Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana ArchivesMain MenuIntroduction to the CollectionBishops of the Diocese of IndianaBishops of the Diocese of Northern IndianaParishes and MissionsConventionsOrdinations and PostulantsCamps and YouthEcumenical ServicesDiocesan Officers and GovernanceWomen's Auxiliary - Episcopal Church WomenMiscellaneousJohn David Beatty85388be94808daa88b6f1a0c89beb70cd0fac252
St. Peter's, Rensselaer, building consecration, February 1966, singing an opening hymn
1media/St Peters Rensselaer consecration with Bishop Klein, David Hyndman, William Sheridan, and others hymn singing, 1966088_thumb.jpg2020-08-06T13:31:46-07:00John David Beatty85388be94808daa88b6f1a0c89beb70cd0fac252327161St. Peter's, Rensselaer, building consecration, February 1966, singing an opening hymn. Left to right, unidentified, Thomas Stoll, William Sheridan, Michael Grant, Bishop Klein, Hugh Edsall, David Hyndman.plain2020-08-06T13:31:46-07:00John David Beatty85388be94808daa88b6f1a0c89beb70cd0fac252
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1media/St Peters Rensselaer exterior 2, 18 June 2017.jpg2019-07-25T20:31:29-07:00St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Rensselaer (defunct)37image_header2022-10-04T13:55:38-07:00The first attempt to open a mission in Rensselaer occurred in February 1917, when Archdeacon Robert J. Long began monthly services in town, but his efforts were unsuccessful. More than forty years later, Bishop Reginald Mallett succeeded in organizing a diocesan mission called St. Peter's on 12 February 1961 as part of a larger missionary outreach effort that also included new missions at Angola, Butler, and Monticello. At the time of its founding, the bishop held services in the public library with the assistance of Fr. Leslie Howell. There were 21 people present at the initial meeting, including 13 communicants and eight children. The Rev. Hugh Edsall, who took charge of the mission soon afterward, presented seven for confirmation on 5 December 1961.
The congregation broke ground for the present edifice on 24 July 1965 under vicar the Rev. Thomas F. Stoll with Bishop Walter Klein leading the service. On 17 October, the cornerstone was laid with the Rev. George B. Wood of Trinity, Fort Wayne, as the officiant. The finished church, located at Grace and Melville streets in Rensselaer, was dedicated by Bishop Klein on 19 February 1966 with Stoll and several other priests in attendance. The brick building was designed by Lee Brockway, a South Bend architect, and the stained glass windows were crafted in the studio of J. Winterrich of Cleveland.
In 1987, the Rev. Dale Hathaway became its first resident vicar and brought much-needed stability for a period of time. When Susan Jo Blubaugh was called as vicar, she was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Gray in 1992, the first female ordination to occur in the diocese. She remained as vicar until 2008. Membership began to decline after her departure, when the church could no longer afford a priest. In 2019, the congregation made the decision to close.
Hugh Crichton Edsall, 1961-1963 Raymond Ray, 1964-1965 Thomas Fothergill Stoll, 1965-1966 Robert Michael Darrow, 1966-1967 William J. Fleener, 1967-1968 Richard A. Hayes, 1968-1970 Forrest Bedford Clark, 1970-1973 Paul John Tracy, 1981-1986 Lloyd Holifield, 1986-1987 Dale Caldwell Hathaway, 1987-1990 Susan Jo Blubaugh, 1992-2008 (Senior Wardens are listed as administrators) Rev. Frank Warthan (supply), 2015-2016