The History of St. Christopher's Episcopal Church

St. Christopher's Episcopal Church was founded as a result of a survey made by St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Indianapolis to determine where new work of the church should be directed. A committee, ably guided by The Rev. John H. Vruwink, began working on the Carmel Project in 1956. Attaining immediate parish status that same year, the first vestry called The Rev. Donald Davis. He later became Bishop of Western Pennsylvania.

 Services were conducted in the Carmel High School cafeteria. In a paper given to the Women's Guild in 1963, Mrs. Henry Baumeier recalled how Saturday afternoons were spent "building a church" and Sunday afternoons tearing it down, the room reverting to a cafeteria. Tables were moved to another room, chairs set in rows with a wide aisle leading to the altar, which was a table covered with dark green corduroy. One of the members made an altar rail in sections for easier handling and St. Paul's gave us thick hassocks for kneelers. After the service, all this make-shift equipment was placed in cars with each family sharing the load, and it all went in different directions.

​On August 17, 1958, the new church, built on ten acres of land donated by Mr. and Mrs. Kyle Ferger, was dedicated.

The Rev. Bertram White served as rector from 1964 to 1970. The Rev. Eric Geib became the rector in 1970 and served until 1977. The Rev. Anthony Andres, was called to St. Christopher's in 1977. After his retirement in 2000, St. Christopher's called the Rev. Steve Fales as it fifth rector. Father Fales retired in June 2017.  The Rev. Cara Spaccarelli was called to be the sixth rector of St. Christopher's. Her ministry began on May 1, 2019.

In 1982, we celebrated our 25th Anniversary by breaking ground for a new and larger church. The old church became our Fellowship Hall.

St. Christopher's has grown with Carmel and the surrounding communities

In 2002, we successfully completed a capital funds campaign to build a larger church with the construction to be accomplished in phases. Phase One, the Education and Administration building, was completed and dedicated in December 2004. Phase Two, Fellowship Hall and Worship Center building, was dedicated in September 2006. Phase three, including the the Nave and Sanctuary, was dedicated in June 2009. The spirit is moving at St. Christopher's!