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EPIPHANY'S
HISTORY
 Statement
of Historical Significance
Church
of the Epiphany was initiated in 1905 by the Grace Church as a Mission
for Colored People in response to the migration of people of African
descent into the Oranges. The Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, having
reached its 100th anniversary in November 2005, is the oldest independently
functioning Historically Black Episcopal Parish in Essex County. Epiphany
is housed within the church building historically known as the Grace
Church, its founding parish. The Church, a Gothic Revival building designed
by Henry Dudley and built with the assistance of Mr. Condit of Orange
and Mr. Washburn of the firm of Nicols & Washburn, was originally
completed and consecrated July 16, 1857. Additions to the building include:
a transept and chancel in 1872; a brownstone chapel connecting to the
chancel in 1877; the crumbling tower was restored at the same time a
west aisle was added in 1888; a new chancel with ambulatory and sanctuary
were added in 1902; and finally the addition of a parish house in the
rear of the building in 1929. The west transept mentioned above faces
the Barstow Memorial Window entitled "Easter Morning," which
is listed among the works of Louis Comfort Tiffany, Tiffany Studios
on p. 217 of "Tiffany Windows" by Alistair Duncan New York:
Simon & Schuster, 1980 (an appendix of a compilation of the three
lists of work published by Tiffany Studios in 1893, 1897, and 1910).
According to the signature this window is estimated to have been created
between 1900 and 1914.
Beginnings as a Mission
of Grace Church
The Church
of the Epiphany was instituted as a mission of Grace Episcopal Church
of Orange, for the "colored people embracing the Faith" (Pierson,
1922 , p. 623.). The Rev. Alexander Mann, outgoing rector of Grace Church
in 1906, emphasized the need to start a mission for Negroes in the Oranges.
The Epiphany Mission was started as a Sunday School at 60 Oakwood Avenue,
Orange with Miss Ruth Marsh of Grace Church as the teacher and Mr. Theodore
McCurdy Marsh as superintendent and Treasurer (Gideon, 1988).
Becoming a Parish
under Rev. Plaskett
In 1907,
George Marshall Plaskett, a student at General Theological Seminary
became the head of the Epiphany Mission and served as layreader. He
was made a deacon in 1908 and ordained a priest in 1909. At the time
of his ordination, Epiphany Mission was located in a private home and
had 30 members and 40 children in the Sunday School (Gideon, 1988).
A church was built
at the corner of Pierson and Center streets, in 1911, three years after
Rev. Plaskett came to the Parish. There were about three hundred communicants
on the parish registered in 1922 (Pierson, 1922, p 623.). Epiphany Mission
became a Parish in 1928 at which time the name was changed to the Church
of the Epiphany and Rev. Plaskett became the first rector. The Rev.
Plaskett served Epiphany for more than 50 years before retiring. Succeeding
rectors are: The Rev. John H. Edwards, The Rev. Leonard Harris, The
Rev. James F. Williams, The Rev. A Warren Bridgeman and the present
rector The Rev. Canon Gervais Clarke.
Acquiring the Current
Church Building
In 1981,
the Diocese of Newark decided to dissolve Grace Church parish due to
a marked decline in the congregation. A decision was made to use the
Grace Church facility to house a new type of Urban Ministry call GOSPELL
(Gideon, 1988). An offer was made to Epiphany to participate in the
new program. Epiphany declined the offer. The new ministry failed and
was subsequently dissolved. Epiphany agreed to accept the transfer of
the Grace church facility upon the recommendation of Bishop Spong (Gideon,
1988).
The Relocation
The relocation
plan was to sell both properties associated with Epiphany (the Church
at 206 Pierson Street and the Egbert Chapel-Plaskett House at 28 Webster
Place) to use the proceeds to renovate and refurbish the Grace Church
building. The Egbert Chapel-Plaskett House, a gift from Ms. Edith Cutler
of Morristown in 1958 in memory of her mother Mrs. Virginia Egbert,
was fully equipped for religious services and secular activities. China,
silverware and seating for 300 persons were provided. Also a Mohler
pipe organ was specially built and installed in the building.
The Grace Church
facility was transferred to Epiphany June 1986. The Church of the Epiphany
building on Pierson was sold December, 1986 and Epiphany moved to its
current address at 105 Main Street Orange on December 14, 1986 (Gideon,
1988).
Renovation and Refurbishment
Renovation
and refurbishment of the building began in January 1987 (Gideon, 1988).
Epiphany's marble altar, manufactured in Italy and originally installed
in the Pierson St Church in 1930, was dismantled and moved to the new
location at the insistence of Epiphany's parishioners. The marble altar
was reconstructed and installed against the existing limestone reredos(Gideon,
1988). The top sections of the Grace Church altar rail and the legs
of Epiphany's altar rail were combined and the altar rail was restored.
Epiphany's pulpit, baptismal font, lecturn and chancel choir furniture
were properly placed. To make the interior of the Church appear smaller,
a 4-foot high railing was constructed across the back and down one side
of the nave. An open iron grille was installed atop the rail to serve
as a room divider. To augment the existing lighting, to force hot air
down from the ceiling in winter and to provide some cooling in summer,
new lights and electric fans were installed in the ceiling.
The Egbert Chapel-Plaskett House was sold February, 1987. The proceeds
of the sale along with funds from the Plaskett Memorial Committee were
used to provide seating in the Church and refurbish the Chapel. The
altar and canopy from the Egbert Chapel-Plaskett House were installed
in the new Egbert-Plaskett Chapel. The Mohler pipe organ from the Egbert
Chapel-Plaskett House was dismantled, removed and installed in the new
church building where it stands today (Gideon, 1988).
References
Winfred S. Gideon, III., Epiphany's History, Church Records 1988.
David Lawrence
Pierson, History of the Oranges to 1921: Reviewing the Rise, Develpment
and Progress of an Influential Community, Volume III p 623, 1922.
Lauren
D Harrison, Ph.D., Jr. Warden, Statement of Historical Significance.
Preliminary Application for the NJ & National Registers of Historic
Places. Eligibility Approved 2006.
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