In 1881, a small but resilient group of Episcopalian congregants gathered together to worship for the first time in their newly-built sanctuary near Beaty Street.

The church, known today as St. Timothy’s Episcopal, can trace its history back much further to the 1830s, when congregants met in homes, other churches and public halls, including the Limestone County Courthouse. Despite the fact that they did not have a building to call their own, the group remained unified through the Civil War and on, up until help from Col. George Gordon of Huntsville finally allowed them to follow through on plans to build their own sanctuary.

Gordon actually attempted to begin collecting funds to build the first Episcopal church in Athens in 1861, but his efforts were halted by the war. He resumed his efforts after the war and by 1868 had raised $800, just enough money for the fledgling congregation to purchase the lot on East Washington Street that is still the church’s location today.

The church’s first rector, the Rev. Thomas J. Beard, playfully nicknamed his parish “Little Timothy.”

Originally constructed of brick made from local clay, and lighted by kerosene lamps until 1901 when electric fixtures were installed, the one-room church weathered considerable ups and downs until the deteriorating building was condemned in 1967.

Church historian Thomas E. Edwards labeled the time that passed between 1905-1949 as “long, difficult years” for St. Timothy’s. This period was marked by a “large drop-off in confirmations and baptisms, an increase in burials, great financial problems and a deterioration of the church building.” As the Great Depression drug on, the church reached its lowest point, almost selling their building to the Church of Christ in Athens. Their bishop at the time vetoed the idea, encouraging the struggling communicants to “hold together.”

Hold together they did, and by 1944, their financial affairs had improved markedly, thanks to help from the local diocese.

In the years leading up to the construction of the church that now stands at 207 Washington St., several vicars came and went, membership grew and McManis Hall, the parish hall, was constructed. One notable member from that time was Clement Moore, named for his great-great-uncle, the author of “T’was the Night Before Christmas.”

By the mid-1960s, after several attempts to repair and fortify the crumbling structure, it was finally agreed that a new building was the only solution. Martin & Cobey Construction won the bid to build the new church at a cost of $65,000. They broke ground on July 28, 1968, and the first service was held in the new church on Jan. 12, 1969.

The current sanctuary is filled with reminders of the church’s long, rich history. One-hundred-year-old Eucharist candlesticks are still used during the Lord’s Supper and a brick from St. Timothy’s sister church in Iona, Scotland, welcomes visitors at the sanctuary entrance from behind an Estey reed organ that once stood in the original Athens sanctuary. Until 1976, the rough-hewn pews salvaged from the demolished church provided seating for parishioners.

Most recently, St. Timothy’s installed a prayer garden in the space next to McManis Hall. A celtic cross sits at the garden’s center. Four years ago, the parish began a “Beans and Rice” ministry that gives away three pounds of rice and two pounds of beans every third Saturday to those in need, no questions asked.

During Lent, the church hosts Wednesday Lenten lunches, an ecumenical effort that raises money for Limestone County Churches Involved. The church has also come to be known for its acceptance of the LGBTQ community, hosting a chapter of Free2Be, “a statewide, anti-violence project that offers counseling, support and advocacy for sexual and gender minorities,” according to Patti Whitaker, a representative of the church.

The Rev. Jeffrey K. Evans, rector at St. Timothy’s since 2012, said that his congregation “truly welcomes everyone as we work to build a loving, Christian community.”

“As the local representatives of the Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement, we see it as our duty to the people of Athens to proclaim God’s peace, joy and loving kindness as we look forward to the next 100 years,” Whitaker added.

St. Timothy’s will celebrate its 150th anniversary with a special tea from 2-4 p.m. this Sunday at the church. The tea is open to the community and all who wish to attend. Mayor Ronnie Marks has also issued a proclamation declaring Nov. 26 as St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church Day in Athens.