The Episcopal Church in Castleton and Fair Haven

It is probable that there was a congregation of the Church of England people in Castleton just before the Revolution. That Churchmen lived there is sure in that this was an inducement to Mr. John Whitlock to settle in Castleton in 1776. The Rev'd Bethuel Chittenden, brother of the governor and missionary-at-large, was accustomed to read the service of the Chruch to the congregation in Castleton. However, the distrust and rough treatment accorded Whitlock and other members of the congregation by both the British and American soldiers led Whitlock and most other members of the congregation to remove until after the conclusion of peace.

Following the War, the Rev'd Mr. Chittenden organized a congregation which was served by several missionaries. Prominent members included the Whitlock family and Col. Matthew Lyon, M.C. of Fair Haven. This and at least one more attempt to establish a parish were not sustained and the few faithful often had to travel great distances " to attend the service of the Church, to enjoy the Communion with his brethren, and hear the Word preached from the mouths of the true successors of the Apostles" (Whitlock's Memoir). The Whitlock family continued to figure prominently in the life of the Church and John Whitlock's third son, Henry, became a priest of the Church.

In 1843, a parish was organized in Castleton by the rector of Poultney. Its existence was nominal until 1849 when it was resuscitated in the new village of Hydeville by Messrs J. J. Hitlock and P. W. Hyde under the leadership of the rectors of Poultney and Brandon. A church edifice was erected and paid for and "consecrated to the service of Almighty God, on Tuesday, March 14, 1854, with much rejoicing". The new church was consecrated under the patronage of St. James. St. James' Church became the centre for outreach to the towns of Castleton and Fair Haven and in the course of time gave birth to the two missions which have outlived it.

The first of these missions to establish a permanent organization was St. Luke's, Fair Haven. There the parishioners erected a church edifice wich was consecrated by the second Bishop of Vermont on St. Luke's Day 18 October 1887. In 1891, the Rev'd John Anketell of Trinity Church, New York, was appointed to St. James' and "the associated missions," which included St. Luke's Fair Haven, and St. Fath's Chapel, in the village of Castleton. The Castleton mission achieved some measure of stability by 1899, when, on 8 October, the third bishop of Vermont, consecrated St. Mark's Chapel.

The history of the Church in the early part of the twentieth century in Castleton and Fair Haven is checkered. St. James' , Hydeville, was finally closed in the mid 1930s and has since been demolished. St Luke's and St. Mark's were often under the care of the clergy from neighboring parishes. When there was no resident rector, St. Luke's was generally served by the rector of Poultney. St. Mark's, always a relatively small mission, was served variously by priests from Rutland, Poultney, and even as far away as Shelburne.

In 1964, a general reorganization of the mission of the Church in the area led to the yoking of St. Luke's, Fair Haven, and St. Mark's, Castleton, under the pastoral care of resident vicar in Castleton. The reunion of the two missions of St. James' Church was compled in 1977 when by action of the seventh Bishop the two missions were formally merged to a single mission under the title St. Mark's--St. Luke's. The parish maintains an active ministry in the area, holding services in both churches. The summer of 1977 also saw the initiation of the first Episcopal services in the town of Benson, Vermont, at the Roman Catholic summer chapel, Christ the Sun of Justice, renewing the parishes' missionary spirit.

Source---- Back cover of the leaflet for the "Dedication Festival of St. Mark's-St. Luke's, 10-12-1977

Timeline (Update)

Further History (updated by Frank Williamson after 7/11/2004 and by Annie Dolber 3/22/05)

12/01/1963 Rev. Monty M. Graham arrives at St. Mark's

1963 11:00 am service at St. Mark's

1964 Rev. S.W. Collins at St. Luke's, 9:30 am service

8/01/1965 Rev. Graham, St. Luke's, single cleric for both churches

1968 9:30 am service St. Mark's 11:00 am service St. Luke's

Fair Haven rectory sold (house directly behind St. Luke's)

1969 Moon Shot service (fall); Folk Mass service (winter)

1971 First use of incense in He service. Folk Mass service

1973 St. Luke's closed, Sept 1973 to September 1974 for renovation; joint services in Castleton

6/30/1974 Rev. Monty Graham leaves

11/17/1974 Rev. Gary W. Kriss arrives

1975 10:00 am service 8:30 am service

1976-1977 Sporadic Healing services; sporadic children's choir

06/18/1978 Rev. Gary Kriss leaves

09/10/1978 Rev. Ben O. Chase arrives

1979-80 Women make kneelers for churches. Active Sunday school. Two choirs

1980 Lay ministry consultants visit

1981 Mary Pratt ordained Deacon at St. Luke's

Dec, 1981 Rev. Ben Chase leaves (goes to Christ Church, Montpelier

1982 Deacon Gordon A. Bardos arrives

1983 Deacon Bardos ordained a priest

1984 Judd Peeler (a parishoner) goes to Seminary, with financial support of parish

St. Luke's organ purchased

1985 St. Luke's re-carpeted

1986 Rev. Bardos leaves (moves to church in Brandon)

1987 Castleton rectory renovated

Judd Peeler ordained; goes to church in West Virginia

St. Luke's 100th anniversary (10/87)

1988 Rev. Sven J. Warner arrives, amid snowstorm at Ephiphany

1989 Mark Thompson (parishoner) goes to seminary, with financial support of parish

St. Mark's undercroft renovated; new cement apron around church to divert water

1990 Faith Community Church group rents St. Mark's for Sunday Services

Single joint service contines at St. Luke's 9:30 am

Ramp built for handicapped at St. Luke's by parishoner, Dick Combs

Large Bradford bequest received by vestry

1993 St. Luke's undercroft refurbished in April; monthly coffee hour established

Spencer Keyes' organ arrives at St. Mark's, winter

1994 Bishops of Albany and Vermont encourage 5 churches to explore interstte regional ministry at May meeting in Whitehall, NY

1995 Faith Community Church moves to their own building in Castleton

St. Mark's used by Community of the Reconciling Christ

11/1/ 1996 Charter of Slate Valley Regional Ministry signed by the five senior wardens and Bishops. Trinity Church, Granville; Trinity Church, Whitehall; St. Paul's Church, Wells; St. Mark's-St. Luke's Church, Castleton/Fair Haven; Trinity Church, Poultney. Trial period of 5 years.

1997 Rev. Sven Warner leaves St. Mark's-St. Luke's in fall. Community of Reconciling Christ folds.

12/04/1997 Castleton rectory sold. Funds put into Diocesan Unit Fund for St. Mark's

1997-1998 Individual ministries flourish in period with no resident priest

1/23/98 Rev. A. Wayne Bowers (a memaber of the Diocese of Albany) arrives as Canon Missioner.

1999 St. Mark's 100th anniversar; Rev B. Chase preaches at service; parish dinner at Fair Haven Inn

4/1/1999 Rev. Ramona Rose-Crossley arrives as associate Missioner with Bowers.

5/30/2000 Bishop of Albany terminates the membership of the Dicocese churches in the Regional Ministry. Three Vermont churches sign a new charter to continue the Regional Ministry.

2001 Mary Peters steps down as Senior Warden after 10 years. Monthly summer services start at St. Mark's on third Sunday of the month

2002 Monthly service at St. Mark's continues throughout year

2003 Remington Rose-Crossley accepted as candidate for priesthood and seminary

7/31/2003 Rev. Ramona Rose-Crossley leaves the Slate Valley Ministry

8/1/2003 Rev. Paul Gratz, Interim Missioner, arrives for Slate Valley Ministry

7/11/2004 St. Mark's organ (owned by Spencer Keyes) replaced by larger Wick's organ

11/2004 Slate Valley Regional Ministry charter renewed