About our History:
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In 1873, local Anglicans were meeting in the Academy building (presently the Social Services Department) for services of worship. On September 10th of that year, eighteen people from Clinton, Madison, and Westbrook constituted themselves as "...the Episcopal Society of the Holy Advent Church..." Five days later they elected wardens and a vestry. A building lot was purchased in March of 1874. On June 10th, the Society was admitted into union with the Diocese of Connecticut as the Church of the Holy Advent and its first delegate was seated in convention.
By February of 1876, a second building lot was purchased. Bishop Williams laid the cornerstone of the present church building on May 11th. The building was first used for public services on the first Sunday of Advent 1876, with formal opening services celebrated by Bishop Williams on April 18, 1877. The building's consecration was delayed until July 8, 1880 as Canon law required that a $5,100 indebtedness for the church first be paid. The parish has been served by full and part time rectors, full and part time deacons and divinity students from Berkeley Divinity School in New Haven. When there were no trained people available, members of the parish led the services. It is evident from the records of the parish's history that there has always been an earnest Christian commitment on the part of the Parish. |
Our past rectors:
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1873 - 1874 Silas B. Redfield
1874 - 1882 Collis I. Potter 1882 - 1883 Lorenzo T. Bennett 1883 - 1885 Emerson Jessup 1885 - 1901 Peter L. Shepard 1901 - 1904 George T. Stanley 1904 - 1905 George C. Griswold 1905 - 1907 Charles E. Roberts 1908 - 1912 Charles A. Tibbals 1913 - 1929 John G. Newsom 1930 - 1935 Charles C. Edmunds 1935 - 1936 Charles I. Johnson 1936 - 1937 John T. Wilson |
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1937 - 1942 Winfred B. Langhorst
1946 - 1949 Merritt Sawyer 1950 - 1956 Stewart Elmslie 1956 - 1964 Overton Sacksteder 1964 - 1987 Arthur B. Robertshaw 1987 - 1988 Sherman Andrews 1988 - 1992 Thomas Reese 1992 - 1992 Judith Cowper 1993 - 1997 Judith Cowper 1998 - 1999 Ester Chuboff 1999 - 2006 Russell Allen 2006 - 2011 Bruce M. Shipman 2011 -2017 Peter Larom |
We are currently in transition, please see our Letter to our new Rector.
