Since 1983
The History of the Holy Comforter
11 October 1983
Fifteen faithful people
Fifteen faithful people met at the home of Annie Mary and Marion Jones-Williams in Montevallo to establish a church continuing “the traditional beliefs, customs, and doctrines then being discarded by the Protestant Episcopal Church.” They signed a statement of intention to create the Parish of the Holy Comforter.
16 October 1983
The first service at Seabrier Farm
The first service was held on Sunday at Seabrier Farm, the home of James and Janet Seaman in Brierfield. Morning Prayer was conducted by lay reader Jesse Jackson; sixteen attended.
October – November 1983
A living room made a chapel
For the six following Sundays the parish met in the home of Reuben Triplett on Spring Creek Road, his living room turned into a chapel. The household dog, Baby, sometimes participated.
13 November 1983
The first Holy Eucharist
Fr. Edward P. Whatley, then rector of Trinity Chapel, Tuscaloosa, celebrated the first Holy Eucharist. Dr. Michael Ford lent a chord organ, and Shirley Jackson picked out the hymn melodies with one hand. The singing was not, as those charter members recall, very good — but it was a joyful noise made unto the Lord.
11 December 1983
The Wilton Methodist building
The parish rented the vacant Wilton Methodist Church building from the City of Wilton. The first service there was held on the Third Sunday in Advent, with twenty-two in attendance. In January, Bishop Robert Sherwood Morse came from Oakland and celebrated communion for sixty.
1984
Land at Ashville Circle
Later that January the vestry began negotiations for land at Ashville Circle and Highway 119. In March a sign went up marking the future site, and the building fund grew.
24 February 1985
Note burning
As recorded by the Shelby County Reporter.
April 1987
The first shovel
Bishop Morse turned the first shovel and blessed the property.
1987 – 1988
Building our own church
The parish built its own church on the site at Ashville Circle.
26 April 1988
The first service in the new building
The congregation worshiped for the first time in its new church. In June 1988 Bishop Morse returned to dedicate the building and bless its contents, with the Rev. William Marvin, rector of both Holy Comforter and St. Bede's Anglican Church in Irondale.
14 October 2018
The 35th Anniversary
For the parish's 35th anniversary, the Rt. Rev. William C. Wiygul — a founding member of Holy Comforter who served as lay reader, then rector, then bishop, and who was consecrated at Holy Comforter — celebrated Holy Communion.
Read Bishop Wiygul's anniversary sermon
