History of Christ Church
Established in 1880.
On October 5, 1880, Bishop Charles Todd Quintard, Second Bishop of Tennessee, began the official opening day ceremonies for the Rugby Colony with Morning Prayer. That afternoon, he established the first vestry for Christ Church Episcopal and appointed Methodist minister Joseph Blacklock to serve as lay reader. Encouraged by Bishop Quintard, Blacklock completed studies at Sewanee, was ordained priest in 1885, and became the first resident priest for the parish, serving until he moved to the South Pittsburg parish in 1887.
The congregation worshipped on the second floor of the schoolhouse, sharing space with other denominations. Planning and fund-raising for the present building began in 1884. The Board of Aid deeded the church property to the Diocese in May 1887, and the first service was held in mid-October of that year. Cornelius Onderdonk, who was responsible for several of Rugby's most beautiful buildings, designed and oversaw construction and built the interior carpentry still in evidence today. Bishop Quintard consecrated the building in October 1888, having commissioned and donated the stained glass window in memory of church matriarchs Margaret Hughes (mother of the Rugby Colony’s founder) and Mary Blacklock (mother of Rev. Blacklock.)
Faithful in Worship.
Even after the town of Rugby began its decline in the 1890s, Christ Church continued as an important focus for church and community life. Ladies of the church had established a Union Sunday School for all children in the Rugby area and also formed a chapter of the Girls Friendly Society, an organization that originated in England in 1882 and spread to America and other parts of the Anglican Communion. The original “Friendly House” annex was built in 1928, about the time that Miss Lucy Archer came to Rugby as a church mission worker. Friendly House functioned as a base for mission outreach to children and young people and a venue for social activities for the village and nearby communities. The modern Friendly House, built in 1992, continues this tradition of community-wide hospitality.
Sustained in Community.
Between the 1890s and 1970s, lay readers regularly led services of Morning Prayer, while priests with primary assignments elsewhere periodically offered services of Holy Communion. The church building was restored in 1976-77 with funds from the Diocese and a historic preservation grant. In 1985, William Sanders, First Bishop of the Diocese of East Tennessee, took steps to assure that Christ Church would have a regular clergy presence year round, appointing Rev. Charles Keene as Vicar (1985-1991). Extended supply priests who have served the parish without interruption since the 1990s are Rev. Bill Jones (1991-1996); Rev. Don Feick (1996-2000); Rev. Carson Fraser (2000 - 2002); Rev. Peter Keese (2002 -2016); and Rev. Joe Minarik (2016 - Present). Christ Church has grown along with the Rugby community over the past twenty years, transitioning from a mission to an active self-supporting parish that is once again involved in mission outreach to the community and surrounding area.