Saint Timothy's Episcopal Church sits on Beechmont Avenue in the Anderson Township area of eastern Hamilton County, a Cincinnati neighborhood where, since 1956, a parish has taken seriously the conviction that "God loves you - no exceptions" and "Love your neighbor - no exceptions." Seventy years on, the parish still gathers around one table at three very different Sunday services, sings with a one-of-a-kind pipe organ built into the architecture of the worship space, and runs a portfolio of mission work that stretches from a food pantry in eastern Hamilton County to a children's home in Honduras.
Three Sunday Services, One Table
The Sunday morning rhythm at Saint Timothy's offers three distinct services for the same congregation. At 8:00 a.m., a contemplative Eucharist uses traditional language and is led from the piano. The Rev. Roger Greene, the parish's Rector, specializes in this quieter liturgy and notes that early risers come to "reorient yourself for the week ahead." At 9:15 a.m., the service shifts into family mode with a children's sermon, an adult sermon, contemporary music led by the Worship Band, and an invitation for children of all ages to serve as readers and acolytes. The service moves outdoors in fair weather, gathering under the trees in the West parking lot with lawn chairs provided by the ushers. At 11:00 a.m., the liturgy returns to a more contemplative mood with the Sanctuary Choir, gifted soloists, instrumentalists, traditional Anglican hymns, and the full sound of the organ. Childcare is available in the nursery during both the 9:15 and 11:00 services.
A recorded online service, "Saint Timothy's at the Well," is posted by 6:00 a.m. each Sunday on YouTube, with a podcast version called "An Echo from The Well" available on Spotify. The imagery of the well comes from the story of the Samaritan woman who met Jesus at Jacob's well, the parish notes, where "we have gathered here to drink the 'living water' Jesus offers."
A Parish Taking Shape on Beechmont Avenue
In January 1956, a small group of people met at the Church of the Redeemer in Cincinnati to explore starting an Episcopal parish in the Mt. Washington-Anderson Township area. The Rt. Reverend David Thornberry, then Archdeacon of the Diocese of Southern Ohio, and Capt. William Paddock of the Church Army led the study. On Palm Sunday, April 22, 1956, the first communion service of St. Timothy's Mission was celebrated in the cafeteria of Anderson Township High School. The mission took its name from St. Timothy shortly afterward, and the Diocese purchased 28 acres on the south side of Beechmont Avenue at Nagel Road as a future home.
The Rev. John Wesley Bishop accepted the call as Vicar and conducted his first service on November 3, 1956. A Fellowship Hall was begun in April 1958 and dedicated in January 1959. Children were baptized and confirmations were held even while the congregation was still meeting at the high school. In May 1963, the mission became a full parish and Rev. Bishop was installed as the first Rector. The Sanctuary was dedicated on April 28, 1968, and the building's contemporary architectural style still shapes the worship space today.
After Rev. Bishop accepted a call to Rochester, New York in 1971, the Rev. Roger Nichols served as Interim Priest, followed by the Rev. Thomas Webster as the second Rector beginning in July 1972. The Rev. O. Worth served as Interim until the calling of the Rev. Bert Hatch in May 1981. The current Rector, the Rev. Roger Greene, leads the parish today alongside the Rev. Alice Connor, Associate Priest.
Music at the Heart of Worship
Saint Timothy's places music at the center of its life. The parish's signature instrument is the Charles M. Ruggles Organ, Opus 23, installed in late 1992. Designed in the style of 17th- through 19th-century European originals, especially those in Germany and France, the organ sits in a free-standing case of walnut-stained, hand-planed white oak whose slant matches the church's roof line. Three divisions (Great, Swell, and Pedal), 1,627 pipes, mechanical tracker action, and a "Bach" temperament tuning give the organ a flexibility that allows the same instrument to support congregational hymn singing, choir anthems, and solo repertoire from the baroque to the present. The case, the visible ranks of principal pipes, and the warm, breathing sound of the wind system all contribute to what the parish describes as one of the best music programs in Anderson Township.
Around that instrument, Andrew Miller (Music Director) and John Crandall (Organist) shape a varied musical life. The 11:00 a.m. Sanctuary Choir is open to all parishioners high-school age and older and sings traditional Anglican music alongside Gospel and the African-American spiritual tradition. The 9:15 a.m. Worship Band gathers guitars, piano, percussion, woodwinds, strings, and a volunteer choir to lead the contemporary service. There is also a Children's Choir and a St. Timothy's Chamber Choir for special liturgies. The Altar Guild, led by Kara O., prepares the worship space week to week, a behind-the-scenes ministry that quietly shapes every service.
Forming Faith at Every Age
Faith formation at Saint Timothy's is built around the idea that children learn faith best when their "people" are learning alongside them. "Kids and Their People," the parish's Sunday school, gathers family units (parents, grandparents, chosen family, and other church members) rather than splitting into grade-level classrooms. Two groups meet between the 9:15 and 11:00 services on a weekly schedule during the school year and bi-weekly in summer: one for families with toddlers through kindergarten, and one for families with grade-school children. A weekly children's sermon at the 9:15 a.m. service invites the kids forward for a short conversation about the Bible readings and a small piece of candy. Older children can also take Communion 101, a three-session class open to both kids and adults.
The Teen Spiritual Formation ministry connects youth with Diocesan events and with Procter Summer Camp, a ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio that the parish describes as "an inclusive and diverse place for youth, families, and adults to learn, play, and pray together." The parish also participates in diocesan youth events held through the year.
For adults, the parish runs a rich slate of small groups and study opportunities. On Tuesday mornings at 9:30, the Rev. Roger Greene leads a Bible Study that focuses on the texts for the coming Sunday, with Room 6 and a Zoom option. On Tuesdays at 7:00 a.m., a men's contemplative prayer group meets in the Worship Space, prays in silence, and then moves to the Parlor for coffee and conversation. On Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m., Janet D. leads a small Evening Prayer group in the Worship Space using Rite II of the Daily Office, with candlelight, incense, and about thirty minutes of prayer in the middle of the week. On Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m., the Rev. Roger leads "Bible Study +" in Room 9 (childcare provided) for people curious about the Episcopal tradition, the Bible, or Christianity in general. "Soul Friends" meets Mondays from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. on Zoom, working through books and topics that foster honest spiritual growth. "The Crowded Table," led by the Rev. Alice Connor, is an LGBTQ+ group that explicitly welcomes allies but centers the experience of LGBTQ+ people of deep, uncertain, or curious faith. The "Everyday Spirituality Covenant Group" meets the first Monday of each month from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in Room 6 for a small, confidential gathering that began with members going through a hard season and has continued as a commitment to walk together.
Living the Mission Beyond the Doors
Mission at Saint Timothy's is the next sentence after worship. The parish supports five major partnerships, each with a parish contact who can onboard new volunteers.
The IPM Food Pantry (Inter-Parish Ministry) is a faith-based, non-profit agency providing food and communal support to families in need in eastern Hamilton County and Clermont County. Saint Timothy's volunteers staff the Choice Food and Clothing Pantries, help with office work, raise funds, and serve on the Board of Directors.
El Hogar is an Episcopal boys' and girls' school in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, that has provided a safe home and a Christian education to about 250 children. Members of the parish have traveled there many times, an annual youth trip takes place each June, and the parish sponsors many of the children who live there. A parishioner sits on the board of El Hogar Ministries, the North American fundraising arm, and chairs the Cincinnati-based Friends of El Hogar.
The Prison Ministry is built around a listening program at River City Correctional Center in Cincinnati's Camp Washington neighborhood. Two-person teams visit a men's dorm of 55 inmates weekly for two-hour visits, listening privately with two to four inmates each time. The work is an extension of the Exodus Listening Program, which has operated in Northern Kentucky jails for more than three decades. A women's dorm program is being launched.
Lydia's House provides safe, stable, and supportive housing for women and children in crisis, organized as a Catholic Worker house of hospitality. The parish connects volunteers through the eNews.
Our Daily Bread Sandwich Making gathers parishioners (the youngest children welcome) to make sandwiches for the hungry. Events typically happen on Sundays at 10:15 a.m. in the Parish Hall, and the contact, Kate D., can confirm the next gathering.
The Creation Care Team, led by Peg F., explores what it means to be stewards of creation through programming, book discussions, and field trips, connecting the Genesis creation story to the practical work of sustainable living. Saint Timothy's also partners with Transform Cincy, an effort to provide clothing and affirm the dignity of trans people in the region.
Pastoral Care and the Healing Arts
The Pastoral Health and Wellness ministry gathers a wide range of quieter, one-on-one care under one umbrella. Stephen Ministry, led by Debby C., provides trained lay companions who walk alongside people during difficult seasons; everything shared is confidential and the ministers are there to listen rather than advise. Prayer Shawls and Chemo Caps knit and crochet gifts for people in illness or grief. Drivers pick up and drop off parishioners who would otherwise struggle to attend in person. Home-cooked Meals support families during a hospitalization or bereavement. A Card Ministry keeps up a steady stream of notes. Lay Eucharistic Visitors and a Prayer Chain, both coordinated through the Rev. Roger Greene, bring communion and prayer to those who cannot be in church.
Sacraments and the Markers of a Life
Holy Baptism is described at Saint Timothy's as "the high point of our worship and our life together." The parish baptizes at four major feasts: the Baptism of Our Lord, the Great Vigil of Easter, the Day of Pentecost, and All Saints' Sunday. Baptisms take place within a public service of worship; private baptisms are not conducted. The liturgy includes pouring holy water, anointing with holy oil, and the lighting of a candle from the paschal candle. White is traditionally worn to symbolize forgiveness of sin and the hope of life eternal.
Confirmation, Matrimony, and Burial of the Dead are all celebrated as the rubrics of the Book of Common Prayer allow. Weddings and funerals are coordinated through the Rector.
Part of Something Larger
Saint Timothy's is one parish within a wider family. The Rt. Rev. Kristin White is the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio, whose vision is "a church focused outside our doors, loving and serving Jesus Christ in our beloved communities in relevant ways, both new and traditional." The Most Rev. Michael Curry serves as the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church, a denomination of 111 dioceses in 17 nations whose mission, taken from the catechism of the Book of Common Prayer, is "to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ." The wider Anglican Communion, led by Archbishop Sarah Mallally, gathers Christians around the world around the Five Marks of Mission: proclaiming the Good News, teaching and nurturing new believers, responding to human need with loving service, transforming unjust structures and pursuing peace and reconciliation, and safeguarding the integrity of creation.
Welcome and the Practicalities
Saint Timothy's is intentional about who is welcome. The parish's public statement reads: "If you are a Democrat, a Republican, gay, straight, cis-gender, transgender, Catholic, Protestant, old, young, tall, short, rich, poor, early, perpetually late... you are welcome here." The parish is affirming of the LGBTQ+ community, and women hold full leadership positions throughout the church.
Clothing runs from suits and ties to pajama-level comfortable; the Rector himself is often in Birkenstocks. Parking is in the lot behind the church (turn at the stop light), with two spots close to the door reserved for first-time visitors. An usher hands out a bulletin that walks through the service, and greeters at the door will give a mug to anyone who raises a hand during the newcomers' moment. Communion is open to everyone, regardless of denomination or where someone is on their faith journey. Children's noise is not just tolerated but expected at the 9:15 service.
Office hours are Sunday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The building is also home to Twelve-Step groups and other non-profits, scheduled through the Parish Administrator, Peg Fortuna. Online giving is available through Realm, by texting "StTimsCincy" to (202) 858-1233 via GiveButter, by transfer of securities, or by enrolling a Kroger Community Rewards card. Members of the parish can also support St. Timothy's Foundation, which provides a vehicle for charitable estate and gift planning.
The parish office is at 8101 Beechmont Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45255, and can be reached at 513-474-4445. From I-275, take Exit 65 and head west on Beechmont Avenue for 1.6 miles; coming east on Beechmont, the church is 1.1 miles past Five Mile Road.