History of Grace Memorial

A history of a church is not only a record of buildings erected for the glory of God, but it is a window for a glimpse of the people who have affected the church. It reveals the character of the congregation as God’s work is being done.

The story of Grace Memorial Episcopal Church goes back to the middle of the 19th century and its beginning is tied to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. In the summer of 1843, a man serving as rector of a church in Cumberland County, Virginia was called to become the rector of St. Paul’s. Hagerstown, Maryland native Reverend William Henry Kinckle and his wife moved to Lynchburg and quickly developed a sense of the town’s pulse. At the time, St. Paul’s was located on the corner of present day 7th and Church Streets in downtown Lynchburg. In November 1847, Rev. Kinckle led other ministers to appeal for a public high school. The effort lasted only long enough for a cornerstone to be laid before it faded, but not forever. In 1856, the reverend and his wife, Maria, were leading the women of the church to train white and black children in reading, writing, arithmetic and sewing.

In 1857, interest within St. Paul’s first became outward for a new mission church in Diamond Hill, a growing suburb by today’s standard. Rev. Kinckle was chief among the enthusiasts for a new mission and on January 28, 1859, he met with residents of the area at the home of Charles M. Blackford on Pearl Street to discuss their mutual desires. This date is generally recognized as the date of birth for Grace Church. In subsequent meetings, proposed locations and construction price were major topics. The idea for a new church had taken root!

Property was donated on South Street, also known at the time as Campbell Courthouse Road and today as Grace Street. John Brown’s Raid at Harper’s Ferry, Va. in October 1859 caused a groundswell of concern and fear in Lynchburg, it being among the wealthiest cities in America when measured by per capita income. Nonetheless, the seed of a new mission in Diamond Hill was continuing to sprout. In October 1860, a month prior to a landmark presidential election, at another organizational meeting, a name suggested by Rev. Kinckle was selected for the new church, “Grace Church Moore Parrish.” Rev. Richard Channing Moore, whom Kinckle was honoring by the new church name, was Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese and died in Lynchburg on November 11, 1841 while he was visiting his parishes. He was 79.

Construction for the new Grace Church Moore Parrish was underway when Virginia was drawn into the Civil War and although it was nearly finished, it wasn’t the time for Grace to open. During the war, Lynchburg played a major role in storing and supplying ordinance for Virginia men in the Confederate Army. The structure became a barracks for troops.

The Civil War took a heavy toll on Lynchburg. Almost an entire generation of young men was lost! Families were shattered and their lifestyles altered, some good and some not. The resilient character of Lynchburg once again prevailed and within months, the movement for Grace resurfaced. Due to the leadership of Rev. Kinckle, the little church building was put in order and some basic items of furniture were installed; a pulpit, some plain benches and a small cabinet organ. Commencing with the first service on Easter Sunday, April 1, 1866 and into 1867. Rev. Kinckle conducted services at St. Paul’s on Sunday mornings and at Grace on Sunday afternoons.

The winter of 1866-1867 was an unusually hard winter. Memorable snows occurred back to back. In January 1867, Rev. Kinckle was asked to lead a funeral service some seven miles into the country. The snow was so deep that the only way he could make the trip was by foot. Afterward, he became ill which developed into pneumonia. Rev. Kinckle still continued to minister for the poor and through the deep snow, he was often seen even at night carrying firewood on his back and in his arms for those in need. Rev. Kinckle’s work on earth ended on Saturday, March 2, 1867 with him being only 47 years of age. He had lost his wife, the mother of their six children, five years earlier.

Just a few years later in 1870, the name of Grace was changed to Grace Memorial to honor the Reverend William Kinckle as well as Bishop R.C. Moore. Vestry minutes reveal that a church supported and church operated free school which was started in the late 1860’s, continued at least through the 1870’s when city run public schools were become strong.

In 1877 another Episcopal church was started in Lynchburg which would have an important role in the future of Grace Memorial. Epiphany Episcopal was started in a new building on McKinley Avenue at the corner with Marsh Street. In 1927, McKinley was renamed Fort Avenue and the church site can be seen today at the same corner, at the top of stairs from the street leading nowhere. About 1918, Epiphany closed and the building became unused and sat dormant.

As the 19th century was drawing to a close, Lynchburg was enjoying a time of good economic prosperity and the 400 seat building used since 1866 was thought to be ready for replacement. Vintage accounts describe how plans for a “finer and more imposing” structure were decided upon and construction completed in late 1902 at a cost of $12,600. The architect was J. M. B. Lewis, a member of the Grace congregation.

But contentment to remain the same was not the wreath of Grace for long. In the mid 1920’s many members discussed moving to the growing part of town to the west. As is always best, the idea took time to grow to fruition however in this instance, it also took a detour. September of 1926 saw the congregation of Grace Memorial merge with that of St. Paul’s, but the wedding was short lived. The Grace congregation met at Fort Hill Club and decided that Fort Hill would be the home for their church. Property was purchased in July 1927 on New Hampshire Avenue, near Fort Avenue.

As the building of the new Grace Memorial commenced, the demolition of Epiphany started and the vacant building of Epiphany held many treasures: A Phoenix rose from Epiphany and from the old Grace Memorial on Grace Street in Diamond Hill. The beautiful greenstone, which had been hewn at the nearby greenstone quarry and plant, was taken from Epiphany to Grace where it was used on the new church’s bell tower. The bell tower would be the new home for a crown jewel from the old Grace structure, the brass bell! The bell from the first Grace structure had come from the old Lynchburg College that had closed during the Civil War in 1862. The campus had been at Eleventh and Wise Streets since 1854. The organ was brought from the Grace Street church and extensively remodeled. The Diamond Hill Grace also furnished the pews and clergy chairs. S. Preston Craighill and Bennett B. Cardwell were architects for the new church building. Newspaper accounts of the first services on Sunday, September 7, 1928 describe the immense enthusiasm of the members and guests as they gathered to worship and glorify God in the new place. However the church indebtedness of $35,000 loomed darkly as the depression began in the following year. This debt would finally be cleared and the church building of Grace was consecrated as a parish once again on December 27, 1953.

Much more remains to be told of the history of Grace Memorial Episcopal Church and you are invited to return to this web site soon for these additions. But for now, one may see that the past of Grace does indeed reveal the character of its congregation since inception in 1859. It is a story of ordinary people doing their best to carry on God’s work. The words of the Reverend Kinckle describing Grace in 1866 are still as true today as they were when he spoke them: “The field around it is wide. It needs only to be faithfully worked to yield an abundant harvest.”

- Aubrey Wiley, March 2008