History

When Michigan became the 26th State in the Union, the population of the five villages that now comprise Port Huron was less than one thousand persons, including the soldiers stationed at Fort Gratiot.  On December 12, 1838, the Reverend Charles Reighley, a priest of the Episcopal Church, went on duty at the Fort as chaplain.

Mr. Reighley with thirteen of his fellow Episcopalians decided to form a church organization. Accordingly on February 3, 1840, the Articles of Incorporation were filed with the St. Clair County Clerk.  Grace Episcopal Church became the first church organization in the county.  The assessment for diocesan purposes was $3.00.

With the contributions of the people of Port Huron, $200 from the Diocesan Missionary Fund, and a lot donated by the Huron Land Company, the first church was built at the corner of Huron Avenue and Grand River, the site of the present Sperry Building.  It seated one hundred and twenty-five people.

Port Huron was still a lumbering town in 1854.  By this time the Episcopal congregation had outgrown its building. The little brown church was built on Sixth Street, the site of the present Museum, with a seating capacity of 200.  

The parish flourished and in 1868, Grace Church installed the first pipe organ in the city.   Membership continued to grow so the Vestry made a deal with the City, trading their Wall Street property for three lots on the south side of Court and Sixth Street.  In 1874, the church building was moved to the vacant lot at a cost of $83.00.

The present stone church was slowly erected, and every precaution was used to build it substantially. The foundation wall is Lake Erie limestone; the superstructure is bluestone from the Pointe aux Barques quarry.  The inside is finished with natural woods, the ceiling in narrow stripes of Norway pine and paneling of red oak. The first divine services in this stately building with its imposing tower were held on November 15, 1891.

The Goulden Memorial Chapel and Church House were completed in 1911, given in memory of James Goulden by his wife Martha.  The historic Skinner Organ was installed in the church in 1928 at a cost of $22,000.00.  The organ was completely refurbished in 1973 and again in 1998.

The Chapel of the Holy Innocents and the Christian Education Building were consecrated on September 18, 1956.  The Chapel is designed especially for children with its small-scale pews.  The Rainbow Window marks the entrance to Chapel. Fifteen children of our parish designed the stained glass windows in memory of their brother or sister. The Columbarium was built in 1976 and was the first in this area.  It is build of granite and contains 420 niches available to members of this parish.
In 2000, Grace Church was able to expand its vision of reaching into the community by offering to rent a house – for one dollar a year - to Bridge Builders Counseling whose goal is to provide support to single parent families.