Grace Episcopal Church is an historic Episcopal parish in

Syracuse, New York Syracuse ( ) is a City (New York), city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States. With a population of 148,620 and a Syracuse metropolitan area, metropolitan area of 662,057, it is the fifth-most populated city and 13 ...

. The

Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...

building was designed by

Horatio Nelson White Horatio Nelson White (February 8, 1814 – July 29, 1892) was an American architect based out of Syracuse, New York, and became one of New York State's most prominent architects from about 1865 to 1880. White designed many homes, armories, chur ...

and was built in 1876. an
''Accompanying 9 photos, interior and exterior, from 1995''
It is located at 819 Madison Avenue near

Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York, United States. It was established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church but has been nonsectarian since 1920 ...

. On March 20, 1973, it was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

History

The Grace Church parish was founded in 1871. The current building was constructed in 1876. Grace Church has a long history of social activism. In the late 1900s, the church baptized and ordained

David Pendleton Oakerhater David Pendleton Oakerhater (c. 1847 – August 31, 1931), also known as O-kuh-ha-tuh and Making Medicine, was a Cheyenne warrior and spiritual leader. He later became an artist and Episcopal Church in the United States of America, Episcopal deaco ...

, a Cheyenne warrior and political prisoner. Oakerhater devoted his life to serving his people and the Episcopal Church. In 1992, Oakerhater was elevated to sainthood within the Episcopal Church. Grace Church is a national shrine for Saint Oakerhater - the first Native Episcopal saint. In 2004, windows were installed in his honor and in 2005, a celebration with Saint Oakerhater's descendants was held at Grace. In 1957, Grace Church joined with St. Philip's - a historically black Episcopal Church - establishing Grace as one of the first fully integrated Episcopal churches in the nation. In the 1960s, Grace led the city's churches in its commitment to civil rights. Grace's activism included providing a home to one of the first Head Start programs, offering training for Peace Corps, and Vista volunteers, and holding meetings of the

Congress for Racial Equality The Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) is an African Americans, African-American civil rights organization in the United States that played a pivotal role for African Americans in the civil rights movement. Founded in 1942, its stated mission ...

(CORE). In 1974, Betty Bone Scheiss of Grace was ordained three years prior to the Episcopal General Convention's recognition of women priests. She became associate rector. In 2008, Grace was one of the first diocesan parishes to participate in Central New York Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride.

Grace today

Grace Episcopal Church continues to be an active social justice parish in the

Episcopal Diocese of Central New York The Episcopal Diocese of Central New York is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America that comprises 14 counties in Central New York. It is one of ten dioceses, plus the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe, that m ...

. Its congregation is of the most racially integrated in the nation, and Grace continues to be a welcoming parish to people of all races, ethnicity, theological backgrounds, sexual orientation and gender identity.

References

External links

* * {{National Register of Historic Places in New York Episcopal church buildings in New York (state) Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in New York (state) Historic American Buildings Survey in New York (state) Churches completed in 1876 19th-century Episcopal church buildings Churches in Syracuse, New York National Register of Historic Places in Syracuse, New York

History

Grace today

See also

References

External links