Timeline of Christ Church in Albert Lea

1861 – January 28 – The first Episcopal service is held by Bp. Whipple in the courthouse in Albert Lea.

1866 – The next recorded Episcopal service in Albert Lea, Bp. Whipple presiding.

1868 – April 28 - An Episcopal service was held in the courthouse.

1868 to 1870 - Morning and evening services were held by the Rev. S.W. Gibson in the courthouse.

1870 to 1876 - Occasional services held in the courthouse by the Rev. George Tanner (from Owatonna) and the Rev. R.S. Hurleson.

1876 - January 1^st - the Rev. R.R. Goudy was put in charge of services in both Austin and Albert Lea. Bp. Whipple designates Albert Lea as an informal, unincorporated mission called the Church of the Good Shepherd, which continued to meet in the courthouse. We count the founding of our parish from this date.

1877 – April 17 - The first Episcopal confirmations were held in the Presbyterian Church by Bp. Whipple. Thirteen people were confirmed.

1878 – November - The first vestry was formed and a petition signed to organize a formal parish in Albert Lea. The Bishop consented on November 21.

1880 – Summer - The parish raised about $1200 by the summer of 1880 in order to purchase the Congregational church.

1880 – November 7 – The first service held in the newly purchased Congregational church building.

1885 – August 1 - Rev. R.R. Goudy moves from Austin to Albert Lea to be full time in charge of the parish. The parish loses the Congregational property due to mortgage failure. Rev. Goudy proposes to build a church at the corner of Park and Grove Avenues.

1886 – Henry Arey, a retiree from Philadelphia, agrees to put up $2000 for a new church if the congregation can raise $1000.

1886 – October – The foundation is laid for the new church building.

1887 – March 3 – The new church building is consecrated as Christ Episcopal Church. IT was one of the first (if not the first) church in Minnesota to have electric lighting.

1887 – April 1 – The Rev. A. Bailey Hill of Northfield becomes rector of Christ Episcopal Church.

1891 – Summer – The Rev. Maurice Bywater is appointed missionary to Albert Lea.

1896 – 1898 – The Rev. D. F. Thompson serves as rector

1898 – 1900 – The Rev. H. D. Chambers serves as rector.

1902 – 1915 – The Rev. George H. Mueller serves as rector.

1915 – 1948 – Rev.’s Duncan Weeks, Mark Paulson, Aitchinson, Victor Pinkham, Adams, and F.E. Drake serve as rectors.

1948 – 1951 – The Rev. Howard Hamilton serves as rector.

1951 – 1955 – The Rev. Thomas H. Bridle serves as rector.

1953 – Property at 204 W. Fountain St is purchased and the home of Pat Hall is demolished for a new church building.

1953 – April 6 – Ground broken for new church building.

1954 – June 28 – Cornerstone laid for the new church building.

1956 – October 3 – The new church building is consecrated by Bp. Hamilton Kellogg.

1956 – 1963 – The Rev. Philip Lewis serves as rector.

1964 – 1966 – The Rev. Bradbury Robinson serves as rector.

1966 – 1971 – The Rev. W. A. Donald Foster serves as rector.

1967 – An educational wing is added to the original structure.

1968 – The new educational wing is dedicated.

1972 – 1975 – The Rev. John Holman serves as rector.

1975 – 1978 – The Rev. Karl E. Bell serves as rector.

1979 – 1984 - The Rev. John D. Crandall serves as rector.

1986 – 1989 – The Rev. John Edson serves as rector.

1989 – 1996 – The Venerable Benjamin Scott serves as rector.

1996 – 1998 – The Rev. Gerald Krumenacker serves as rector.

1998 – Spanish services added.

1999 – 2001 – The Rev. Jim Jenkins serves as rector.

2001 - 2010 – The Rev. Jim Young serves as rector.

2011 – Present – The Rev. Henry Doyle serves as priest-in-charge.