St. George’s History comprises individual articles, documents and collections around the 300 year history of St. George’s Episcopal Church, located in Fredericksburg Virginia. This site is unrelated to St. George's main website.
Supplementing them are a category-based search, a content index and a timeline. We have two tour documents - a building summary and a 15 minute walking tour you can take in the church.
If this is your first visit, check out the 2 tours - building summary and a 15 minute walking tour.
Recent articles
The Creation of the Thurman Brisben Homeless Shelter, 1988
Despite the success of Hope House , a number in St. George’s realized that that the problem of homelessness was larger than one entity. Hope House was for permanent residents. What about others?
The Creation of Hope House 1985-1992
Hope House involved St. George’s from 1985 for the next 30 years. How did it get started ?
Social Justice in the time of Faulkner and Sydnor
Social justice at St. George’s didn’t begin in the time of Faulkner and Sydnor, However, they took St. George’s church in new directions involving racial integration in the church and how social issues, such as housing, plight of medical care for the poor and sexual orientation. were handled.
Rectors of St. George’s
This is an ongoing project to fill in the details about our rectors, particularly images and stories about their lives around St. George’s
Rosebud Mission Trip, June 26- July 5, 1998
This was the first Rosebud trip which was the result of an earlier advance trip. The excerpts were from the St. Georgian. Recently we also came across a scrapbook of the trip. Why did they go ? “Indian reservations are the last bastions of economic and social neglect in the United States. Only recently have people begun to see the reservations as places where God’s Word can be put to work in positive and healing way.”
Interfaith ministries – Greeks and Jews
Some notes on early interfaith work from our docent’s manual written originally by Craig Rains. Image is Beth Shalom Temple on Charlotte Street
Our Little Roses mission program in Honduras
St. George’s Mission program is our longest continuing mission program beginning with donations in the 1980s and then in 2003 with parishioners visiting the orphanage of Our Little Roses in San Pedro Sula. Teams visited from 2004-2009 but with political unrest and opportunities for mission elsewhere the program has seen declines. The church still makes regular gifts to OLR.
Rev. Dudley Boogher – Outreach, 1925
From Shiloh Old Site’s web site “In 1923, under Reverend Hester’s leadership, money was collected for purchase of a Moller pipe organ for the church. Many individuals and groups in the congregation worked hard to raise money through bake sales, musical programs, and other efforts. The installation and dedication of the organ was celebrated during … Read more
1. Carrol Quenzel's History of St. George's
Quenzel's 1951 history is still the standard for the church. He was a librarian for Mary Washington College as well as being active at St. George's, helping to create the St. Georgian newsletter as well as a part of the Vestry. We have the entire book online which was published by St. George's
2. The Three Churches of St. George's - Barbara Willis
Barbara Willis was a local historian and writer and long time St. Georgian with her husband Mac. This paper is a detailed summary of the evolution of St. George's church from its wooden colonial church to the impressive 1849 brick building we have today.
The Civil War may be the most popular historic topic in all of our history. The church served in 3 capacities - as a fortress, center of revival and as a hospital. We have a 9 part series on our role and relationship to Fredericksburg.
McGuire served all 3 churches over the course of 45 years. He is probably the most influential of all our rectors in all phases of ministry from preaching, teaching, and outreach. Trip Wiggins, our archivist, wrote this for a Sunday school class and has been teaching classes for years
5. Charles Syndor on Social Policy
Charles Sydnor served St. George's from 1972-2003 and was responsible for furthering Thomas Faulkner's outreach ministries and creating new ones. This paper he wrote in 2009 was for an adult forum in that year.
6. Tom Faulkner confronts the Vestry on race
Faulkner served St. George's for 30 years from 1946-1976. During these years racial policies were paramount, especially 1954, in the year of Brown vs. Board of Education, Faulkner was challenged by the Vestry on the role of Blacks in our service. He was able to move St. George's toward racial justice that other rectors would further
