, the Venerable Bede and St. Boniface, and St. Anselm and St. Francis of Assisi. The windows on the west side of the church include the Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer and Bishop Lancelot Andrews, Bishop William White (First Bishop of Pennsylvania) and John Wesley (Founder of the Methodist Movement), John Howard (Father of Prison Reform) and William Carey (Baptist Missionary to India), Phillips Brooks (Priest and Bishop who wrote “O Little Town of Bethlehem”) and Charles Henry Brent (Missionary Bishop to the Philippines and Ecumenical Leader). The five windows above the entrance to St. Peter’s are a tribute to our patron saint. They depict St. Peter and events in his ministries. To read an essay written by Fr. Edward H Mansley click here. St. Peter’s and its Community… Throughout the history of St. Peter’s, the congregation has stepped in to fill areas of need in the community of Phoenixville, and more recently, a much larger community. Service to the community has taken many forms during the past 170 years, but each time St. Peter’s has reached out to those most in need of support, including those of differing faiths. • Just as Christ Church helped St. Peter’s, the congregation did the same for another congregation. In 1888, St. Peter’s mothered the Church of the Epiphany in neighboring Royersford, PA. • Along with the First Methodist Churches, St. Peter’s established the first Boy Scout Troop in the state of Pennsylvania in 1907. Charles Oberholtzer, a longtime member of St. Peter’s, was the first Boy Scout in America. He later became one of the original Scoutmasters of Troop 15 in Phoenixville. • A circulating library was a prominent feature of the early Sunday School classes. The students could borrow and return books at their leisure to ensure every member of the Sunday School classes had access to books. • Under the guidance of Rev. Francis C. Hartshorne, whose rectorship began in 1909 and ended in 1927, St. Peter’s financially assisted the Hungarian Reformed Church because it was cut off from European support during Work War I. • Also during the First World War, St. Peter’s became the headquarters for the Red Cross activities in Phoenixville. Because heating was never an issue during the cold months, St. Peter’s was vital to this effort. • St. Margaret’s Hall was loaned to the Greek Catholic community as Holy Ghost Church was formed across Starr Street. • During the Great Depression, the parish opened a soup kitchen to help those in need. • During World War II, St. Peter’s opened its doors as a place of fellowship for US Army men and women stationed at the US Army Hospital in Phoenixville. • Under Rev. James E. Evans, the congregation helped to plan and implement the construction and opening of a seven story apartment complex for housing elderly and handicapped. This building is known as St. Peter’s Place and is adjacent to the church property. • Once again, St. Peter’s helped the Church of the Epiphany by spearheading a fund drive to raise funds to help repair the crumbling walls of their church sanctuary. • Under Rev. Marie Swayze, The Clinic was opened in the rectory. It is a medical center that would provide primary care services to those who do not have medical insurance. The many volunteer physicians, nurses and other medical professionals have treated more than 28,000 patients since its inception in 2001. St. Peter’s Church and the town of Phoenixville have always had a symbiotic relationship. It is hard to imagine one without the other. In her speech titled “Reminiscences” given during St. Peter’s Centennial Celebration in 1938, Susan F. Vanderslice made a comparison of then rector Rev. William H. Anthony, Ph.D. to a story about Moses in Exodus. She stated that when one’s hands become heavy, as did Moses’ hands, we all should support his hands as did Aaron and Hur, “the one on one side, and the other on the other side; and we should keep his hands steady until the going down of the sun.” (Exodus 17, 10-12) This sentiment can be applied to today’s situation in Phoenixville, when the “hands” of Phoenixville begin to get “heavy”, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church always has been and always will be ready and willing to help support those hands and fulfill a need in the community. |
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