Imagine a vandal attempting to blow up a church. That actually happened at Saint Timothy’s Episcopal Church. Today, we are standing before Saint Timothy’s Episcopal Church. It is a beautiful parish in the Roxborough neighborhood of Philadelphia. Saint Timothy’s Episcopal Church is part of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania.
Saint Timothy’s Episcopal Church has a rich history. It was founded in 1859 by lay members of St. Mark’s Church. They wanted a Tractarian High Church ethos. This included free pew sittings. Early services were led by a priest from St. David’s Episcopal Church in Manayunk. Financial problems led to pew rentals in 1863.
Saint Timothy’s Episcopal Church adopted an Anglo-Catholic character. In 1869, it began weekly Holy Communion celebrations. By 1909, Holy Communion became the main Sunday service. The Sisterhood of the Holy Nativity started working here in 1893. They were affiliated with the Cowley Fathers. They also worked at the adjacent St. Timothy’s Hospital.
The cornerstone of Saint Timothy’s Episcopal Church was laid in 1862. Bishop Alonzo Potter officiated. Bishop William Bacon Stevens consecrated the church. This was on February 14, 1863. He did this as one of his first episcopal acts. Emlen T. Littell designed Saint Timothy’s Episcopal Church. He also designed New York’s Church of the Incarnation. Littell used a parish Gothic style. In 1899, someone tried to blow up the church. They used the municipal gas-light supply.
Charles Eamer Kempe designed most of the stained-glass windows. These windows memorialize the Merrick and Cope families. Thorsten Sigstedt created the Stations of the Cross. He was a Swedish American woodcarver. He had studios in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania. The cemetery began burials in 1863. It is still active today.
Frank Roosevelt installed a two-manual organ in 1887. In 2006, a Wicks/Buzard organ was installed. It came from First Baptist Church in Decatur, Illinois. This organ has three manuals and 32 stops.
Saint Timothy’s Episcopal Church is an example of High Victorian Gothic architecture. The congregation formed around the start of the Civil War. They bought land in 1859. The setting was rural then. Emlen Trenchard Littell designed the early building phases. Littell started working on Saint Timothy’s Episcopal Church in 1862. The sanctuary was complete by 1866. It features a steep gabled roof. The corner tower was added in 1871.
The nave and parish house were built in 1874. Charles Burns extended them in 1885. Common materials unify the design. Uncoursed ashlar and rose-colored mortar create a unique look. Red and gray slate shingles adorn the roof.
Saint Timothy’s Episcopal Church stands as a testament to faith and architectural beauty. Its history reflects the changing times. It is a landmark that continues to serve its community. Take a moment to appreciate its enduring presence.