A Corner of Downtown Huntsville Since the 1840s
The Episcopal Church of the Nativity sits on the corner of Greene Street and Eustis Avenue in downtown Huntsville, where its buildings have stood for more than 160 years. The parish is Huntsville's fourth oldest church, following First United Methodist (1808), First Presbyterian (1819), and St. Bartley's Primitive Baptist Church (1820), the oldest African American congregation in the state of Alabama. From 1830 to 1836, services were held sporadically as early parishioners tried to form a formal parish. In 1843 the church was organized and formally entered into the Diocese of Alabama. It received the name "Nativity" because the first official services were held in mid-December 1842 as Christmas approached.
There have been two Nativity church buildings. The first, completed in 1847, stood closer to Greene Street and Eustis Avenue. The present building was constructed from 1856 to 1859 to accommodate a growing congregation, and the first service was held on Easter Eve 1859. The two buildings stood together until 1878, when the original structure was disassembled and sold to Lakeside Methodist Church on Jefferson Street. A piece of Civil War history clings to the second building: the inscription Reverence My Sanctuary over the main entrance persuaded Union soldiers under General Ormsby Mitchel, occupying Huntsville in 1862, not to commandeer the church as a stable. The Methodist Church they used instead burned down in 1864.
Becoming One Body: A $4.5 Million Accessibility Campaign
After 180 years of ministry, Nativity is taking on a generational project. The parish's motto, "where faith holds wide the door," is at the heart of the Becoming One Body capital campaign, a $4.5 million effort focused on making every worship space, classroom, and meeting place on campus fully accessible. Rector The Rev. T. Michael Goldsmith, in his letter to the parish, framed the need this way: "Many members of our church family are unable to navigate all those stairs. That is why the priority of the One Body Campaign is to make every worship space, classroom, and meeting place accessible to all our members." The Rev. Melissa Hartley and the stewardship committee cite 1 Corinthians 12:26 - "If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together" - as the scriptural anchor for the work.
Lisa and David Hardy and Suzy and Josh Hendrickson are co-chairs of the campaign, working with Horizons Stewardship consultant Richard Rogers. The leadership team has confirmed that the parish will hold no long-term debt. Gifts may be made as one-time contributions or spread over the three-year campaign window (2025-2028), and the church accepts stock, IRA, and 401(k) distributions. Construction is expected to begin in late spring and last about 18 months, with no full closure of the church and no relocation of Sunday services. While the overall goal is $4.5 million, recent giving has left roughly $3.62 million still to raise.
Worship at the Center
Worship is, in the parish's own words, "at the center of all that we are and all that we do at Nativity." Services follow the red Book of Common Prayer, with hymns from the blue Hymnal 1982, and Holy Eucharist is celebrated at every weekly service. Large print, braille, and Spanish editions of the Book of Common Prayer are available in the pews.
On Sundays, the day begins at 7:30 am with the quiet, said service of Holy Eucharist, Rite I, in Bibb Chapel. At 8:45 am the principal service of Holy Eucharist, Rite II, takes place in the church with Children's Chapel, followed at 10:00 am by Christian Formation classes for all ages. The 11:00 am service is a sung Holy Eucharist, Rite II, also with Children's Chapel; both 8:45 and 11:00 services are livestreamed on the church's YouTube channel. The nursery is open for children up to four years old from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm on Sunday mornings.
Weekday worship continues the rhythm. On Wednesdays at 12:00 pm, a noon Holy Eucharist with healing prayers is offered in Bibb Chapel, and the community is invited to stay afterward for individual prayer. On Thursdays at 6:00 pm, a service of Holy Eucharist, Rite II, is celebrated in Bibb Chapel. Every worship service includes readings from both the Old and New Testaments, and at every service all baptized persons - including children - are welcome to receive Holy Communion. Visitors who prefer not to receive are invited to come forward for a blessing by crossing their arms over their chest at the altar rail.
Music Rooted in the Anglican Tradition
Music is one of the defining ministries of Nativity. The parish has become a center for quality choral and organ music in downtown Huntsville and the surrounding region, with a repertoire that is "deeply and firmly rooted in the Anglican tradition." Director of Music Dr. Aaron Tan leads a program of regular Sunday liturgies alongside a calendar of special services that includes monthly Choral Evensongs, an annual Lessons and Carols in December, Compline services, hymn festivals, and a Meditation on the Passion of Christ with carols on Palm Sunday.
There are singing opportunities for anyone from third grade through adulthood. The Chancel Choir rehearses Wednesday evenings and sings at the 11:00 am Sunday Eucharist, supported by four staff singers. The Parish Choir, supported by two staff singers, rehearses Sunday mornings and sings at the 8:45 am service. Nativity Choristers (grades 3-12) rehearse Wednesday afternoons in the chancel and develop vocal technique, music theory, and liturgical knowledge throughout the school year. The Schola is a select ensemble that specializes in polyphony and plainsong, heard primarily at Compline services. The parish was scheduled for a residency at Ely Cathedral and a weekend at Westminster Abbey in 2020 before the pandemic intervened.
For organ music, Nativity is blessed with two instruments. The church's primary organ is a 1942 Aeolian-Skinner, expanded by Milnar Organ in the 1990s and given additional digital colors by Walker Technical Company in the 2010s. The Aeolian-Skinner firm built many of the most celebrated pipe organs in the country, including those at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in New York, and the Cathedral of St. Philip in Atlanta.
Children, Youth, and Adults in Formation
Christian formation is described by the parish as "vital to the spiritual lives of all our members," and the program reaches from infancy through adulthood. Director of Christian Formation Emily Cantrell coordinates a Sunday morning Children's Formation program alongside Club 56 for fifth and sixth graders. Children's Chapel is offered during the 8:45 and 11:00 am Sunday services, beginning at the sequence hymn and rejoining families during the peace. Busy Bags are available in the back of the church for those who stay in the pews.
For youth in grades 7-12, EYC (Episcopal Youth Community) provides a welcoming environment to grow in faith, build friendships, and serve the community. Programs include regional trips, rafting outings, Compline evenings, and connections to diocesan summer offerings at Camp McDowell and the Sawyerville and Special Session programs. Derek Cantrell serves as Interim Youth Director.
Adult formation runs throughout the week. Sunday morning offerings at 10:00 am include a Bible study on the Acts of the Apostles in the Banister Room, "The Book Class" reading Rabbi Rami Shapiro in Bibb Chapel, a class on the History and Theology of the Eucharist taught by the Rev. Dr. Melissa Hartley, a young-adult men's lectionary discussion, and seasonal sessions on stewardship. On Wednesdays at 10:30 am, Deacon Bob Serio leads a Men's Bible Study in the Welcome Center. The Parents with Young Children group meets the second Monday of each month (August-May) for fellowship, conversation, and dinner for the children. A monthly men's breakfast group meets the second Tuesday at 7:00 am in Ridley Hall, and a quarterly men's social and a spring retreat at Camp McDowell round out the year.
Fellowship, Prayer, and Special Ministries
Nativity's life extends well beyond Sunday morning. The Episcopal Church Women (ECW) meets monthly for conversation and activities under the leadership of the Rev. Rose Veal Eby. The Order of the Daughters of the King is a spiritual sisterhood of women dedicated to a life of prayer, service, and evangelism; members take lifelong vows to follow a Rule of Prayer and a Rule of Service, holding fast to the Order's motto: "I am but one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. What I can do, I ought to do. What I ought to do, by the grace of God I will do." Centering Prayer is offered in Bibb Chapel three days a week and on the first Saturday of the month.
The parish also maintains a wide array of worship and pastoral support ministries. Acolytes (fifth through twelfth graders) serve as crucifers, torchbearers, and servers. The Altar Guild prepares the sanctuary and altar for every Eucharist. Lay Eucharistic Ministers administer the chalice after training by the clergy. Ushers are the first face visitors meet, serve as first responders, and count the offering. The Flower Guild arranges the church's flowers each Sunday and for major feasts. The Funeral Hospitality Ministry provides comfort and direction for families during visitations, and the Feed My Sheep ministry prepares and delivers frozen home-cooked meals to parishioners recovering from illness, surgery, or new additions to the family. The Brotherhood of the Biscuits is a parish tradition of men who bake biscuits for church events.
For seniors, the Lunch Bunch meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month for a meal, conversation, and a program, and is open to anyone who qualifies for (or carries) an AARP card.
Outreach Across Huntsville and Beyond
The parish commits 10 percent of its budget to outreach, and the list of partner organizations is wide. Nativity volunteers serve at Lincoln Village Ministry, the Huntsville Learning Center, Kids to Love's Curtis Cares Center, the Shower Up trailer, and with Meals on Wheels on the third Thursday of each month. The Care Center is supported through volunteer receptionists and a returning Grandparents' Ministry, and First Stop is served with hot breakfasts prepared and delivered by parish groups. Friends, Inc. receives support and parish volunteers to help with transportation, friendly visits, and errands for people with disabilities and those who are seriously ill.
Two standing hunger ministries help feed neighbors year-round. The Little Free Pantry, located in the Greene Street parking lot, is stocked with shelf-stable items for anyone in need. On the first Sunday of each month, the HAP (Huntsville Assistance Program) bins in the breezeway collect canned soup, peanut butter, jelly, cereal, and other staples for local families.
From May through October, the Greene Street Market transforms the corner of Greene Street and Eustis Avenue into a producer-only, open-air farmers' market for fresh vegetables, fruits, meat, and flowers. The market has directed more than $100,000 to community organizations through the parish's Outreach Committee. Recent grants include a $20,000 award to Second Mile Preschool to fund bulk produce purchases, a water bottle filling station, and nutrition education for families.
Leadership and Governance
The Rev. T. Michael Goldsmith serves as Rector. He is supported by the Rev. Rose Veal Eby and the Rev. Dr. Melissa M. Hartley as Priest Associates, and the Rev. Robert A. Serio, MD, as Deacon. A member of the clergy is always on call for emergencies outside of office hours. The lay staff includes Amy Brooks (Director of Communications), Madeleine Bell-Colpack (Director of Parish and Community Engagement), Emily Cantrell (Director of Christian Formation), Derek Cantrell (Interim Youth Director), Austin Cook (Director of Finance), and Dr. Aaron Tan (Director of Music and Organist).
Parish governance rests with the Vestry, which consists of eighteen members, six elected each year, and is the legal authority for the temporal business of the parish, drawing its standing from the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church, the Charter and Canons of the Diocese of Alabama, and the parish's own bylaws. Minda Alexander serves as Senior Warden, Tommy Lotz as Junior Warden, David Hardy as Treasurer, and Ward Wilson as Clerk. Vestry meetings are open to the parish and held monthly.
Visiting Nativity
Parking is available at the corner of Greene Street and Eustis Avenue, with additional free parking in the city lot across from the church and on the street on weekends. Look for Vestry Persons of the Day, who wear blue name tags and are ready to help newcomers find their way. The nursery, located on the first floor of Joffrion Hall, is available for infants through four-year-olds during the Sunday morning schedule. Office hours run Monday through Thursday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm and Friday from 9:00 am to noon. Visitors are encouraged to fill out an online visitor card so the parish can stay in touch.
Joining Nativity as a member is simple: all who are baptized are members of the universal Church, and placing a name in the parish registry requires only a name, date of birth, and date and place of baptism. Transfers from other Episcopal churches are welcomed through a letter of transfer coordinated by the parish office. Whether baptized or not, all are welcomed "with open arms."