Church of the Good Shepherd (Rosemont, Pennsylvania)

Last updated

Church of the Good Shepherd
Entrance and tower of Church of the Good Shepherd (Rosemont, Pennsylvania).jpg
The bell tower and north entrance
Church of the Good Shepherd (Rosemont, Pennsylvania)
40°1′28″N75°19′29″W / 40.02444°N 75.32472°W / 40.02444; -75.32472
Location1116 E Lancaster Avenue, Rosemont, Pennsylvania
CountryUnited States
Denomination Episcopal
Tradition Anglo-Catholic [1]
Churchmanship High church
Website The Church of the Good Shepherd, Rosemont, Pennsylvania
History
Statusactive parish
Founded1869
Consecrated 1910
Architecture
Architect(s) Baily & Truscott (Philadelphia) (main church); Samuel Fowler and Samuel Mountford (Trenton, New Jersey) (Baptistry, Cloister, and Lady Chapel)
Architectural type Gothic Revival
Style English Gothic
Groundbreaking 1893
Completed1894
Specifications
Bells11 in bell tower, one above sanctuary
Administration
Diocese Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania
Parish Church of the Good Shepherd
Clergy
Rector Kyle Babin

The Church of the Good Shepherd in Rosemont, Pennsylvania, is an Episcopal parish church in the progressive Anglo-Catholic tradition. [1] It is part of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania and is located in the Philadelphia Main Line.

Contents

Good Shepherd offers a robust program of high church Anglican worship, using the Book of Common Prayer (1979) . The church welcomes all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, or socioeconomic status.

The 19th-century church building has been called "a gorgeous, absolutely stunning neo-gothic space, [whose] acoustics are fantastic". [2]

Location of the church Map showing Church of the Good Shepherd (Rosemont, Pennsylvania).png
Location of the church

History

The parish was founded in 1869 as part of the Anglo-Catholic Oxford Movement revival in the Anglican Church, [3] and was admitted to the Diocese of Pennsylvania in 1871. Its original church building, demolished in 1901, [4] was on the north side of Lancaster Avenue, just east of the present football stadium of Villanova University.

The church building was designed by the Philadelphia architectural firm of Baily & Truscott. [5] Constructed in 1893 and 1894, the architecture is in the Gothic Revival style of a 14th-Century English country church. The first services were held in 1894, and the building was consecrated in 1910. [6]

Rectors

NameYears
Henry Palethorp Hay1869 - 1883
Arthur B. Conger1883 - 1912
Charles Townsend Jr.1912 - 1930
Thomas A. Sparks1930 - 1932
William P.S. Lander1933 - 1962
James H. Cupit, Jr.1963 - 1971
George William Rutler1971 - 1978
Andrew Craig Mead [a] 1978 - 1985
Jeffrey N. Steenson 1986 - 1989
David Moyer 1989 - 2002
parochus vacans [b] 2002 - 2012
Richard C. Alton2012 - 2014
parochus vacans2014 - 2020
Kyle Babin2020 – present

The parish rector as of 2021 was Kyle Babin. [7]

Art and architecture

West Window, with St. Michael the Archangel (center), a memorial to the dead of the First World War West Window, Church of the Good Shepherd (Rosemont, Pennsylvania).jpg
West Window, with St. Michael the Archangel (center), a memorial to the dead of the First World War
Floor plan of the church: (1) west door; (2) baptistry; (3) Good Shepherd votive shrine; (4) Lady Chapel; (5) tower bells console; (6) Marian votive shrine; (7) icons; (8) Rood Screen; (9) High altar; (10) altar rail; (11) bishop's chair; (12) organ pipes chamber; (13) organ console; (14) chancel; (15) Our Lady of Walsingham votive shrine; (16) war memorial; (17) bishop's door; (18) sacristy entrance; (19) nativity window; (20) Good Shepherd statue above the north door; (21) bell tower Plan of Church of the Good Shepherd (Rosemont, Pennsylvania).jpg
Floor plan of the church: (1) west door; (2) baptistry; (3) Good Shepherd votive shrine; (4) Lady Chapel; (5) tower bells console; (6) Marian votive shrine; (7) icons; (8) Rood Screen; (9) High altar; (10) altar rail; (11) bishop's chair; (12) organ pipes chamber; (13) organ console; (14) chancel; (15) Our Lady of Walsingham votive shrine; (16) war memorial; (17) bishop's door; (18) sacristy entrance; (19) nativity window; (20) Good Shepherd statue above the north door; (21) bell tower

Entrance and bell tower

Above the main (north) entrance to the church is a polychrome statue depicting the boy Jesus as the Good Shepherd. The crenellated bell tower contains bells playing the Cambridge Quarters, as well as ringing the Angelus and ringing before Mass; a bell elsewhere sounds during the eucharistic consecration. The chime of bells, donated in 1913, are playable from a console in the Lady Chapel. Ten of the bells are stationary; the largest (the 11th bell) can be swung. [8]

Church building c. 1910. Church of the Good Shepherd (Rosemont, Pennsylvania) ca. 1910.jpg
Church building c. 1910.

There is a hammerbeam roof. [4] The nave comprises five bays and a clerestory, all with stained glass. In all, the building's stained glass includes 50 figurative windows and six ornamental windows. [9]

Rood screen

Rood screen and chancel ceiling Rood Screen and Chancel ceiling, Church of the Good Shepherd (Rosemont, Pennsylvania).jpg
Rood screen and chancel ceiling

A large carved wooden rood screen surmounted with a crucifixion separates the chancel from the nave. The screen, designed by Percy M. Fowler of Trenton, New Jersey, [10] was added to the building in 1912. Its cast iron gates are by blacksmith Samuel Yellin (1884–1940). [11]

Chancel

The chancel contains a decorated coffered ceiling.

High altar and reredos

The high altar is made of Caen stone and was installed in 1905. [12] In 1929 the artist and parishioner George Fort Gibbs created seven paintings for the high altar's reredos as a memorial to his parents. The center panel is a Virgin and Child flanked by panels depicting other figures from the Christian era and Old Testament: Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Peter, King Saint Edward the Confessor (last king of the English House of Wessex), Moses, Aaron, and King David. [11]

Lady chapel

There is a separate Lady chapel, dedicated in 1918, at the top of the south aisle. The space was originally a sacristy and choir room. [10] The current limestone altar was installed in 1954. The tabernacle and triptych, as well as the carved double-desk, are by parishioner Davis d'Ambly and date from the 1980s. [11] There is a carved Marian votive shrine in the chapel.

Lady Chapel Lady Chapel, Church of the Good Shepherd.jpg
Lady Chapel

Baptistry

An octagonal baptistry with carved font and stained glass was added off the south side of the nave in 1932. The chandelier is by Samuel Yellin and the glazing and polychrome are by Valentine d'Ogries (1889–1959). [11]

Stations of the Cross

The fourteen Stations of the Cross were painted between 1956 and 1962 by parishioner and local artist Constance LaBoiteaux Drake. Models for the male images ranged from the artist's sons, to lifeguards on Nantucket Island, students at Haverford College, and (for the Roman soldiers) Italian sailors aboard the SS Leonardo da Vinci. [13] The stations are painted in tempera, on wood. The frames were made by Philip Jenney. [14]

War memorial

The war memorial, created in 1942, honors parishioners who have served in the armed forces in and since World War II. It was installed at the urging of a parishioner, Lt. Gen. Milton Baker, who also established the nearby Valley Forge Military Academy and College. [11]

Crypt

There is a columbarium and funerary chapel in the crypt of the church, along with a burial vault containing the remains of benefactor Harry Banks French and members of his family.

Memorial Garden

Adjacent to the church outside, there is a memorial garden for the interment of cremated remains.

Music

Organ

The organ at Good Shepherd is an Austin, Op. 2613 (1977), with three manuals and 57 ranks of pipes.[ citation needed ]

Main Line Early Music

The church is the venue for an annual early music series of concerts, including regional early music ensembles, performing on period instruments. [15]

Galleries

Art and architecture

Stained Glass (examples)

Stations of the Cross

Notes

  1. ↑ Fr. Mead went on to serve as Rector of St. Thomas Episcopal Church on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, New York City, from 1996 to 2014.
  2. ↑ In 2002 Rev. David Moyer was deposed from the priesthood by the bishop of Pennsylvania, Charles E. Bennison. Fr. Moyer remained de facto rector of Good Shepherd until 2011 when the parish was returned to control of the Diocese of Pennsylvania by court order, and he vacated the premises.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of St Margaret of Antioch, Liverpool</span> Church in Liverpool, England

The Church of St Margaret of Antioch is in Prince's Road, Toxteth, Liverpool, England. It is an active Anglican parish church in the diocese of Liverpool, the archdeaconry of Liverpool, and the deanery of Toxteth and Wavertree. The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist (Charleston, South Carolina)</span> Church in South Carolina , United States

The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston, located in Charleston, South Carolina. Designed by Brooklyn architect Patrick Keely, the construction of the cathedral started in 1890 to replace a cathedral that burned down in 1861. St. John the Baptist was dedicated in 1907.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cathedral Basilica of Christ the King</span> Church in Hamilton, Ontario

The Cathedral Basilica of Christ the King is a Roman Catholic church in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The cathedral was consecrated on December 19, 1933. It is the seat of the bishop of the Diocese of Hamilton, and the cathedral of the Diocese of Hamilton. The cathedral contains the cathedra of the bishop, the Most Rev. Douglas Crosby. The cathedral was raised to the status of a minor basilica in February 2013 by Pope Benedict XVI.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Mary's Church, Astbury</span> Church in Cheshire, England

St Mary's Church is an Anglican parish church in the village of Newbold Astbury, Cheshire, England. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building, and its architecture has been praised by a number of writers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calvary Episcopal Church (Pittsburgh)</span> Historic site in Shadyside neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Calvary Episcopal Church is a parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The parish was founded in 1855.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ayr Cathedral</span> Church in South Ayrshire, Scotland

The Cathedral Church of Saint Margaret, also known as Ayr Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in Ayr, Scotland. It is the seat of the Bishop of Galloway, and the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Galloway. St Margaret's was designated a cathedral in 2007, due to the closure of Good Shepherd Cathedral, Ayr.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cathedral Church of Saint Paul (Des Moines, Iowa)</span> Church in Iowa, United States

St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral, is located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It is the cathedral church of the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as St. Paul's Episcopal Church.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Mary's Church, Shrewsbury</span> Church in Shropshire, England

St Mary's Church is a redundant Anglican church in St Mary's Place, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust, the Trust designated St Mary's as its first Conservation Church in 2015. It is the largest church in Shrewsbury. Clifton-Taylor includes the church in his list of 'best' English parish churches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Sebastián Cathedral</span>

The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd located in the city of San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country, Spain. It is the seat of the suffragan Diocese of San Sebastián and subordinated to the Archdiocese of Pamplona y Tudela. The most remarkable religious building of San Sebastián, it is endowed with a strong verticality and is the largest in Gipuzkoa. Its construction took place in the last years of the 19th century in a Historicist Neo-Gothic style. The church, dedicated to the Good Shepherd, has held the rank of cathedral since 1953.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Preston Minster</span> Anglican church in Lancashire, England

Preston Minster, formally the Minster Church of St John the Evangelist, is in Church Street, in the centre of Preston, Lancashire, England. From its origin it has been the parish church of Preston. It is an active Anglican church in the deanery of Preston, the archdeaconry of Lancaster and the diocese of Blackburn. Its benefice is united with that of St George, Preston. St John's is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne</span> Church in County Cork, Ireland

The Cathedral of Saint Mary and Saint Anne, also known as Saint Mary's Cathedral, The North Cathedral or The North Chapel, is a Roman Catholic cathedral located at the top of Shandon Street in Cork, Ireland. It is the seat of the Bishop of Cork and Ross, and the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cork and Ross. Its name derived from the fact that it encompassed the ecclesiastical parish of St. Mary and the civil parish of St. Anne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All Saints Church, Claverley</span> Church in Shropshire, England

All Saints Church is in the village of Claverley, Shropshire, England. It is an active Anglican parish church in the deanery of Bridgnorth, the archdeaconry of Ludlow, and the diocese of Hereford. Its benefice is united with that of Holy Innocents, Tuck Hill. The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of St Vincent de Paul, Liverpool</span> Church in Liverpool, England

The Church of St Vincent de Paul is a Roman Catholic parish church on Sr James Street, Liverpool, England. It is an active parish church in the Archdiocese of Liverpool and the Pastoral Area of Liverpool South. The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Peter's Church, Ropsley</span> Church in Lincolnshire, England

St Peter's Church is a Grade I listed Anglican parish church dedicated to Saint Peter, in Ropsley, Lincolnshire, England. The church is 5 miles (8 km) east from Grantham, and in the South Kesteven Lincolnshire Vales. St Peter's is in the ecclesiastical parish of Ropsley, and is part of the North Beltisloe Group of churches in the Deanery of Beltisloe, and the Diocese of Lincoln.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All Saints Church, Darton</span> Church in Darton, South Yorkshire, England

The Church of All Saints is the parish church in the village of Darton in South Yorkshire, England. It is a Church of England church in the Diocese of Leeds. The 16th-century building is Grade I listed and was built on the site of an earlier church. 1150 Is the earliest record of a church being on the site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of St John the Baptist, Royston, South Yorkshire</span> Church in Royston, England

The Church of St John the Baptist is the parish church in the village of Royston in South Yorkshire, England. It is a Church of England church in the Diocese of Leeds. The building is Grade I listed and was built in the 12th century AD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicola D'Ascenzo</span> Stained glass artist (1871–1954)

Nicola D'Ascenzo was an Italian-born American stained glass designer, painter and instructor. He is best known for creating stained glass windows for the Washington Memorial Chapel in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania; the Nipper Building in Camden, New Jersey; the Loyola Alumni Chapel of Our Lady at Loyola University Maryland; the Folger Shakespeare Library and Washington National Cathedral, both in Washington, D.C.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral (Raleigh, North Carolina)</span> Church in the United States

Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral that is the seat of the Diocese of Raleigh, replacing Sacred Heart Cathedral.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of St Katharine, Ickleford</span> Church in Hertfordshire, England

The Church of St Katharine of Alexandria is the Church of England parish church for Ickleford in Hertfordshire. It comes under the diocese of St Albans.

St Patrick's Church is a Roman Catholic church in the Beaumont Leys area of Leicester. The current church building dates from 1959, built to accommodate Leicester's growing Catholic population, although the parish was first created in 1854. The current church building is in the Romanesque style with three distinctive domes in the nave of the church. A stained glass window depicting Saint Patrick, the parish patron, stands at the back of the church. The current parish priest is Father Raphael Imoni, who arrived at St Patrick's in September 2018. The church serves St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy and English Martyrs Catholic School.

References

  1. 1 2 "About Anglo-Catholicism". www.goodshepherdrosemont.com. 2020. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  2. ↑ Anne E. Johnson (March 6, 2023). "Early Music is Flowering on Philly's Main Line, and Beyond" . Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  3. ↑ It is Pennsylvania non-profit corporation entity number 66578, incorporated 23 May 1870 (Records of the Pennsylvania Secretary of State).
  4. 1 2 Hill 2005, p. 1.
  5. ↑ "Baily & Truscott (fl. 1890-1904)" . Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  6. ↑ Coates, Edward Osborne. An historical sketch of the Church of the Good Shepherd, Rosemont, Pennsylvania, 1869-1934 (unknown publisher, 1935).
  7. ↑ "Kyle Babin" . Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  8. ↑ Church of the Good Shepherd (2019), Treasures of Heaven, The Art and Architecture of Good Shepherd, Rosemont, a Self-Guided Tour
  9. ↑ "Census of Stained Glass Windows in America" . Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  10. 1 2 Hill 2005, p. 3.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 Church of the Good Shepherd 2019.
  12. ↑ Hill 2005, p. 2.
  13. ↑ Constance LaBoiteaux Drake, Six Years Fourteen Stations, Bryn Mawr Alumnae Bulletin (Winter 1963).
  14. ↑ Hill 2005, p. 13.
  15. ↑ "Main Line Early Music" . Retrieved June 27, 2023.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.