St. George's Episcopal Church (Mss. Gr. 211)

Historical note

On February 21, 1833, the Zion Church was founded according to the order of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States. Most of the founders were members of Trinity Church who believed that another Episcopal church in Newport could be established and maintained without detriment to the only one existing in town. In May, a lot at the corner of Touro and Clarke Streets was purchased. Zion Church was granted its charter in January 1834. The reverend John West of Bristol became its first minister. The Church building was consecrated on Friday, June 13, 1834. Because of a lack of accommodations in the Church proper, the Sunday school met at different places until 1851, when a building was erected for the Church School.

In 1867, the parish numbered about one hundred and ninety members and had a flourishing Sunday school and Industrial School. Despite its success, St. George's was in poor financial condition. Bishop Clark suggested the property on Washington Square be sold and the congregation moved to a more eligible location. At a corporation meeting on February 16, 1885, it was voted to sell the property to St. Joseph's Church, which used it for services until they built a new church on Broadway. The property was later bought and used by the Jane Pickens Theater. After considering several locations, the Rhode Island Avenue site was purchased in March 1885. The building was consecrated on September 21, 1886 by Bishop Clarck. A building for the Sunday school was added in 1890.

In May 1888, the Charter amended and Zion Church was renamed as "The Minister, Church Wardens, Vestry and Congregation of St. George's Church, Newport."

The Rev. Nelson W. Bryant was rector of St. George's between 1933 and 1945. During this period, the parish served the community and grew slowly with an influx of military families after 1940.

In 1958, Esau Kempanaar, a parishioner and owner of the Boulevard Nurseries, offered a piece of land on Valley Road in Middletown, provided the Church relocate and erect a building on the site. After preliminary discussions and consultations, a vote to relocate was taken at the annual meeting in January 1959, with 183 votes for and 135 votes against. However, because of the lack of financial support, and opposition form neighboring Episcopal Parishes, the motion to move was rescinded in September 1959. The Reverend Edward F. Mason, rector at the time (1957-1959), resigned shortly afterward. Although this event shook the parish, only a few families left St. George's.

Through the interval of 1960-1973 (the Reverend Gene Rose 1960-1965, and the Reverend Edwin P. Bailey 1965-1973) the Church benefited from a small but enthusiastic and dedicated group of military families which supported the local parishioners. In 1973, the drastic reduction of the navy resulted in a decrease of parish pledges.

During the rectorate of Reverend Donald L. Hastings (1975-1987), efforts were made to improve the financial structure with limited success. After Rev. Hastings retired, St. George's had several interim rectors until a permanent rector was chosen in 1991. Fr. Jack Chrisman served for ten years until he retired in April of 2001.

In 2004, Rev. Marsue Harris, an interim and visiting rector, was invited to take up a permanent leadership role and become the parish's priest-in-charge. St. George's had experienced significant growth, but by 2005, the deficit had not changed. In late 2005, St. George's entered a working agreement with St. Mary's Episcopal Church of Portsmouth to merge. The agreement was not finalized until January 2007.

The two congregations merged on April 22, 2007, but St. George's name, its legal and spiritual identity did not disappear. A new parish center was built at St. Mary's that retains the name. It also includes stained glass windows from the chapel on Rhode Island Avenue and the original altar stone from the Zion Church. The lay ministers of St. George's will continue to exercise their liturgical, pastoral and committee ministries at St. Mary's.