This fall, we at Grace Episcopal Church joyfully celebrate our Sesquicentennial—150 years of life and ministry in St. Helena.
Grace’s story began the weekend of December 11–12, 1875, when a small group gathered for the private baptism of Mrs. Mary Heath, widow of a Mexican-American War hero. The next day, they worshiped together for the first time. Among them were some of St. Helena’s earliest families—the Lymans of Bale Mill, Sarah and Henri Pellet of the early wine industry, novelist and librarian Lovina Thompson, and local pioneers like the Fountains and Wheelers. Without a building of their own, they gathered in the Baptist church, fueled by faith and the vision of a lasting spiritual home.
Through the dedication of a few and the energy of their Ladies’ Guild, God provided what they needed—a missionary priest, land for a church, and eventually the creaky wooden building that became their gathering place. From those humble beginnings, Grace grew into the beloved stone church we know today.
The journey has not been without challenge. Grace’s history reflects the ups and downs of St. Helena itself—times of prosperity and hardship, Prohibition and two World Wars, and the ever-changing landscape of faith through the 20th and 21st centuries. Yet through it all, Grace Church has endured as a community of prayer, service, and love, growing from a tiny mission in a rural valley to a vibrant parish in one of California’s most beautiful small towns.
Lin Weber tells this story and many others in my new book, 150 Years of Grace, which will be released on Monday, October 20, at Bourn Hall from 5:00–7:00 pm. Everyone is welcome to this celebration—with appetizers, bubbly drinks, and copies of the book available for $25. All proceeds benefit The Sustaining Grace Fund, which supports the church’s future mission and ministry.
The sesquicentennial celebration continues with the premiere of Brian Capener’s new documentary, At the Crossroads, debuting at the Cameo Cinema on Monday, October 27, at 5:00 pm. The film explores Grace’s past and looks ahead to what’s next for the church in a changing culture. Tickets are $10 and may be reserved through the church office.
For 150 years, Grace Church has offered joy, refuge, learning, and spiritual nourishment to the people of St. Helena and the Upper Napa Valley. You—our members, friends, and partners in faith—are part of this living history.
We invite you to join us for a special Sesquicentennial Service on Saturday, November 1, at 2:00 pm, led by Bishop Megan Traquair of the Diocese of Northern California. A festival of small bites and pours from historic wineries will follow, as we give thanks for all the “saints of Grace”—past, present, and future—who continue to make this place a light in our community.
Many thanks to Lin Weber for the substance of this article, which will come out in the St. Helena Star tomorrow with an invitation to the entire up-valley community to celebrate as Grace turns “150 years young.” Please invite your friends and neighbors, and especially Grace friends you have not seen for a while!
Many thanks also to Dave Stoneberg for the beautiful piece he wrote on Grace’s renewal at this anniversary for the Napa Valley Features.
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