Parish Profile 2020: St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Chestnut Hill

Our History
St. Paul’s Chestnut Hill was born June 18,
1855 when 19 local Episcopalians met to
“build a Christian community” for “the
increasing number of those who are attached
to the Protestant Episcopal Church.”
Throughout its history St. Paul’s has been
served by remarkable priests and laypersons,
people who made contributions to the
community, to the diocese, and to the national
church. Many St. Paulites have served the
diocese actively as members of Standing
Committee, at Episcopal Community Services,
and on many other diocesan committees.
Two members of the parish have served as the
diocese’s chancellor. Three of our rectors and
one former assistant have been elected bishop.
During its history, St. Paul’s has been a leader
in and responsive to the church’s changes
as they occurred. We have a long history of
including women in important leadership
roles.
In the early 1970s the parish used the
experimental liturgies that led to the
development and passage of the 1979 Book of
Common Prayer.
In June 2014, almost immediately after the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania approved
same-sex marriage, St. Paul’s became one of
the first, if not the first, parish in the diocese
to perform a same-sex wedding.
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