Page 32 - April 2024 Issue.indd

Christ Church Celebrates Gay Street location. In 1873 the J.W. Bryant house and land
were purchased and local contractor Samuel H. Fluharty was
150th Anniversary hired to construct a gothic-styled church. In April 1874 the
church was completed at a cost of $2,522 and was consecrated
Christ Episcopal Church was built in 1874 in Denton. It by Bishop Henry C. Lay. For the next 150 years Christ Church
was part of St. Mary’s Whitechapel Parish, a colonial parish has constantly served the citizens of Caroline County.
originally formed in 1725 as part of the Church of England in

Dorchester County. The parish included land that would later Following the Civil War, growth was slow for Christ Church.
become Caroline County in 1774. Although other churches In 1880 there were 20 families worshipping in the small
were built throughout the parish, only Christ Episcopal Church wooden space. One of the leaders of the church was Zabdiel
remains active today in Caroline County. Potter Steele. Serving as the proprietor of the Denton Journal
newspaper, Register of Wills, Justice of the Peace and chief
Following the Revolutionary War the parish fell into decline of the Denton Volunteer Fire Department, Mr. Steele was a
as clergy returned to England, but in 1870 the parish was reor- founding member of Christ Church and at his death became
ganized by several prominent Denton businessmen. Although the benefactor who was responsible for its survival.
the Civil War had only recently ended, and Caroline County
citizens had fought for both the Union and the Confederacy, Mr. and Mrs. Steele, having no surviving children, left their

Caroline’s citizens came together in unity to build this new estate to Christ Church. The damaged original wooden church
church in Denton. was rebuilt and expanded on the existing brick foundation. In
later years, the large parish hall was added to the back of the
Reverend George F. Beaven, the rector of St. John’s Parish, was church and eventually a basement was dug to accommodate
asked to serve temporarily and a vestry was organized to govern Sunday School classrooms and a large kitchen was added. For
the church. For several years, services were held in the Caroline 150 years the congregation has been both large and small, but
County Courthouse or in a home on Second Street in Denton. services have never ceased.
In 1872, Dr. Edward J. Stearns was the rector of Christ Church
and he began to raise funds to build a church at the current In 2016, the congregation felt called to partner with the local
homeless shelter and offered the unused Sunday School
classrooms to His Hope Ministries so that a Resource and
Homeless Prevention Center could be created. Th e purpose
of the Resource Center is to assist with housing, jobs, fi nancial
)DUPHUV literacy, life skills and so much more. In 2019, the Resource
Center moved into the unoccupied Rectory home next door
$UWLVDQV to the church, where they have expanded the services off ered
and developed the staff needed to assist our most vulnerable

citizens. Christ Church is blessed and honored to be able to
0DUNHW offer this space as an outreach ministry.

Christ Episcopal Church members also support Caroline
Pride, Summerfest, Alcoholics Anonymous, Childrens Home

Foundation, Episcopal Relief and Development, The Beat Goes
On, Choptank Ruritans, Caroline Cycles and many other orga-
nizations. Parishioners today remain dedicated to bringing the
knowledge and love of Christ to others and off ering comfort
and healing wherever possible. The church that was built 150

years ago with the purpose of reconciliation following the Civil
War is today a place where all are welcome, where all may be
Hosted on the community lot reconciled and where God’s love awaits. Visit us at 9:30 on
at the corners of Market & 3rd Streets Sunday mornings.
Downtown Denton
Wednesdays 4-7 PM FOR SALE
Ma y 1st
May 1st - October 30th
1997 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie SLT
Long bed, 4 WD, 86,827 miles.
Restoration project. $3,200
410-241-4675

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