History

Grace Episcopal Church was established in 1889 – before Woodlawn was incorporated – to minister to the textile, foundry, and blast furnace workers during Birmingham’s first industrial boom. In 1890, a wood-framed church was built on the current 1st Ave North plot, and in 1902, Grace was admitted into the Diocese of Alabama.

By the 1970s, Woodlawn had transformed from a Caucasian middle-class neighborhood to a predominately African American and Hispanic community, many of which were low-income or homeless. Grace quickly responded to Woodlawn’s needs by opening the Community Kitchens, the Food Pantry, and the Clothes Closet.

Now in its 133rd Year, Grace continues to embrace and serve the Woodlawn community by bringing Christ’s love to each and every person through numerous outreach ministries.

1889

Established as an Episcopal mission under the name Calvary Church

1890

The town of Woodlawn was incorporated

1890 or 1891

Church building erected

The church purchased a lot and erected a wood frame church on the same corner where the current building stands.

1892 or 1893

Name changed to Grace Church

1902

Grace Church was admitted into the Diocese of Alabama

The Rev. Daniel Forney Hoke was ordained as its first priest.

1904

The Rev. Francis Willis Ambler began his ministry as the second rector of Grace Woodlawn

1910

The Rev. John Jabez Lanier began his ministry as the third rector of Grace Woodlawn

1914

The Rev. Luther Williams began his ministry as the fourth rector of Grace Woodlawn

1918

The Rev. Carl Henckell began his ministry as the fifth rector of Grace

His name, Carl Henckell, would become forever linked to that of Grace.

July 24, 1924

The cornerstone of the new church building was laid.

Rev. Henckell’s vision was that the church would be built without incurring significant debt.

Oct. 9, 1927

First service in the new church building held

The building was built without incurring significant debt.

1936

The Rev. Wayne Buchanan began his ministry as the sixth rector of Grace

1937

The Rev. Peter H. Dennis began his ministry as the seventh rector of Grace.

1937

The Rev. Leon C. Palmer began his ministry as the eighth rector of Grace.

The parish began to grow and more improvements were made to the parish facilities.

1942

The Rev. Joseph Burton began his ministry as the ninth rector of Grace

Burton revived the Young People’s Service League and began an evening unit of the Women’s Auxiliary.

1948

The Rev. Joseph P. Hollifield began his ministry as the tenth rector of Grace

Hollifield and the vestry began planning improvements to the church building and expansion of the parish facilities.

1954

Three stained glass windows behind the altar were installed and dedicated.

The central light depicts Christ the King. On the left is the Blessed Virgin Mary, and on the right is St. John the Evangelist.

1959

Cornerstone placed for the new parish hall

Inside the cornerstone were placed a cross, a list of all members living and dead, and a history of the parish.

1960

The Rev. James Keith Marshall Lee served as Grace’s eleventh rector until he retired.

1961

The Rev. John Townshend Harrison began his ministry as the twelfth rector of Grace.

1964

The Grace Church building was consecrated.

The Grace Church building was built and completed without any debt in 1927 and should have been consecrated by 1928. No one knows why 37 years passed before the consecration of the Grace Church building.

1967

Rev. Charles H. Murphy, Jr. began his ministry as the thirteenth rector of Grace

Rev. Murphy was a musician and nightclub entertainer before being ordained as a priest.

1972

Rev. Charles Edward South began his ministry as the fourteenth rector of Grace

1974

The education building connecting the church to the parish was completed.

The new building had a large nursery and toddler room, which for a time was rented to a United Fund-supported day care service.

1977

Rev. Charles Settler Horn began his ministry as the fifteenth rector of Grace

Rev. Horn was a Birmingham native under whose leadership Grace began to become involved in the neighborhood life of Woodlawn, a tradition that has continued.

1982

The Interfaith Hospitality House was established for families unable to afford housing.

The Interfaith Hospitality House provided a place to live and training for families unable to afford housing.

1982

A soup kitchen opened at Grace and began serving lunch two days a week.

In April, they added a third day and in May began five day a week lunches. By the end of the year, 12,289 meals had been served.

1983

Community Kitchens of Birmingham incorporated under the leadership of Rev. Maurice Branscomb.

It operated kitchens at Trinity Church Bessemer and Christ Church Fairfield as well as at St. Andrew’s and Grace.

1985

Grace was designated a Jubilee Center by the Diocese and National Church.

Grace was one of 64 parishes in the country recognized as “a congregation engaged in mission and ministry among and with the poor and oppressed whose experiences can be studied and used by other congregations.”

1988

Rev. Maurice Branscomb began his ministry as the sixteenth rector of Grace

The new rector was not a stranger to members of the church. In the past, he had led the congregation at St. Andrew’s.

1989

A store selling donated second-hand items was opened in Henckell Hall.

The store eventually moved to its current location at Five 55th Place and was named 55th Place.

1991

Father Branscomb helped to organize The Woodlawn Christian Center with other neighborhood churches

The center was founded to provide emergency food supplies and help people in need contact aid agencies.

1994

Grace By Day ministry began

Members of Grace began an interdenominational ministry called Grace By Day, which welcomed clients to the parish hall an hour or two before lunch was served.

1989

The 100th Anniversary of Grace was celebrated

The education building was renamed Henckell Hall.

1995

A “new” used organ was acquired and installed through the gifts of parishioners.

1996

Father Branscomb moved the font from the front of the nave to just inside the First Avenue doors

Father Branscomb continued to acquire new liturgical vestments for the parish and to suggest moving various pieces of ecclesiastical furniture. Moving the font from the front of the nave to just inside the First Avenue doors was among the most significant changes.

1997

The Rev. Timothy Scott Holder began his ministry as the seventeenth rector of Grace

His program at Grace was true to his slogan “Street and Altar.” Inspired by the already extensive outreach program at Grace, he tried to draw the parish and the neighborhood closer together.

1998

A Spanish speaking congregation called Iglesias Episcopal de la Gracia was formed within Grace.

Grace was the first church in central Alabama to open and welcome the Hispanic communities for services.

1999

The house and lot beside the church was purchased.

The house was repaired and became the rectory.

1999

Grace Won Most Outstanding Parade Entry in Pride Parade

We were the first mainline congregation to participate as an official entry!

2000

The lot beside the church was turned into an ecoscape

It became a flower and community garden setting for the neighborhood.

2002

The Rev. Ruth Bradbury LaMonte began her ministry as the eighteenth rector of Grace

In 2000, Ruth Bradbury LaMonte, a retired faculty member in the UAB School of Education, was ordained a Title IX priest for Grace. In October 2002, she became the parish’s interim priest until Holder’s successor took office.

2003

House & Land Purchased

The house & land at 107 58th Street North (across the street from Henckell Hall) was purchased by a parishioner and gifted to Grace. That land is now the additional parking lot.

2004

The Rev. James W. Williams began his ministry as the nineteenth rector of Grace.