St. David of Wales Episcopal Church, Elkhart (defunct)
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 Rt. 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), the Rev. Henry G. Randolph Jr. (1991-2016), the Rev. Joshua Nelson (2017-2020), and the Rev. Robert Armidon, (2021-2024). The Rev. Bruce B. Mosier provided leadership and stability for the parish in periods between rectors in the 1960s. 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), from 2014 to 2024. 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 was sustained for many years by a small group of faithful parishioners. In 2024, the congregation voted to close, and the building was secularized by Bishop Douglas Sparks on 22 September 2024.
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, 2021-2024
Adapted from St. David's website: http://www.stdavidelkhart.org/parish-history/
This page references:
- 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's, Elkhart, altar, 21 April 2019
- St. David's, Elkhart, with Rev. Joshua Nelson and Bishop Sparks, 25 November 2018
- St. David of Wales, Elkhart, Bishop Little and Rev. Henry Randolph, 4 Nov. 2012
- St. David's, Elkhart, exterior, 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 of Wales, Elkhart, blessing of Dewi the Bell, 30 May 2013
- St. David's, Elkhart, interior from behind baptismal font, 1980s
- St. David's Episcopal Church, Elkhart, interior 2016
- St. David's, Elkhart, procession with the Rev. Joshua Nelson, 30 August 2017
- St. David's, Elkhart, view of altar, 1980s
- St. David's, Elkhart, main aisle, 1980s
- Bishop Edward Little at St. David's Elkhart 2016
- St. David's, Elkhart, altar, 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, 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, Rev. Henry Randolph, Rosemary Tiner O'Brien, Bishop Little, Clay Berkley, 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, Elkhart, interior, 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 Episcopal Church, Elkhart, exterior
- St. David of Wales, Elkhart, exterior, 22 March 2015
- 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, Rev. Paul Tracy and Rev. Henry Randolph, 11 Dec. 2011
- St. David's, Elkhart, sign, 1980s
