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Saint David's Episcopal Church
History
The origin of St. David's Episcopal Church in Washington dates back to 1896 when the founders from "Little Falls" began meeting in each other's homes for worship. Around 1899 they first called themselves an Episcopal mission and, in 1900, St. Alban's Parish, the mother parish, formally adopted it as such. Soon afterward it rented, as a temporary meetinghouse, the old Temperance Hall on Conduit Road (now MacArthur Boulevard) and Chain Bridge Road. In 1904, St. Alban's Parish bought this building through a gift by Mr. and Mrs. J. Barton Miller, and it was renamed St. David's Chapel, in honor of the patron saint of Wales.
Mr. Charles T. Warner, a student at Virginia Theological Seminary, became St. David's first full-time vicar (a priest in charge of a supported mission congregation) in 1907. In 1910, St. David's Chapel was enlarged and redecorated and then moved to a lot a few hundred yards away. A matching, plain frame, stuccoed parish hall was added soon thereafter. Even after the Rev. Mr. Warner left St. David's to become rector (a priest in charge of a self-supporting parish church) of St. Alban's in 1911, he continued to take great interest in St. David's affairs. This interest lasted the remainder of his life.
In 1939 St. David's Mission experienced another shift. The Government of the District of Columbia condemned St. David's property to widen the street. Worship services were temporarily moved to the Palisades Field House. At the request of the Rev. Mr. Warner (who held the title to the condemned property), St. Alban's used proceeds of the condemnation to purchase property for St. David's at Macomb and Klingle Streets. This section of Washington, called Kent, was turning into a flourishing residential neighborhood, and is where St. David's is located today.
In 1940-41, the present church building began to materialize. Plans were prepared for a beautiful Gothic church, parish hall, and vicarage built of native stone. A building fund was established, and ground was broken for the church and parish hall in July 1940. On October 6 of that year, the Bishop of Washington, the Rt. Rev. James E. Freeman, laid the cornerstone and delivered the commemorative address. On April 20, 1941, Bishop Freeman consecrated the chapel.
In 1949, St David's was recognized as a self-supporting parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. The Rev. Albert E. Taylor had been serving as vicar of St. David's Mission, and then served as the first rector St. David's Parish until his death in 1964. Mrs. Taylor was organist and choir director. During Fr. Taylor's time, St David's grew to the extent that it offered two Sunday Schools and required a major addition to the church building, which was dedicated on April 15, 1957.
The Rev. Luther D. Miller, Jr. served as rector from 1964 until his retirement in 1994. During these years St. David's welcomed women into leadership roles in both the laity and clergy, accepted revisions to the Book of Common Prayer, and converted the original vicarage into the current Parish House for offices, classrooms, and meeting space.
The Rev. Dr. Joseph W. Lund served as rector from 1996 until his retirement in January 2004. Under Fr. Lund, St. David's flourished with the addition of a worship service made especially accessible for newcomers and families, the upgrading of the church property and facilities made possible by generous parish donors to a successful Centennial Campaign, and becoming firmly connected to the greater community, the Diocese of Washington, and the Episcopal Church, and linked to its roots at Saint Davids Cathedral in Wales.
The Rev. Robin D. Dodge, our current rector, has been at St. David's since February 2005, having returned to the Washington area after serving at St. Mary Redcliffe Church in Bristol, England. St. David's continues to flourish under Fr. Dodge's leadership with a vibrant Christian education program for children, youth, and adults; increased emphasis on outreach to the community; and the addition of summer services outdoors in the garden and daily Morning Prayer in the chapel.
The origin of St. David's Episcopal Church in Washington dates back to 1896 when the founders from "Little Falls" began meeting in each other's homes for worship. Around 1899 they first called themselves an Episcopal mission and, in 1900, St. Alban's Parish, the mother parish, formally adopted it as such. Soon afterward it rented, as a temporary meetinghouse, the old Temperance Hall on Conduit Road (now MacArthur Boulevard) and Chain Bridge Road. In 1904, St. Alban's Parish bought this building through a gift by Mr. and Mrs. J. Barton Miller, and it was renamed St. David's Chapel, in honor of the patron saint of Wales.
Mr. Charles T. Warner, a student at Virginia Theological Seminary, became St. David's first full-time vicar (a priest in charge of a supported mission congregation) in 1907. In 1910, St. David's Chapel was enlarged and redecorated and then moved to a lot a few hundred yards away. A matching, plain frame, stuccoed parish hall was added soon thereafter. Even after the Rev. Mr. Warner left St. David's to become rector (a priest in charge of a self-supporting parish church) of St. Alban's in 1911, he continued to take great interest in St. David's affairs. This interest lasted the remainder of his life.
In 1939 St. David's Mission experienced another shift. The Government of the District of Columbia condemned St. David's property to widen the street. Worship services were temporarily moved to the Palisades Field House. At the request of the Rev. Mr. Warner (who held the title to the condemned property), St. Alban's used proceeds of the condemnation to purchase property for St. David's at Macomb and Klingle Streets. This section of Washington, called Kent, was turning into a flourishing residential neighborhood, and is where St. David's is located today.
In 1940-41, the present church building began to materialize. Plans were prepared for a beautiful Gothic church, parish hall, and vicarage built of native stone. A building fund was established, and ground was broken for the church and parish hall in July 1940. On October 6 of that year, the Bishop of Washington, the Rt. Rev. James E. Freeman, laid the cornerstone and delivered the commemorative address. On April 20, 1941, Bishop Freeman consecrated the chapel.
In 1949, St David's was recognized as a self-supporting parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. The Rev. Albert E. Taylor had been serving as vicar of St. David's Mission, and then served as the first rector St. David's Parish until his death in 1964. Mrs. Taylor was organist and choir director. During Fr. Taylor's time, St David's grew to the extent that it offered two Sunday Schools and required a major addition to the church building, which was dedicated on April 15, 1957.
The Rev. Luther D. Miller, Jr. served as rector from 1964 until his retirement in 1994. During these years St. David's welcomed women into leadership roles in both the laity and clergy, accepted revisions to the Book of Common Prayer, and converted the original vicarage into the current Parish House for offices, classrooms, and meeting space.
The Rev. Dr. Joseph W. Lund served as rector from 1996 until his retirement in January 2004. Under Fr. Lund, St. David's flourished with the addition of a worship service made especially accessible for newcomers and families, the upgrading of the church property and facilities made possible by generous parish donors to a successful Centennial Campaign, and becoming firmly connected to the greater community, the Diocese of Washington, and the Episcopal Church, and linked to its roots at Saint Davids Cathedral in Wales.
The Rev. Robin D. Dodge, our current rector, has been at St. David's since February 2005, having returned to the Washington area after serving at St. Mary Redcliffe Church in Bristol, England. St. David's continues to flourish under Fr. Dodge's leadership with a vibrant Christian education program for children, youth, and adults; increased emphasis on outreach to the community; and the addition of summer services outdoors in the garden and daily Morning Prayer in the chapel.