The History & Tradition of Christ Church

In 1854, when Rochester had 40,000 inhabitants, 45 communicants from two other local parishes petitioned to establish a new parish to serve the growing area east of Elm Street and south of Main Street.  Christ Church held its first service on April 29, 1855 in Palmer's Hall at the corner of Main & Elm.  On Christmas Day 1855, the new building opened on East Avenue on the site of a former nursery.  The large Honey Locust tree on our front lawn is the sole survivor of that nursery.  The Rev. Henry Neely was our first Rector and Silas Smith was Senior Warden.

To accomodate more members, the nave was extended and an apse added to the altar-end of the building in 1862.  By the 1880's the congregation was much too large for the building and plans were made for the present church building that serves to this day.  In 1887, Wilder Hall was added to the original church for parish activites and the present nave and chancel was built across the original building and opened on Easter Day 1894.  The distinguished English architect, Robert Gibson, designed the 14th Century French Gothic structure of Albion Sandstone, using the original church as the South Transept Chapel and nearly perfect acoustics within a 79 foot high nave ceiling and 80 foot nave width.  Johnson Tower was added in 1903 and the Ward Memorial Chimes hung in 1973 to sound each quarter hour and play a short peal each noon (10:50am on Sunday).  Ferris House replaced Wilder Hall in 1924 and houses parish and community activites in its several meeting rooms. 200 seat professional theater, and classrooms.

David Lincoln Ferris, our Rector at the time, became the first Bishop of Rochester when this Diocese was separated from the Buffalo Diocese in 1929, and we served as Pro-Cathedral from 1965 to 1976.  Our missionary efforts also helped found St. Thomas' and St. Andrews' parishes, and today we serve over 500 meals each month to those in need through our program, A Meal & More.

At more than 155 years old, we are today a diverse, multiethnic and multilingual community proclaiming God's love in our worship and ministries.  We hope you will always feel welcome in this grand building and in our parish community.