The Church of the Epiphany, the older of Danville’s two Episcopal churches, is a significant landmark located in the center of the Historic District at the corner of Main Street and Jefferson Avenue.  It has a middle-to-upper income congregation with an approximate median age of fifty.

The history of this Episcopal church is primarily the history of the dedication of its clergy, the vestries and its congregation.  Since its founding in 1840 there have been only eight rectors.  From an original group of four members the congregation grew to 598, but for a variety of reasons the membership had gradually declined to 159 active communicants in 1992.  At the present time the active communicants number 237 adults; there are 60 children on the rolls.

In 1840 the Rev. George Washington Dame, the first rector, purchased a lot, which was later exchanged for the lot on which the church now stands.  Dr. Dame stated that “a cornfield was exchanged for a chinquapin patch”.

During the War Between the States, Epiphany’s steeple bell was donated to make cannon for the Army of the Confederacy.  (Funds were provided for its replacement at a special tobacco auction sale after the war.  It is this bell that we hear today.)  Confederate President Jefferson Davis worshipped at Epiphany during his residence in Danville during the last days of the war in     April 1865.

In 1879 the original wood frame building was demolished to make way for the larger present structure.  It was consecrated in 1880 and completed in 1881.  The building is rated the most outstanding structure in the city’s architectural inventory.  It is stuccoed Gothic with stained glass memorial windows, most of which were designed and executed by the J. R. Lamb Company of New York.

After Dr. Dame’s resignation in 1895, his assistant, the Rev. J. Cleveland Hall became the rector of the church and served in that capacity for twenty five years.  Under his leadership the church continued to grow and the music program flourished.

In 1896 the organist was Professor Robert S. Phifer who was a friend and benefactor of the British composer Frederick Delius.  It is thought that at one time during his brief stay here Delius was also the church organist.  In 1904 the first vested choir in Danville sang in the chancel of Epiphany eliciting many favorable comments in the local newspapers.

Dr. Hall was succeeded by the Rev. Malcolm S. Taylor, rector from 1921 to 1925.  Under his auspices a mission, Christ Church, Glenwood was built in 1923.

The Rev. Norvell E. Wicker served as the fourth rector of the church from 1925 to 1944.  During his tenure the Women’s Auxiliary, the Ladies’ Aide Society and the Rector’s Aid Society were combined into an organization subsequently known as the Episcopal Church Women.

The interior of the church was redecorated in 1927 and the following year a Skinner pipe organ was acquired.  The specifications for the organ were approved by Dr. T. Tertius Noble, organist of St. Thomas Church, New York.  Dr. Noble played the opening recital.  This organ, located in the front of the church, has been recognized for its historical significance by the Organ Historical Society, a national organization.  It bears a plaque in recognition of its “exceptional historic merit worthy of preservation”.  It has been kept in working order and is played at special services.

In 1944 after Dr. Wicker’s resignation, the Rev. Dr. George Ronald MacClintock became rector, a position he held for twenty seven years.  The old building which housed the offices and church school rooms was razed, and the present parish house, corresponding architecturally with the church, was added in 1954.  Classes for the instruction of lay readers were instituted, and with the encouragement of the congregation, Dr. MacClintock received and trained for Holy Orders a succession of young men sent to him by the bishop.

“Mr. Mac” retired in 1971 and was succeeded by the Rev. Mr. M. Douglas Girardeau, who had served faithfully as curate of Epiphany and priest-in-charge of Christ Church, Glenwood.  He continued as rector until 1986.

It was during these years that the outreach committee, continental breakfasts, fellowship suppers, day camp and annual retreat were established.  In 1977 the original shingled steeple was replaced with an exact one piece duplicate of antiqued aluminum.  Through donations, the steeple was totally funded by the congregation in three weeks.

The centennial of the present building was celebrated in 1979 – the same year the Andover organ, a forty seven rank mechanical action instrument, was installed in the balcony at the rear of the nave.

Two refugee families from Vietnam were sponsored, a Faith Alive weekend proved to be a successful encounter with the Renewal Movement, and we could “read all about it” in THE EPIPHANY STAR, our church newsletter.

At the same time Epiphany was enriched with several important gifts.  In 1975 Mrs. E. Stuart James Grant, a longtime member of Epiphany, purchased and donated to the church the property immediately adjacent on Main Street.  A beautiful memorial garden was created on this property in 1980 in memory of Mrs. John G. Boatwright.  Additional contributions in memory of many other devoted members of Epiphany have been given for the garden since then.

In the late 1970’s Dr. Howard W. Church and Mrs. Bland Schoolfield Church left significant endowments which formed The Schoolfield Fund.  Its history is addressed in another area of this profile.

Following the Rev. Mr.  Girardeau’s resignation, the Rev. Mr. James Arthur Wilson was called in February 1988.  There was an initial period of goodwill and fellowship.  The use of the church facility increased significantly for meetings of groups such as AA, ACOA, Divorce Support Group and Teen Care.  The Lay Eucharistic Ministry Program was also instituted.  The Rev. Mr. Wilson’s ministry, being somewhat charismatic in our “low” church environment, seemed to split the congregation into factions, and irreconcilable differences arose which resulted in his resignation in mutual agreement with the vestry in December 1990.

The next year was consumed with consultants and many meetings of the congregation to try to sort out what our future should be.  A search committee was appointed by the vestry and, after two years of working diligently,  The Rev. Mr. James W. Mathieson of Rocky Mount, NC was chosen and assumed his duties in April 1993.

During his tenure from 1993 to his retirement in 2004.  The Rev. Mr. Mathieson  presided over the establishment of The Free Clinic of Danville, originally sponsored and funded by our church.  Also, carried out during this time were repainting and refurbishing of the interior of the church and the parish house including bathroom renovation throughout, renovation and building a new sacristy, kitchen renovation in the parish house, installation of an elevator serving all floors of the church for disabled parishioners, complete updating and equipping the business office with the latest electronic equipment, buying land for a new parking lot, establishing  and building  our  columbarium   and arranging for the establishment of a pre-kindergarten for Carlisle School.  Carlisle is a private K-12 educational institution located in Martinsville, Virginia.

In May of 2007, The Reverend Samuel S. Colley-Toothaker was called from St. Andrews in Newport News to preside as Priest in Charge.