About Us

Who we are

We are part of the Diocese of Southern Ohio, which is part of The Episcopal Church in the United States, which is a part of the global Anglican Communion. And all of these are part of the universal Body of Christ. We are at once Catholic and Protestant, liberal and conservative, questioning and certain. We worship using The Book of Common Prayer, a tradition begun in the sixteenth century as the Reformation urged worship in each person’s language.

The parish of St. Paul’s has existed in Darke County since before the Civil War. Our building at the corner of South Broadway and Water Streets has been our home since 1902.

As the only Episcopal congregation in Darke County, we are made up of life-long Episcopalians, folks with a wide variety of faith traditions in their backgrounds, and those who have wandered in seeking a place to wonder, question, and grow in faith.

Our history

Over 100 years ago, the Rev. Alvah Guion, an Episcopal priest in Piqua, Ohio, visited Greenville and found there was no Episcopal church in the community. He gathered people in the public square and preached the importance of establishing a church for themselves and especially for their children. He stressed a need for a library for educating the children so they could learn about Christ and stories from the Gospel.

Mrs. Eliza Briggs enthusiastically heard Rev. Guion and expressed a desire to be confirmed. She travelled by horseback to Piqua, where she was confirmed by the bishop. Mrs. Briggs worked hard for the new church and organized many of the activities around its development.

In 1835, Articles of Association were drawn up and circulated in Greenville by Guion. Twelve people signed their names to it. By 1837, twenty-five signatures had been secured.

After Canonical notice was given by Guion, members of the Association met at the home of Dr. John Briggs, and the following resolution was unanimously adopted: “Resolved that we now organize ourselves into a parish under the name, style, and title of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Greenville, Ohio.”

As the parish grew, a formal church building was needed after years of meeting in members’ homes. The original building was built in 1840. It was a wood frame structure located on the corner of Walnut and Third Street. This building served the congregation until 1849 when it was remodeled into a larger and more suitable building now facing Third Street rather than Walnut Street.

Around 1897, the facilities needed to be expanded again and a lot was purchased on the southeast corner of Broadway and Water Street. A new church was erected of rough faced limestone on a concrete foundation in a gothic style, with a high-pitched slate roof, buttresses, pointed arch windows, substantial corner tower, and it was arranged inside to suit the mode of worship practiced in this church. A wing extension was used for a parish house and Sunday school room.

Among the outstanding gifts given by members of the church were two beautiful stained-glass windows, a Baptismal font, a lectern, a pulpit, a large brass cross, a set of brass vases, another set of vases and a new altar. All are still in use at St. Paul’s today.

In 1920, the Parish purchased an adjacent property with a house that was used to house the rectors for many years.