PROUD HERTIAGE PRODUCTIVE PRESENT St. Thomas Episcopal, Windsor NC Established at Merry Hill in 1722 The Parish moved to Windsor in 1839. St. Thomas Episcopal Church is located in historic Windsor NC. The work of the Episcopal Church in Bertie County began in 1722 with the construction of a Church of England Chapel called St. Thomas near what is now Merry Hill, The Chapel was situated one mile from Nicholls Cross Roads on the first high land after crossing Chapel Bridge on the left side of the road to Colerain. It lasted until around 1831 when it was destroyed by fire. The Rev. Joseph H. Saunders, residing in Warrenton, began conducting services in Windsor in 1831. During the years between 1831 and 1840, a house of worship was built in Windsor at the corner of Gray and Queen St. which is the present location. The Rev. Norwood, the Rev. John M. Robertson and the Rev. Samuel I. Johnson all served the people of Windsor. The Rev. Cheshire preached the first sermon in the present building in 1840 which was built on the property of Lorenzo S. Webb. This was transferred to the church on November 14, 1840 for the sum of $200. On the following day, which was the twenty-second Sunday after Trinity, the church was consecrated and 11 people were confirmed and given communion by Bishop Levi Siliman Ives. The first Vestry of the church in Windsor was composed of Lorenzo S. Webb, Joseph B.G. Rhoulac, along with William Gray, Charles E.Johnson, James S. Bryan, George Gray and David Outlaw. St. Thomas Windsor, sent delegates for the first time to the Diocesan Convention in 1843, which was held in St. Paul s, Edenton. They were L.S. Webb, J.C.B. Rhoulac, George Gray and George Holley. As the communicants have increased from the first 18, so has the church grown to its present state of beauty. The original building consisted of only the nave of the present building. The recessed chancel, the narthex, the sacristy and spire have been added. The original windows were oblong and square at the top and made of clear glass. From 1850 to 1852, during the stay of Rev. Charles Maison, it is noted that there had been services on alternate Sundays in Windsor and Williamston with communion administered once a month and with regular Sunday night services for the minorities. The church had been much improved and a gallery had been built for the people but this was later torn down. In 1851, the vestry room was constructed and described as commodious by the Rev. Charles Maison. A chapel was erected at Woodville during this time and both parishes raised enough money to purchase a rectory. The period of growth ended as the War Between the States started. Today St. Thomas Episcopal charges on with an active youth program and is involved in many community and global projects. Two outreach projects include, The Opportunity Shop, and Back Pack Program. The Opportunity Shop is a collaborative thrift store effort with volunteers coming from St. Thomas as well as St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church. The Catholic Church s congregation and Windsor have been blessed to welcome a new Philippine community which has settled in Bertie County. The Philippine community numbers close to 100 now, and hold family and religion dear. Welcoming
new comers has in many cases, saved declining parishes with fresh faces and helping hands. By keeping overhead costs down with the help of volunteers, The Opportunity Shop has been able to distribute $8,000 in grants at $500 per recipient. A real two-for-one ministry which provides clothing to those in need as well as monetary grants. The Back Pack food program under the guidance of Dr. Karen Rae, has set out to aid children who do not have food on the weekends when they go home from school. Bertie County is rated as one of the poorest counties in NC with where 95% of the population qualifies for free meals. The children require these sort of nutritional programs. Dr. Rae rallied the support of the community and several came onboard. Each meal bag costs approximately $4.80. You can sponsor a young person s meals for the year with a $180 donation. High school students volunteer to help with the sorting and packing of the meals, as does the Baptist Church. Bertie County lends the use of a van for delivery to the 5 elementary schools each Friday. The Albemarle Food Bank is the primary source of nutrition. Food Lion also make donations and permits the purchase of fresh fruit at rock bottom prices. Low prices are wonderful, but at the end of the day it is cash that is needed most. The program was fortunate to receive grants associated with Hurricane Matthew relief, donations from Baptist Ministries, a Purdue Grant, and after a note was published in the Catholic newsletter money came in from all over the country. The truth is there are a 100 children on the waiting list designated as severe nutritional risk. This amounts to $18,000. The St. Thomas Back Pack program has been successful and would like to continue on that course. If you would like to help with a donation, send a letter and check to St. Thomas Episcopal Church Back Pack Program P.O. Box 778 Windsor, NC 27983 (252)794-3420. Thank you -Ben Harper