An Abbreviated St. Paul Episcopal Church History
St Paul Episcopal Church first offered services on Rimbach
Street in downtown Hammond, IN. That church structure
was moved down Hohman Avenue to a site at 6043 Detroit
Street.
The congregation grew and moved south, so a search began
for property south of Hammond. In Munster, Helen Bieker
was approached by two parishioners, Marianne Kincaid and
Cindy St Leger.
They asked if she would be interested in selling some
of her acreage along Columbia and Park Drive. She said,
"No." But, some months later she changed her
mind and called to discuss a sale of two acres to St Paul.
A lovely building was designed to incorporate many of
the architectural elements of the Hammond building. In
1989, the congregation moved into the present church building
in Munster.
The Tour
The limestone cornerstone tells of St Paul's move from
Hammond to Munster and is a good place to begin our tour.
Entering through the bell tower, a plaque tells us in
whose memory the bell is dedicated. "Francis"
rings daily at 9:00am, noon, 3:00pm, and 6:00pm and announces
service times on Sundays.
Entering our chapel, notice the Dove window. It is a
symbol of an ascending Holy Spirit It was given by Winifred
Swanton in memory of her husband, John. The carved wooden
reredos came from the altar area in the Hammond church.
Wednesday services are held here at 9:30am. The Episcopal
Church is a liturgical church, using the Book of Common
Prayer for all services.
In the nave, one of the first things to greet you is
the holy water font engraved with the name Emma Hohman,
from the Hohman's of Hammond. The stained glass windows,
with the exception of the Crucifixion window, were all
brought from Hammond, as were the pipe organ, altar, altar
rail, pulpit, and lectern. Kneelers are all hand cross-stitched
by parishioners. A special set is used for weddings. The
carved Stations of the Cross, a memorial gift, are placed
at intervals along the wall.
Next to the church proper is the Parlor, a space used
for informal gatherings and for coffee hours during inclement
weather. Just outside, The Cloister is an enclosed area
used for spring, summer, and fall coffee hours and for
meditation other times. A cross of the four evangelists
is on the east wall. Gargoyles watch from the edge of
the eastern roof, and the space is filled with lovely
plantings.
Our tour ends with a visit to our Sunday School classrooms,
down the hallway. There are several rooms set aside for
different age groups, with happy decorations. There is
also a Bride's Room for wedding and special event preparation.
At the end of the hallway, you'll find the entrance to
The Cloister in the Woods, an attached full-service banquet
facility.
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