History and Mystery at Saint Paul’s Church
People, Events, and Architecture at an Historic Church
Welcome to History and Mystery at Saint Paul’s Church, the blog of the Historic Heritage Committee of Saint Paul’s Church, Augusta, Georgia. Founded in 1750, Saint Paul’s Church is the mother church of Augusta and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
There have been five Saint Paul’s Churches at 605 Reynolds Street, Augusta, GA. The monuments in our church and the graves in our churchyard reflect the conflicts and complexities of our nation’s, state’s, and city’s history.
Saint Paul’s is also an active, vibrant parish of the Episcopal Church, with an enthusiastic congregation deeply involved in the life of Augusta. We have three Sunday services and use the 1979 Book of Common Prayer.
The rich history of Saint Paul’s includes William Few, who signed the U.S. Constitution; George Mathews, who fought at the Battle of Brandywine and became Governor of Georgia; three Confederate generals; a Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church; several Augusta mayors; and the first Federal marshal to be killed in the line of duty. There is more wealth to be found in the lives of the extraordinary ordinary people recorded in our parish registers, including enslaved and free people of color. You can learn about them here.
Watch this site for posts on anything and everything about the history of Saint Paul’s Church, including people, events, architecture, worship practices, music, and church art. Here you will also read stories of intense, touching, and occasionally humorous events and incidents. The life of Saint Paul’s has largely been the life of Augusta and of America, so keep checking back.
LATEST HISTORY NEWS
From the Search Committee – June 4, 2021
We are pleased to announce that our search committee has now moved into face-to-face meetings with our candidates, the final phase of our discernment process. Our committee began our work together in June 2020, and we have spent the past year in self-examination, study, and listening. Over the past...
FROM THE INTERIM PRIEST-IN-CHARGE – June 4, 2021
EXTRAORDINARY ORDINARY This past week at church, I mentioned in conversation that it was nice to be in “ordinary time.” I didn’t realize that I was talking about something that was not entirely familiar to everyone. So, here’s a brief explanation and comment. The term “ordinary time” originated in the Catholic...
FROM THE INTERIM PRIEST-IN-CHARGE – May 28, 2021
OUR NEXT BABY STEP – HOLY COMMUNION IN BOTH KINDS The Collect for this Trinity Sunday goes like this, “Almighty and everlasting God, you have given to us your servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power...
Dear People of Saint Paul’s: Where do we go from here? I wish that I knew the answer. Whatever our direction, we go there prayerfully, deliberately, and together. Saint Paul’s has withstood fires, floods, plagues, and wars. We persevere because we have a mission to be a “welcoming Episcopal congregation...
FROM THE INTERIM PRIEST-IN-CHARGE – May 21, 2021
THE WIND BLOWS WHERE IT WILL The club struck the back of the ball cleanly, and it rose high into the blue sky, straight at the flag. As I heard “great shot” from my playing partners, I suddenly had a sinking feeling as I saw my brand new Titleist descending too...
From the Building and Grounds Committee – Parish House Renovation – Restrooms
Construction on our new restrooms has begun! The space which held the old Parlor and women's restroom is now being renovated to create a men's and a women's bathroom that are easily accessible to everyone.
From the Treasurer – October 30, 2020
We are ten months through the year and have received pledge amounts totaling $533,191.62. We need $246,808.38 to meet our 2020 goal for $780,000. Your generosity has helped get our church so close to this goal, and with your continued support we know this will be attained. You probably noticed...
From the Stewardship Committee – October 30, 2020
Lord, we give faithfully, and in our giving, we honor you, the source of all our blessings, our daily bread, and all the gifts of our lives. As the deadline approaches to complete pledge cards for the 2021 church year, I am reflecting on the tangible sense of excitement emanating from...
FROM THE RECTOR – October 30, 2020
To the Community of Saint Paul’s Church, Almighty God, to whom we must account for all our powers and privileges: Guide the people of the United States in the election of officials and representatives; that, by faithful administration and wise laws, the rights of all may be protected and our...
From the Stewardship Committee – October 23, 2020
Lord, we give faithfully, and in our giving, we honor you, the source of all our blessings, our daily bread, and all the gifts of our lives. We honor our Lord with our gifts: our time, talent, and treasure. Our support for the Church takes many forms and occurs throughout the...
