Christ Episcopal Church Of Needham

About us
Christ Episcopal Church is a thriving, growing parish, active as a community of faith for over one hundred years.

History
In the late 1860’s and early 1870’s, the Rev. Bowen Clarke of Needham’s Oakland Hall Institute held occasional Episcopalian church services in his schoolroom on Sunday afternoons. The school was located near Oakland Street, just off Highland Avenue, and north of property now owned by St. Joseph’s Church. Also at this time, some Episcopalians attended St. Mary’s in Newton Lower Falls while others went to St. Paul’s in Newton Highlands. It was not until the Rev. Frederick Pember visited Needham that people realized that there might be a strong enough interest to form an Episcopal parish in Needham.

In October 1894, a notice appeared in the Needham Post Office stating that: “There will be a service of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Town Hall, Needham, on Sunday afternoon, October 28, at 3 o’clock. All are welcome.” This service marked the beginning of the first Episcopal mission here. Plans were made to continue to meet weekly. The name Christ Church was chosen in honor of Christ Church College of Oxford University in England where the Rev. Pember had been ordained as an Anglican priest. Needham’s Christ Church has not missed a Sunday service since that October 28, 1894.

Attendance increased and interest grew to the point that participants wanted to organize as a parish. To that end, the group applied for a charter of incorporation from the state. On August 19, 1895, ten men held an organizational meeting in Masonic Hall. Frederick W. Lester was chairman of this meeting and William C. Payne was clerk. The group adopted the name of Christ Church, engaged the Rev. Frederick Pember as Rector, and notified Bishop William Lawrence. Out of this group of men came the first Vestry with nine members, including Albert E. Collishaw as Senior Warden.