By Andy Fillmore
Karen Holland, a manufacturing engineer at Lockheed Martin, had a bit of difficulty quickly describing the outfit she wore to the 110th anniversary celebration service at Grace Episcopal Church on Sunday.
The service was conducted in the style of worship circa 1905 when the church was moved from a few blocks away to where it stands today surrounded by a decorative wrought iron fence.
Parishioners were encouraged to wear clothing of the period.
“I researched turn of the century clothes and borrowed this from the Ocala Civic Theater,” said Holland.
Holland attended the 9:45 a.m. worship service wearing what she described — after some additional research — as a “late Victorian satin blouse with high collar, full length ‘A’ frame velvet skirt in dark olive and a small hat with brown lacey trim.”
The idea of a throwback Sunday was suggested by church member Eleanor Simons, a former teacher at Grace Episcopal School.
The idea was accepted by the pastor and church staff, said Simons, who has worked on a church history project with fellow member Tyrus Clutter that includes a pictorial history on display in the church office.
Simons explained prayers, music and vestments used Sunday were circa 1900. The air conditioning was bumped up a few degrees and hand fans were distributed.
Tape marked off the original size of the interior of the church, about 650 square feet. The current interior is at least twice the original size.
Simons provided a history of Grace Episcopal Church that states the church began with six families meeting in homes in 1849. The church was officially established in 1853.
An 80 seat church building near the square was built in 1880. In 1903 the present property was purchased for $300, and in 1905 the church was disassembled and moved to the current site in a five-month project, the history states.
Many of the women in the parish wore turn of the century outfits and head coverings, some wore flowered hats while others wore veils, a requirement before about the 1960s.
Dee Klinger wore a white hat topped with red flowers she made herself, while church member Deb Pratt donned an all-red hat.
Women also did not participate in the early 20th Century altar services as they have for the last several decades.
The Rev. Jonathan French said the Episcopalian church worship service liturgy is conducted according to Prayer Books, with one dating back to 1892 and a later revision in 1928.
French said additional changes in 1979 included the pastor facing the congregation and women serving as priests.
French explained some changed traditions like no longer requiring head coverings such as hats and veils have been “gradual, cultural changes” over about the last 50 years.
Lifetime church member Louise Carpenter, 95, said she remembered services going back to the late 1920s and has a photo of the church altar taken on Easter Sunday 1930.
“We signed a petition (at the time) to (not adopt) the 1979 changes. I recall almost being in tears. But it’s fine (now),” Carpenter said.
Ann Anderson, 79, an Ocala native noted worship services today are shorter and she likes the traditional type of worship. A photo of the church circa 1905 shows her father, Dr. Tom Wallis, as a very young boy with a toy wagon in front of the building.
French used the same Bible used by the church in 1903 and conducted the service with some slight differences compared to modern services.
French’s sermon reflected the meaning of the church’s anniversary celebration.
“Through two World Wars and now terrorism, economic collapse and global warming, it is easy to get lost. (Our church) is a beautiful place (for) faith, hope and love … and attention to Jesus Christ,” he said.
French announced church members are planning a mission to Cuba, another outreach of Grace Episcopal. Additional community involvements include being a founding member of Interfaith charities and sponsoring Arnett House for Youth.
Barbara and Chester Trow, along with their visiting granddaughter Erika Brown, 19, enjoyed a meeting in the Parish Hall after the service.
Chester Trow acted as a chalice bearer and David Baines and Bill Wood served as ushers for the service.
Barbara Trow wore a period outfit she acquired while participating in the Historic Ocala Preservation Society Candlelight Tour in December.
Parishioner Nancy Dunlevy and Martha Williamson joined the gathering in the Parish Hall.
When asked, Holland mentioned one item she prefers about contemporary style worship.
“I like the air conditioning,” she said.