History

The first recorded Episcopal Services in the area of south central Pennsylvania that was later to become Juniata and Perry Counties was conducted in Thompsontown in 1824 when the Rev. Charles Snowden baptized several persons. By early 1826, this congregation was holding regular home services under the Rectorship of Rev. John B. Clemson. In 1827 a stone church, Saint Stephen’s was built. It was the first church built in Thompsontown and would remain to this day the only Episcopal Church in Juniata County. The land was donated by William Thompson for whom the town was named, and construction was paid for by General Evans, a prominent citizen of Thompsontown. For a large part of the early years, the church was used by Methodists, Baptists, and Presbyterians. It was reclaimed by the Episcopal Church 1890.

The Episcopal congregation in Newport actually began in 1875 with services of worship in the home of Henry and Elizabeth Bechtel. In 1877, an Itinerant Mission Station was opened by the Rev. Thomas O. Tongue in what was then known as the offices of the Pennsylvania Railroad. In September, 1885, the Rev. James Stoddard took charge of the congregation and in June, 1886, a lot was bought from John Fleisher for $800.00 at the southern end of Second Street in the borough, adjacent to Little Buffalo Creek, as a future church building site. Ground was broken and a cornerstone was laid for The Church of the Nativity on June 8, 1887. The cost of constructing the church building, reported to be nine thousand dollars, was borne by her eventual benefactors, Mr. & Mrs. Henry Bechtel. The church building was completed in June of 1889 and was consecrated on November 14, 1889 by the Rt. Rev. Nelson S. Rulison, Assistant Bishop of what was then known as The Episcopal Diocese of Harrisburg, now The Diocese of Central Pennsylvania.

In August of 1891, the Rev. William Dorwart took charge as Vicar of The Church of the Nativity and also St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Thompsontown, beginning a thirty-six year pastorate to both congregations, a relationship that continued until 1927. A rectory was built alongside the church in Newport in1893. In 1902, The Church of the Nativity was admitted into union as a Mission Church with the convention of The Episcopal Diocese. Following Fr. Dorwart’s pastorate and in the ensuing years from 1927 to 1968, numerous clergy served both congregations, assisted at times when no pastors were available by Licensed Lay Readers from the parish who served faithfully during the interim.

After two year of no resident pastoral leadership, in 1968 the Rev. John T. Docker was called to be Vicar of the Episcopal congregations in Newport and Thompsontown, while at the same time serving the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania as Canon for Program and Planning. During Fr. Docker’s pastorate the two congregations grew to eighty baptized members, fifty-two confirmed communicants, a sizeable Sunday School, and an annual budget of $30,000.00.

However, in 1970, St. Stephen’s Church, Thompsontown was closed due to declining membership, the remaining families transferring their membership to The Church of the Nativity. Prior to Fr. Docker’s resignation, the congregation experienced liturgical renewal and the initial proposed revisions to The Book of Common Prayer.

Following a major flood associated with Huricane Agnes in 1972, the church underwent the first of three extensive renovations. The congregation then renewed services and welcomed a new Vicar, the Rev. William T. Warne, II in June of 1974. Under Fr. Warne’s leadership, and blessed with significant endowments, great strides have occurred in the life of the congregation including; the complete restoration and rededication of St. Stephen’s Church, a renewed sense of outreach and mission outside the parish to those in need resulting in the establishment of Perry Human Services of which Fr. Warne served as Founding President, the development of seven senior citizen centers throughout Perry County, and the construction of Episcopal Gardens in Thompsontown to provide fifty federally subsidized apartments for low-income elderly and disabled persons which opened in October 1985, the construction of an additional thirty apartments for elderly and disabled persons on South Fourth Street, Newport in 1994, to be known as Episcopal Commons,

This period also included the second major renovation of the Newport church property and the full restoration of The Church of the Nativity in 1987 in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone. This was followed by the renovation of the rectory and it’s conversion into a parish house, with office space, a conference room, and various class rooms. The third major building project was completed in 2003 joining the church and the parish house into one large complex, fully accessible to the handicapped.

Coupled with this renewed sense of mission, The Church of the Nativity, Newport, and St. Stephen’s Church, Thompsontown, officially joined their ministries together in June 1984 as a single, unified, incorporated parish (The Church of the Nativity and St. Stephen) with the continued use of both church buildings for worship and service to their respective communities. Today, our parish enjoys an active membership of 125 persons and oversees a budget of nearly $250,000.00 of which at least twenty-five percent is used in mission work outside the parish.

Each Sunday, Christian Education programming is provided for all children and youth from 9:15 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at The Church of the Nativity with a celebration of the Holy Eucharist beginning at 9:30 a.m. Following worship, a time of fellowship and sharing takes place each Sunday morning in the parish Undercroft. Special services are held on holy days and other days.

On October 1, 2006 an annex building was dedicated at the site of Saint Stephen's in Thompsontown. This annex will add to our hospitality ministry by providing wheelchair accessible sanitary facilities. To further aid visitors, a ramp was installed providing improved access to the church.


The Rev Daphne Messersmith and Mary Davis outside the church before services	The congregation gathers to dedicate the new construction to our ongoing outreach ministries.