History of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church
On March 4, 1954, the Reverend Allen T. Sykes met with Mr. and Mrs. R.L.T. Hudgings at their home to discuss the possibility of establishing an Episcopal church in Fort Payne, Alabama. The Reverend Sykes then began a series of visits to Episcopalians in the area, and on August 31, 1954, a new Episcopal Mission was formed. The Reverend Sykes officiated the first Episcopal service in Fort Payne on Sunday, September 19, 1954, at 5:00 pm at the First Presbyterian Church.
In 1955 plans were made to purchase the present property, formerly the site of Crystal Lake Baptist Church. Mr. and Mrs. Hudgings and diocesan architect Nelson Smith supervised the remodeling of the structure. The parish house, Hudgings Hall, was added in March 1961. The size of the church sanctuary was doubled in 1972 thanks to an enlargement project led by W.M. Fritz. In 1975 Arthur Cobble supervised an expansion of Hudgings Hall, and in 2003 the two buildings were finally connected by a building project headed by Stephanie Fritz. This project, which doubled the dining/meeting area of Hudgings Hall, included the remodeling of the kitchen and the addition of a church library, sacristy, sacristy workroom, and outdoor terrace for social gatherings. A piece of adjoining property was purchased by the church in 2005. The St. Philip’s rectory was built in 1987.
In 2005 St. Philip’s celebrated its 50th anniversary with its theme of “50 Years and Forward.”
