Anglican Thoughts

I thought I’d say a few words about the parish I serve. La Porte is about twelve miles or so south of Lake Michigan, sixty miles east of Chicago and thirty miles west of South Bend, the see city of this diocese and the home of the famous Notre Dame University.  The city has a population of 20, 000 and is set among attractive lakes. It was once the home of Allis Chamers, the agricultural machinery company and of Studebaker cars. Those days are long gone although huge Victorian homes still line our streets.

The first Episcopal Church Bishop of this area began the organization of the parish when La Porte was almost on the frontier. Since 1839 St. Paul’s Church has ministered to the city and area. The organ pre-dates the present building by a decade or so and is listed as a historic instrument. The church building is Victorian gothic and resembles a small English or French parish church. Its stain glass windows are modern and very good in style and taste.

The building demonstrates all the elements of a pre-modern Anglo Catholic parish, complete with an “eastward” facing altar dominated by a huge crucifix carved by an extremely talented Indiana craftsman. A lovely Marian statue and shrine graces one of the pillars complete with votive lights.

The liturgical usage is always Rite 1 of the Episcopal Prayer Book with a Sung Mass every Sunday at 9: AM. The active parishioners are  now a small but enthusiastic and devoted group with a good spread of age and talents.

You may read more by going to our web site at http://www.stpaulslaporte.org/stpaulslaporte/

Filed under: Uncategorized |