Christ Episcopal Church Ansonia, at 56 South Cliff Street in Ansonia, is known for pairing a long Episcopal history with hands-on service across the Naugatuck Valley. Its mission is to share the love of Christ through worship, ministry, and fellowship, and its motto is “Love Grows Here”. The parish's life includes English and Spanish worship, Church School, community dinners, and the Kathleen C. B. Samela Memorial Food Pantry.
From Christ's Church to Christ Church Parish
Christ Church's roots reach into what became colonial Ansonia. In 1737, Captain John Holbrook's family and seven other families planned to build an Anglican church on the part of Derby that would become Ansonia. The old graveyard on Elm Street marks the original parish's location. Christ's Church was completed there in 1746.
The parish grew larger and moved to a Derby Avenue building around 1799, taking the name St. James. Forty-two years later, it moved across the river to the green in Birmingham, now Derby. Families that wanted to worship at the old Derby Avenue location petitioned the diocese and were admitted in 1843 under the name Christ Church, Derby.
In 1849, St. James, Birmingham, and Christ Church, Derby, organized Trinity Church in the growing town of Ansonia. They purchased a lot at the corner of Main and Tremont Streets and constructed a church there in 1850. Christ Church, Derby, merged with Trinity Church in 1851, and from that time all records were kept in the name Christ Church Parish, Ansonia.
After two enlargements, the Main Street building had become too small by 1890. Local industrialist Franklin Farrel gave land on South Cliff Street for a new church. Built of Ansonia granite and New Jersey graystone in the English Gothic style, it was completed in time for Christmas services in 1896 and had a seating capacity of 650.
English and Spanish at the 10:00 Service
Sunday worship is held from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. at 56 South Cliff Street. From the third Sunday in June through the second Sunday in September, summer worship is held from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. Church School meets during the 10:00 service, while the church office is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
The 10:00 gathering is bilingual in a distinctive way. English-speaking parishioners gather in the church for the Liturgy of the Word, while the Spanish Language Ministry worships in the chapel. People in the chapel join Church School participants in the church before the Peace and Holy Eucharist, sharing cultural and religious traditions. The shared calendar includes Christmas, the Las Posadas Ritual, and a blessing on the first Sunday in January for Divine Child Jesus images in parishioners' homes.
It is the custom of Christ Church to welcome all who join in worship to receive the Eucharist, or, if they are not baptized, a blessing. Children take an active part in the service. Every third Sunday, they read the lessons and psalms, and two trained youth acolytes carry torches, assist with the Gospel and consecration, and lead the recessional.
Children Read, Serve, Learn, and Perform
Sunday School is active throughout the school year. Children meet in classes, participate in worship, host coffee hour for the parish, and help with pancake breakfasts and ziti dinners. Twice during the year, they present a Nativity for Christmas and an Easter vigil performance for the congregation.
The youth Acolytes program trains two youth members each week to serve in the procession and assist the minister. Vacation Bible School is a week-long summer gathering hosted with other local parishes. Children meet each day for arts and crafts that teach them about their faith, then present a small performance at the end of the week.
The Kathleen C. B. Samela Memorial Food Pantry
The Kathleen C. B. Samela Memorial Food Pantry is sustained by donations and grants and serves people in need. Parishioners collect food for it, and the church also feeds people who are homeless.
Other outreach reaches beyond the pantry. Members cooperate with the Valley Social Club, support the Heifer Project, and participate in charitable activities of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut. The parish has a mission relationship with a parish in Tacusa, Ecuador. Community dinners and musical events are also part of its engagement in Ansonia, Derby, and the greater Naugatuck Valley.
ECW and Missions Turn Support into Action
The Episcopal Church Women have been part of Christ Church for many years, and all women of the parish are invited to join. They meet on the first Tuesday of each month in the Barrett Room, planning bake sales, soup and book sales, and potluck suppers. Their outreach includes helping families at Christmas and in September when children return to school, along with additional financial support for families and organizations in need.
The Missions Committee raises money through bake sales and an annual fundraising drive. Over the years, it has supported local families and other outreach programs, including people facing financial hardship because of injury, illness, domestic violence, or natural disaster. The committee is open to all parishioners.
Learning English, Praying Together, and Caring for the Church
Trained church volunteers run an English as a Second Language program for people who use another language as their primary language. The classes focus on spoken and written English through vocabulary and sentence patterns, with the aim of making students more comfortable using the language.
Christ Church Prayer Ministry gathers members for daily intercession, with cards of support sent during the year.
The Altar Guild works in teams on Saturday mornings to prepare the church for Sunday. It also prepares the building for weddings and funerals, and twice a year the group polishes its silver and brass pieces. Membership is open to women and men, and the ministry sees preparing the space as part of worship.
At 56 South Cliff Street, Christ Episcopal Church Ansonia lives out its motto through Eucharistic worship, education, fellowship, and practical service. Its story joins the original Christ's Church of 1746, the merged parishes of the nineteenth century, and a community of children, adults, and volunteers serving Ansonia, Derby, and the Naugatuck Valley.