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 Changing Map of St. George’s Parish
How has St. George’s changed in size over its 300 years of history ?
Accessibility Week, 2008
The Third Annual Lutheran-Episcopal Covenant Accessibility Project was completed on June 7th. A 30-foot access ramp was built on Bounds Street in Spotsylvania County.
Lisa Bogardus
By Ed Jones for the April, 2008 The St. Georgian The next time you marvel at the harmonious peals of the St. George’s Bell Choir, with nary a note out of order, keep in mind that the conductor is a retired lieutenant colonel from the Air Force Reserves. Surprised? Undoubtedly so were some of Lisa … Read more
The Appalachian Youth Pilgrimage, 2008
It began at a rustic spot called Salt Log Camp, just off Virginia’s Blue Ridge Parkway. Thirty-two miles and 3 ½ days later, it ended on the upper reaches of the James River.
That was the late-July game plan for an Appalachian Trail pilgrimage that served as the “culminating experience” for seven youth members of St. George’s. There were plans for hiking, singing, playing and praying—a time, as team leader Nick Cadwallender put it, “to uncover and discover the people we are, where we have been, where we are going.”
St. George’s 1979-1981 a divided church
The church in 1979 was divided – the new prayer book of 1979 was a point of contention along with that the realization that Morning Prayer was being relegated to a secondary position behind the Eucharist. The division affected other parts of church life, including a future renovation.
Haiti mission in 2016
Outline of an adult forum on Jan 8, 2016 Past: What have we accomplished? -Timeline of Partnership and events – brief overview -Fundraising in the last year – brief overview *30 Scholarships to cover tuition – pamphlets mailed in, in pews *School supplies *5th Annual Hot Dogs for Haiti – now in … Read more
Rededication of St. George’s, April 26, 2009
This service was the formal reopening of St. George’s after the Nave closed in January, 2008 for renovations. (The Church had continued in Sydnor Hall). This is a long video in 12 parts, about 1 hour and 45 minutes.
John Pearce – History of St. George’s (Sept, 2004), Part 2
This was a Sunday Adult Education lecture on September, 2004 from Prof. John Pearce of the University of Mary Washington. It was presented over 2 Sundays. This is part 2. 2004 was a year after Charles Sydnor departed and a year before Jim Dannals arrived (Dec. 2005). St. George’s was in the middle of the … Read more
John Pearce – History of St. George’s (Sept, 2004), Part 1
This was a Sunday Adult Education lecture on September, 2004 from Prof. John Pearce of the University of Mary Washington. It was presented over 2 Sundays. This is part 1. 2004 was a year after Charles Sydnor departed and a year before Jim Dannals arrived (Dec. 2005). Rev. John Seville, the interim is pictured here … Read more
Nave Renovation Meeting, Sept. 25, 2005 – Church and Sydnor Hall
This was a significant Sunday in the history of the Nave Renovation process. The Nave Renovation Task Force had come into existence in 2002 shortly after AIM 2000 under Rev. Bill Pregnall. Now 4 years later after study, hiring an architect and consulting with diverse members of the Parish, they were ready to show the … 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
