History

The history of the Episcopal Church in Ridgway dates to 1864. The Right Reverend Alonzo Potter, the Third Bishop of Pennsylvania visited Ridgway and held services in the courthouse for a small number of worshipers. Soon after, Bishop Potter arranged for The Rev. C. C. Parker, of Warren to provide one service a month in Ridgway. It wasn’t too long before the arrangement was increased to two services a month.

In 1866 parishioners petitioned the court for a charter incorporating themselves as the Parish of Grace Church. On April 15, 1867, it was determined by the members of the congregation that there was a need to begin construction on a physical church building. Work on the building had progressed enough to allow the first service to be held on Christmas Day, 1867. However, regular Sunday services were not held until February 1868.

In an article written about Grace Church on May 5, 1895, in the Ridgway Advocate, it was noted that “as the oldest church in Ridgway, her history is, of course, closely identified with the history of the town. Very many of the prominent citizens of our beautiful little city have worshipped within her walls. She has baptized their children, married their young men and maidens, and buried their dead, and still stands forth all living witness for the Ancient Faith and Worship of God the Father of all Souls.”

From the time of its construction, Grace Church underwent many different renovations and improvements, including the installation of a hand-carved altar, and in 1892 the installation of a pipe organ that was reported to be “remarkable for its beauty and sweetness of tone.”

The original church building continued to serve the community of Ridgway until the Summer of 1904 when the building was relocated to St. Marys, where it was dedicated in the honor of St. Agnes.
The cornerstone of the current church was laid on September 1, 1904. Various artifacts were sealed within the cornerstone such as a Book of Common Prayer, a list of the member’s names and their affiliation with various religious orders, and several newspapers including one from the Ridgway Daily Record dated September 1, 1904. The newly constructed Grace Church was dedicated by The Right Reverend Courtland Whitehead on January 16, 1905.