It all began in New Yarmouth, now an all-but-forgotten town on Eastern Neck. The St. Paul’s Parish, Kent, detective team has investigated its roots from the 1600s and, to celebrate its 325th Anniversary, invites the public to join in exploring the results.
How and why was St. Paul’s established? Who were its founders? What was a church service like in the late 1600s? What we do know is that St. Paul’s Parish, Kent was one of the original 30 Anglican parishes established in 1692 in the Province of Maryland. The existing church, dating from 1713, is the oldest church building in continuous service in Maryland.
The “beginnings” are the focus of an introduction about the early parish history at 10:30 AM on Sunday, June 24, 2018, followed by “The Order of the Administration of the Lord’s Supper,” at 11:00 AM using the Book of Common Prayer from the time period. The Rev. Frank St. Amour is conducting the service as a history lesson in itself. There will be a modern-day picnic for all after the service.
The morning program complements St. Paul’s fifth Summer Solstice Celebration in the evening, which begins with a presentation in the Church at 7:00 of the historic background of St. Paul’s. Guidebooks will be available at the 1766 Vestry House where interpretive material related to St. Paul’s early history will be displayed. Visitors are invited to explore the churchyard, labyrinth and cemetery. This year, there is a particular emphasis on the first Vestry members (elected in 1692) and the Parish’s early leaders whose names resonate in the historic annals of Kent County. Memorial stones of these determined pioneers and their descendants can be discovered on these grounds. Refreshments will be served on the lawn.
St. Paul’s is located at 7579 Sandy Bottom Rd., Chestertown MD 21620 at the intersection of Sandy Bottom Rd. and Ricaud’s Branch Rd..
For further information contact: [email protected], 410-778-1540.