St. David of Wales Episcopal Church, Elkhart
St. David’s Parish was established in 1964 as a mission of St. John the Evangelist Parish in downtown Elkhart. The Rev. Carl Richardson, rector of St. John’s, and the vestry saw the potential of growth in the Simonton Lake area of Elkhart County when the Bay Boom generation was in full swing. There were enough families to ‘seed’ the new parish, which began worshiping at Mary Feeser School, just east of the present location of St. David’s.
After a few months, the Right Rev. Walter C Klein, Fourth Bishop of Northern Indiana, broke ground for the present building after a solemn evensong on the feast of Saint David of Wales, 1 March 1964. Eight years later in 1972, the diocese received St. David’s as a full parish in communion with the Bishop and Diocesan Convention. Since then the parish has been served by several rectors: the Rev. Paul M. Ross (1972-1977), the Rev. Richard J. Handley (1977-1987), the Rev. Richard F. Bragg (1988-1990), and the Rev. Henry G. Randolph Jr. (1991-2016). The Rev. Bruce B. Mosier provided good priestly leadership and stability for the parish in periods between rectors. There have been three deacons at St. David’s: Deacon Arthur W. Mattox (1990-1992), Archdeacon Sarah S Tracy (1995-2009), and Deacon Clayton Berkley (who was raised at St. David’s), since 2014. On June 1, 2017, the Rev Joshua Nelson was made Priest-in-Charge by Bishop Douglas Sparks following his ordination to the priesthood on June 25th of that year.
St. David’s Parish has been sustained by a small group of faithful parishioners. The congregation is thankful for the Providence of God in the community of faithful Christians for the past half a century, and it prays that it may continue to provide an Episcopal presence and ministry in the northwest corner of Elkhart County for many years to come.
Clergy:
John Smith, 1964-1968
Paul M. Ross, 1969-1977
Richard J. Handley, 1977-1987
Richard F. Bragg, 1988-1990
Henry G. Randolph, 1991-2016
Joshua Nelson, 2017-2020
Robert Armidon, 2021-
Adapted from St. David's website: http://www.stdavidelkhart.org/parish-history/
This page references:
- St. David's, Elkhart, altar, 21 April 2019
- St. David's Episcopal Church, Elkhart, after Easter Mass 2018, interior
- St. David of Wales, Elkhart, Canon David Seger, Mrs. Seger, Christopher James Roussell, Bishop Little, Henry Randolph, 26 Sep 2013
- St. David of Wales, Elkhart, Rev. Henry Randolph, Rosemary Tiner O'Brien, Bishop Little, Clay Berkley, 22 March 2015
- St. David's, Elkhart, prayer bench and candles, 1980s
- Rev. Henry Randolph of St. David's Elkhart, retirement March 2016
- St. David's, Elkhart, installation ofthe Rev. Joshua Nelson as priest in charge, 30 August 2017
- St. David of Wales, Elkhart, interior, 22 March 2015
- St. David's Episcopal Church, Elkhart, exterior, 1968
- Rev. Richard Handley, St. David's Episcopal Church, Elkhart
- St. David's, Elkhart, congregation with Bishop Little, Bishop Sparks, Fr. Joshua Nelson and other priests, 30 August 2017
- St. David of Wales Episcopal Church, Elkhart, exterior
- St. David of Wales, Elkhart, exterior, 22 March 2015
- St. David's Episcopal Church, Elkhart, interior, 1968
- St. David's Episcopal Church, Elkhart, chancel
- St. David's, Elkhart visitation with Bishop Sparks and Rev. Joshua Nelson, 25 Nov. 2018
- St. David of Wales, Elkhart, Rev. Paul Tracy and Rev. Henry Randolph, 11 Dec. 2011
- St. David's, Elkhart, sign, 1980s
- St. David's Episcopal Church, Elkhart, altar
- St. David's, Elkhart, Easter vigil with Rev. Joshua Nelson, 21 Apr. 2019
- St. David of Wales, Elkhart, Bishop Little and Rev. Henry Randolph, 4 Nov. 2012
- St. David's, Elkhart, exterior, 1980s
- St. David's, Elkhart, with Rev. Joshua Nelson and Bishop Sparks, 25 November 2018
- St. David of Wales, Elkhart, blessing of Dewi the Bell, 30 May 2013
- St. David's, Elkhart, interior from behind baptismal font, 1980s
- Groundbreaking of St. David's Mission, Elkhart, 1964 with Bishop Klein and Fr. Richardson
- St. David's, Elkhart, installation of the Rev. Joshua Nelson by Bsihop Sparks, 30 August 2017
- St. David's, Elkhart, view of altar, 1980s
- St. David's Episcopal Church, Elkhart, interior 2016
- St. David's, Elkhart, procession with the Rev. Joshua Nelson, 30 August 2017
- St. David of Wales, Elkhart, ordination of Clay Berkley, with Rev. Henry Randolph and Bishop Little, 4 Apr. 2014
- St. David's, Elkhart, main aisle, 1980s
- Bishop Edward Little at St. David's Elkhart 2016
- St. David's, Elkhart, altar, 30 August 2017
