The roots of the Episcopal Church in Warren County go back to colonial times, when Anglicans met in each other’s homes for Morning Prayer and Evensong. The original Calvary Church was built in 1854. Since then it has been served by eighteen rectors.
In 1978, Calvary called the Reverend Thomas Clay to lead the church as Rector. These years saw significant membership growth for the church as more new families moved to the area and came to Calvary. Additional worship services were added, including a "Youth Service" on Sunday mornings.
Disaster struck on the evening of January 3, 1892, when fire damaged the church building to the extent that it was unusable as a house of worship. The vestry, under the leadership of the Reverend Joseph R. Jones, resolved to replace the church as soon as possible. The Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian congregations of Front Royal quickly came to the aid of their fellow Christians by donating the use of their buildings until a replacement structure could be built.
In 1995, Calvary called the Reverend Deborah Rutter as the permanent Rector of Calvary Episcopal Church. Under Rev. Rutter's leadership, Calvary's involvement in the community began to grow. C-CAP was established with other community churches, to provide food for those in need. Tuesday's Table was created to provide hot meals for the needy at Calvary. Pilgrimages to Native American reservations in South Dakota allowed Calvary's youth to explore new cultures and help those in need. A partnership was established with the Episcopal Diocese of Ibba in South Sudan to provide water and job skills to our brothers and sisters in Africa.
Twelve years after the consecration of the church, the lot on the northeast corner of Second Street and Virginia Avenue was purchased, with an existing frame structure converted for use as the Rectory.
Calvary is in the process of completing a new construction project, The Passage to Peace. The Passageway is being built in honor of the recently retired Reverend Deborah Rutter and will provide a beautiful, well lit walkway from the Church to the Memorial Garden. Work on the project should be finished by late summer 2018.
Building continued in the fifties when Weber Hall was constructed on the rear portion of the rectory lot to serve as a Church office and Sunday School building. In 1964, the old wooden rectory was replaced by the current brick structure. Lots and a residence on the southwest corner of Virginia Avenue and Second Street were acquired fifteen years later to ensure that space continues to be available to support church growth.
