Christ Episcopal Church of Kent Island
Encyclopedia
Christ Church refers to both an Episcopal parish currently located in Matapeake
, Maryland
and the historic church building located in the Stevensville Historic District
in Stevensville, Maryland
, which the parish occupied from 1880 to 1995, and that is now a Lutheran church. Christ Church Parish was one of the original 30 Anglican parishes in the Province of Maryland.
congregation. It was founded in 1632 by the Reverend Richard James, one year after Kent Island was founded by William Claiborne
, and two years before settlers arrived at St. Clement's Island. The parish has used at least six buildings during its history. The church's original location was at Kent Fort
. It moved to Broad Creek
in 1652, and was rebuilt there in 1712 and again in 1826. The church moved again to Stevensville
in 1880 as activity shifted there from Broad Creek, and to its current location in Matapeake
in 1995 due to the need for a larger building. Of the six buildings, only the 1880 and 1995 buildings are standing today. The 1880 building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1979.
Today, Christ Church is part of the Episcopal Diocese of Easton
and owns and operates Camp Wright, a summer camp
in Matapeake, which serves as the diocesan camp. The historic building is now the principal church of the Anglo-Lutheran Catholic Church
.
Matapeake, Maryland
Matapeake is an unincorporated community located south of Stevensville on Kent Island, Maryland.It is named for the historic Matapeake Indian tribe, who lived there at the time of English colonization in 1631. Their chief village was on the southeast side of the island...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
and the historic church building located in the Stevensville Historic District
Stevensville Historic District
The Stevensville Historic District, also known as Historic Stevensville, is a national historic district in downtown Stevensville, Queen Anne's County, Maryland. It contains roughly 100 historic structures, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places...
in Stevensville, Maryland
Stevensville, Maryland
Stevensville is a census-designated place in Queen Anne's County, Maryland, and is the county's most populous place among both CDPs and municipalities. The Stevensville Historic District is one of only two registered historic districts in the county, the other being the Centreville Historic...
, which the parish occupied from 1880 to 1995, and that is now a Lutheran church. Christ Church Parish was one of the original 30 Anglican parishes in the Province of Maryland.
History
The Christ Episcopal Church of Kent Island is recognized as the state's oldest ChristianChristianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
congregation. It was founded in 1632 by the Reverend Richard James, one year after Kent Island was founded by William Claiborne
William Claiborne
William Claiborne was an English pioneer, surveyor, and an early settler in Virginia and Maryland. Claiborne became a wealthy planter, a trader, and a major figure in the politics of the colony...
, and two years before settlers arrived at St. Clement's Island. The parish has used at least six buildings during its history. The church's original location was at Kent Fort
Kent Fort, Maryland
Kent Fort was a fort and settlement located near on southern Kent Island in colonial Virginia and later Maryland, and was the first English settlement within the boundaries of present-day Maryland and the third oldest permanent English settlement in the United States, after Jamestown, Virginia ...
. It moved to Broad Creek
Broad Creek, Maryland
Broad Creek was a town on western Kent Island, Maryland that existed from the 17th century to the 19th century. The town once served as the eastern terminus of a trans-Chesapeake Bay ferry line that was part of an early route between Annapolis and Philadelphia.In the mid 19th century, with the...
in 1652, and was rebuilt there in 1712 and again in 1826. The church moved again to Stevensville
Stevensville, Maryland
Stevensville is a census-designated place in Queen Anne's County, Maryland, and is the county's most populous place among both CDPs and municipalities. The Stevensville Historic District is one of only two registered historic districts in the county, the other being the Centreville Historic...
in 1880 as activity shifted there from Broad Creek, and to its current location in Matapeake
Matapeake, Maryland
Matapeake is an unincorporated community located south of Stevensville on Kent Island, Maryland.It is named for the historic Matapeake Indian tribe, who lived there at the time of English colonization in 1631. Their chief village was on the southeast side of the island...
in 1995 due to the need for a larger building. Of the six buildings, only the 1880 and 1995 buildings are standing today. The 1880 building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1979.
Today, Christ Church is part of the Episcopal Diocese of Easton
Episcopal Diocese of Easton
Episcopal Diocese of Easton is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America that comprises the nine counties that make up the Eastern Shore of Maryland...
and owns and operates Camp Wright, a summer camp
Summer camp
Summer camp is a supervised program for children or teenagers conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as campers....
in Matapeake, which serves as the diocesan camp. The historic building is now the principal church of the Anglo-Lutheran Catholic Church
Anglo-Lutheran Catholic Church
The Anglo-Lutheran Catholic Church , formerly the Evangelical Community Church-Lutheran , is a church in the Lutheran Evangelical Catholic tradition. The ALCC claims to be unique among Lutheran churches in that it is of both Lutheran and Anglo-Catholic heritage and has also been significantly...
.
See also
- List of the oldest churches in the United States#Oldest Continuous Church Congregations
External links
- Christ Lutheran Church - ALCC - Website of the Lutheran congregation now owning the historic Christ Church building.
- Historic Christ Church, Stevensville - Historic Sites Consortium of Queen Anne's County
- Christ Church, Queen Anne's County, Inventory No.: QA-212, including photo in 1979, at Maryland Historical Trust website