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The Founding of Christ Church

The original Christ Church, completed in 1890. This church burned on Christmas day, 1919.

Bishop Peterkin said in the Church News (May 15, 1889) that in Bluefield, "a desirable lot has been secured." More than half the money needed had been secured, and he expressed the hope of using the church in that year. But it seems not to have been completed until September, 1890, when the congregation still owed $1,200.00. The Church of The Incarnation (now known as Christ Church) was opened by the Bishop on Sunday, November 23, 1890, in the presence of a band of 14 persons. The original church was almost identical to the present Church of the Heavenly Rest in Princeton, as many of the churches of that time used the same architecture.

The Rev. William H. Burkhart was the first Rector at the church. He held his first service in Bluefield at 3:00 p.m., February 15, 1891. The first entry in the register was of a baptism on August 2, 1891, and of a confirmation, July 23, 1891. Mr. Burkhart's ministry made a profound impression on this entire area. He left Mercer County to serve at Weston, where he served from January 1894 to July 29, 1900. Mr. Burkhart was followed in February, 1894, by the Rev. John S. Lightbourne, an English Bermudan. His energetic work, greatly assisted by his ability as a musician, was cut short by his removal in May to go to the Bermudas.

The original rectory was located just behind the 1889 church on Tazewell Street. This lot was used to expand the space for the 1920 church, and later the 1958 addition.  The rectory was then moved across Tazewell Street in 1920 on property which is now the city parking lot. Notice the rear of the church to the left of the rectory.

When in June 1894, the Rev. Norman Fitzhugh Marshall took charge of Bluefield, Mr. Lightbourne had reported the name of the church as "Christ Church." From 1894 to 1897 the list of communicants increased from 36 to 54. The chancel was improved, the vestry room rebuilt and enlarged, the entire property fenced on three sides and otherwise improved.

Mr. Marshall was aided by the Rev. A. K. Fenton, the Rev. C.A. Chrisman, the Rev. M. T. Turner, and the Rev. William H. Bean, and Mr. Robert Nelson Meade, among others, between 1894 and 1900. In the summer of 1900 Mr. Meade filled all of Mr. Marshall's appointments when he became ill at Bramwell, in the coal fields. Although canonically non-resident, Mr. C. E. A. Marshall left the practice of Law in Bluefield to go to the Seminary. Mr. Marshall resigned Bluefield and Princeton in June of 1900 so that an independent work with Tazewell and Graham (now Bluefield, Virginia) could be started. Pocahontas was associated under the plan. Tazewell, Graham (Bluefield, Va.), and Pocahontas are now a part of the Tazewell County Cluster of Episcopal Parishes.

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