A Brief History

The Historic Church building was erected in 1834 by the Universalist Society, which  had been meeting in Long Ridge Village since 1776.  It was built at a time when classic revival architecture was very popular; hence, the Greek temple-style façade for the church building, with four columns and a full entablature with pediment above.

By 1942 the Universalists no longer flourished in Long Ridge Village and their church building had been unused for years.  It was wartime, and gasoline rationing was in effect making it difficult for the people in Long Ridge Village who attended St. John’s Episcopal Church in Stamford to drive the nearly twenty-mile round trip each week.
Mrs. Harlan Logan spoke to the Rev. Stanley Hemsley of St. John’s about this problem.  In time, the idea of bringing the church to the people came into being.  Rev. Hemsley visited the State Universalist Society in Danbury, and obtained permission to use the building temporarily.

In 1945, two sisters bought the church property from the Universalist Society and gave it to the  Episcopal Church, Diocese of CT.  Meanwhile, twenty-five people signed a petition to the Bishop Coadjutor, for permission to establish a Mission in Long Ridge.  Alterations and repairs were started.
On Christmas Eve, 1945, the first service was held in the church building.  The pews had not yet been installed, but folding chairs moved in for the occasion did not detract from the celebration.  The Mission of St. Francis was in its home.
The Mission of St. Francis eventually became St. Francis Church.  Early in  1984 the rear wall of the Historic Church was extended to permit installation of a restroom area and enlargement of the sacristy, and a separate meeting room was built in the space between the Church and the Rectory.  Entering from the classic, pillared front, however, a worshipper of 65 years ago would feel immediately at home in the nave, unchanged except for the addition of some wall sconces.

The St. Francis community continued to grow, and the needs of a  growing congregation necessitated additional buildings.  The property on Long Ridge Road was acquired in the 1960’s.  The Rev. Robert Dresser oversaw the building of the parish House on Long Ridge Road, slightly to the west of the location of the Historic Church on Old Long Ridge Road, in 1968.  It was at this time that an ambitious vision of a new church building on the Long Ridge Road property was born, a vision that would come to fruition some three decades later.

In 1978, The Rev. Richard Mayberry arrived to serve as Rector, and he would remain in that role until his retirement in 2007.  The biggest physical change during Fr. Mayberry’s tenure was the building of the new church on the Long Ridge Road property.  Betty Wilson, a founding member of St. Francis, was instrumental in leading the parish to finally build a new church on the Long Ridge property.  In the late 90’s, 130 families contributed $1.4 million dollars in a capital campaign over three years to build this church with $100,000 set aside for Outreach and $100,000 set aside for restoration of the Historic Church.  Father Mayberry actively worked with the architects on the design and furnishings.  Many parishioners contributed their time, talents and treasure to make this beautiful worship space a reality.  The new church was dedicated in 2000.

The vision for the new church included installation of a full pipe organ, and an Organ Committee was formed in 2000 to research and recommend an organ for the new sanctuary.  The project was fully funded in 2005 when Konzelman Pipe Organs was hired to build a customized electric action pipe organ.  This beautiful organ was dedicated in October, 2008, and its music adds richness to our worship.

Now, as we celebrate the 175th anniversary of our Historic Church, and as we near the 10th anniversary of the consecration of the new church, St. Francis Parish continues to be a blend of the best of old and new.

Today, under the pastoral leadership of The Rev. Mark Lingle, assisted by The Rev. Deacon Debra Slade, St. Francis Parish continues to be an open, inclusive community that embraces the best aspects of the Episcopal tradition by seeing and serving Christ in all whom we meet.