THE HISTORY OF EPIPHANY

• Special Episcopal services were first held in homes in Durham in 1818. However, delegates were sent to the Diocesan Convention in 1794, 1805, 1806, 1809 and 1819.
• In 1848, services were held at the Academy on the town green. From 1851 until 1859, Berkeley Divinity School students from New Haven conducted services. There has been no interruption in services since then.
• In 1861, two young men began to raise funds to build a church on the present site. Land was purchased, ground broken, and the cornerstone was laid on June 28, 1862. The new church was dedicated on January 29, 1863 by Bishop Williams, who was made Rector in Charge.
• In 1892, the transept was built for the Hook and Hastings organ, purchased with collections from the Ladies' Society.
• The first parish hall was dedicated on June 20, 1905. The main room of the building was named "The Bishop Williams Room", and was subsequently refurbished in 1991.
• The new parish hall was dedicated March 7, 1961; its main room was dedicated in 1971 in honor of Lincoln Frye, rector from 1953 to 1965.
• During the 1970's, the parish built the vicarage on Maple Avenue. In the 1980's, a building committee planned and over-saw restoration and renovation work on the church, including improved accessibility. A capital fund drive permitted completion and rededication in December, 1991. We repainted the church in 2001 and raised funds to replace our roof and restore its original Victorian design.

EPIPHANY TODAY

• In April 2008 , Rev. Beth Hoffmann was called to be our new Vicar.
• In 2007, the Church of the Epiphany moved to leave the Middlesex Cluster Ministry and strike out on our own.
• In 1980, the Church of the Epiphany joined with several other Episcopal churches to form the Middlesex Area Cluster Ministry. The year 2000 marked the 20th anniversary of our Cluster--the first of several now in Connecticut!
• We also share our space with the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and other groups and organizations. We continue to seek new ways to increase our presence in Durham, to help meet the needs of the community.
• Epiphany is alive and growing, with new families joining us each year. Please contact either of the persons indicated below if you'd like to play a more active role in our parish family!

To learn more about Epiphany, please phone or email our parish coordinators: Lynda Beichner and MaryLou Shoemaker.