Friends of Bruton: Our Worldwide Congregation Why a Friends Of
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BrutonThe Fount Friends of Bruton: Our Worldwide Congregation March 2013 Why a Friends of Bruton Day? Jim Morford, Friends of Bruton Committee Chairman Friends of Bruton is an outreach information, please send an email to program designed to enable those who live [email protected]. distant from Williamsburg to unite with our Friends needing to make lodging resident members in building a broader arrangements can do so by calling 1-800- fellowship - Our Worldwide Congregation. HISTORY to make reservations for the From his earliest discussions about Williamsburg Inn, the Williamsbug Lodge or creating the Friends program, our Rector, Father the Williamsburg Woodlands Hotel & Suites. Chris Epperson, envisioned an annual event at To receive a discount, mention that you are the church providing the opportunity to bring a Friend of Bruton. both our local and our worldwide congregations April is Religion in Williamsburg into a closer Christian fellowship. Month, and Colonial Williamsburg is offering Bruton Parish Church is loved and many special events. Among those cherished not only by its dedicated local scheduled for the weekend of April 19-21 are communicants, but also by many who have had multiple showings at the DeWitt Wallace a previous connection with Bruton and no longer Museum of Link Among the Days, a video of live in the area. Each year, as thousands of the story of the Rev. Dr. W.A.R. Goodwin, visitors come to tour, take part in Sunday rector of Bruton Parish Church, and his dream services and candlelight concerts, many wish to restore Williamsburg to its 18th-century to establish a continuing relationship. Friends appearance. On Friday afternoon at 5:00 of Bruton offers that opportunity to share in the p.m. there will be a lecture at the DeWitt heritage and spiritual life of our historic church. Wallace Museum entitled Born Again: The April 20th will be the First Annual Rise of Evangelical Christianity in Early Friends Day at Bruton! The day will feature a America by Catherine A. Brekus, Associate special guided tour of the church, the first Professor of Religions in America and the Building meeting of the Friends of Bruton Advisory History of Christianity at the University of Council, a reception for Charter Members, a Chicago. Saturday at 11:00 a.m. at the a broader luncheon talk by Dr. Carl Lounsbury, author and Governor’s Palace Gardens, listen to Thomas Senior Architectural Historian at Colonial Jefferson discuss his views on religion. A fellowship Williamsburg, a candlelight concert performed Colonial Williamsburg Visitors Pass or Good through by the Lenoir-Rhyne Youth Choir from Hickory, Neighbor Pass is required to access these North Carolina and a Coffee Connections events. More details are available online at Our reception at the Custis House at 10:30 a.m. on colonialwilliamsburg.com. Worldwide Sunday morning, the 21st. Some of these events We do hope that Friends of Bruton require reservations. If you have not already who are able to join us for Friends Day will Congregation done so or did not receive reservation find it an enjoyable and enriching experience. Bruton Parish Church, P.O. Box 3520, Williamsburg, Virginia 23187-3520 757-229-2891 www.brutonparish.org Friends of Bruton Connections From Advisory Council Formed The Past by Jim Morford, Chairman By Judy Covarrubias Friends of Bruton Committee Wow! We ask you to let us know about The Friends of Bruton Committee has your connections to Bruton Parish and did you created an Advisory Council to recommend, ever. We want to thank you so much for your evaluate and support programs and projects interest and enthusiasm for The Bruton Fount, undertaken by the Committee. As you know from and encourage you to keep those cards and reading previous issues of The Bruton Fount, the letters coming. In this issue, you will find articles Committee has been meeting monthly for the past written by ancestors of Joseph Cabell, Joshua year to launch Friends of Bruton: Our Worldwide Fry, John Page, and William and Jane Christian. Congregation. In addition, you connected with us through our In order to provide guidance to our small Facebook page and via email. Here are some operating committee, we have created an interesting highlights about your ancestors whom Advisory Council to help guide us as we seek to we want to share with our readers. preserve and promote the heritage of Bruton George Yeardley (1587 – 1627): He was Parish Church – both spiritual and historic. The three-times colonial Governor of the British membership of the Council is drawn from Bruton Colony of Virginia. He is best remembered for parishioners and individuals from the greater presiding over the first legislative body in Virginia Williamsburg area whose particular expertise will in 1619. It became the House of enhance and enrich the Friends program as it Burgesses. moves forward. William Powell (before It is anticipated that the Council will meet 1577 – 1623): He was a member at least once a year. However, individual members of the first House of Burgesses in may be asked from time to time for their advice 1619. with respect to specific projects or issues. The Nathaniel Powell (about first meeting of the Council is being planned for 1587 – 1622): He wrote much of a breakfast on Saturday, April 20, 2013 in Lewis John Smith’s “History of Virginia.” Hall of the Bruton Parish House at the start of our Sir Edmund Jennings first Friends of Bruton Day. (1659 – 1727): He was buried at As we go to press, the Friends of Bruton Bruton Parish Church, and Advisory Council membership includes: Governor of Virginia in 1706. He Bruton members: Sue Godson, Anne was also a member of the House Conkling, Will Molineux, Joe Spruill, Marcia of Burgesses and a member of Hibbitts, Linda Rowe, Channing Hall, Taylor the Bruton Parish Vestry. He Stoemer, Rebecca Davy, and Colin Campbell. authorized the building of our Members from the greater Williamsburg present church in 1710. community: Dr. Taylor Reveley, President of the I also had the privilege College of William and Mary; Dr. William Kelso, of having a most interesting Jamestown Archeologist; Dr. Carl Lounsbury, conversation with one of our author & Architectural Historian at Colonial members, Cynthia Lee. She wanted to know if Williamsburg; Hon. Paul Freiling, Vice Mayor of 40 or more years counted. I said of course. Her Williamsburg; Dr. Neal Tognazzini, Asstistant father-in-law, General Robert Vernon Lee who Professor of Philosophy, the College of William died in 1987, was a member of the Vestry at and Mary; Dennis Montgomery, Biographer of Dr. Bruton Parish and a delegate to Council. General W.A.R Goodwin; Jeff & Jo Anne Coy, first Charter Lee’s wife, Barbara Burgess Lee, was President Members of Friends of Bruton; Joe Poole III, of the Women’s Club. She sold cookbooks every Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; Scott Spence, Friday out of the Parish House Parlor where the Architect. Bruton Parish Shop is now located. Cynthia’s late Ex Officio members of the Advisory husband, Robert Vernon Lee, Jr. was the first lay Council include the Bruton clergy; members of reader in Bruton Parish Church, and a West Point the Friends of Bruton Committee; Marty Easton, graduate from the class of 1946. Vestry Senior Warden; Judy Covarrubias, Editor Those who came before us left a rich of The Bruton Fount, and Hilary Cooley, Bruton and powerful legacy. They all fought valiantly for Parish Director of Communications. Additional freedom and gave generously of their time and members may be added from time to time. talents to their families, Bruton Parish Church, We believe the Advisory Council will and their communities. These few mentioned had provide valuable guidance on the development strong faith and a desire to do God’s work in our and evaluation of programs for the enhancement world. I salute their memory along with you, of the Friends of Bruton project. and thank you for sharing with us. Religion after the nave just west of the transept, and the altar was American Revolution moved to this new wall. The room created in the nave By Sue Godson was used for Sunday School and meetings, and the tower became a coal bin. Always looking for funding, The American Revolution opened the the church even charged rent for the pews. door for religious denominations other than the The years following the American Revolution Church of England to gain footholds and to brought great changes to religion in Williamsburg. expand in Williamsburg. Indeed, long before the Observances changed from the tightly controlled state colonies broke with the mother country groups church of colonial times to the free exercise of the of dissenters challenged the established state beliefs of many denominations. Religious freedom had church. arrived in the old colonial capital. As early as 1739, the evangelical preacher and a founder of Methodism, the Rev. George Whitefield, preached a sermon at Bruton John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Parish Church. Presbyterians received govern- ment permission to meet publicly in 1765. By the Memorial Concerts next decade, slaves and free blacks began By Beckie Davy meeting as Baptists in secret locations. The Revolution ushered in great changes As we journey through Lent in our approach to Holy for religion in Virginia and at Bruton. The political Week and Easter, the Bruton Parish Choirs have also begun break with the mother country affected the ties preparations for the annual John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial with the Church of England. The disestablishment Concert. This year’s performance will take place on Saturday, of the state church in 1784 ended financial April 27 at 8:00 p.m. and will feature two works from the 18th support and compulsory attendance.