Church of St. Paul's, K Street (Washington, D.C.)

After establishing a Mission in Autumn 1866, in February 1867 an application was filed to the Diocese of Maryland to organize a new parish from the metes and bounds of St John's Parish (Lafayette Square).[1] This was granted on 30 May 1867 by the Diocese's 84th Convention. The boundaries were defined by the Potomac River and 24th Street, running north to H Street, east on H Street to 22nd Street to the city boundary (Boundary Road, today called Florida Avenue).[2] In June 1867, at lot was purchased on 23rd Street near Washington Circle, and Emlen T. Littell was selected to design the new church to be built.[3] In June 1868, the church was completed.[4], an expansion occurred in Spring 1883, so that the church could seat up to 650 people. A second phase of expansion in October 1891 brought a new single stone porch, a vestibule and an enlarged chancel.[5] With the mortgage debt being paid off in December 1892, the Church was cleared for Consecration, which occurred on the Feast of St. Paul's on 25 January 1893.[6] In June 1898, the third phase of construction took place with the chancel being enlarged, a baptistry and a chapel being built and altar steps and reredos being installed.[7] In May 1913, the dedication of a Cloister marked the completion of the Church and the Parish House building complex.[8] In February 1922, the parish merged with the parish of St. Michael and All Angels.[9] In 1935, women received the right to vote in parish elections.[10] As a new hospital for George Washington University was planned to be built nearby, the US Federal Government bought the property and the old building was closed at the end of 1944. The last service in the old church was held on January 1, 1945, and the church was deconsecrated by Bishop Angus Dun the day after.[11]

On new property on K Street, purchased by the church, the architect Philip H. Frohman was engaged to design a new building.[12] During a prolonged period of construction, the parish worshipped at St Thomas Church near Dupont Circle. The first service was held in the new church in June 1948, the service of Dedication was celebrated on 18 July 1948.[13] Numerous additions of stained glass windows and appropriate religious adornments were added in the following years. In 1966, St. Paul's celebrated its centenary with a liturgy of Consecration.[14] On 5 October 2008, the newly expanded parish hall from 1958 was dedicated by the Bishop of Washington, John Chane. The new parish house incorporated the Gray and Carwithen townhouses that were adjacent to the church.

St. Pauls' sister-parish is St Paul's Church, Knightsbridge in London.[15]

Holy Communion was celebrated weekly from 1868 to 1893, then scheduled daily.[16] The parish was the first Episcopal parish in Washington to use Altar Candles.[17] By 1870, Morning and Evening Prayer were recited daily in Advent and Lent, Daily Evening Prayer was recited throughout the year, except for two months in summer. The "Midnight Mass" of 1870 was perhaps the first in the United States in an Episcopal church.[18] The first written record of the Reservation of the Blessed Sacrament dates from November 1912, but the practice might go back to 1893 when the Tabernacle was gifted and built into the High Altar.[19]The parish was the first Episcopal parish in the city of Washington that did not charge pew rents[20] and was also one of the first parishes to use envelopes for offerings.[21] By 1935, Evensong and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament was being offered weekly,[22] a practice that continued until 2019.

The church is known for its music program. The first organist of the parish, John F. Franklin, began training a vested boys' choir as early as in spring 1869.[23]In January 1911, the first Organ Recital Series in the city was launched.[24] The first recording of the Men and Boys' Choir appeared as early as 1954, an Evensong service sung on WGMS radio.[25] In 1980, the Men and Boys Choir was discontinued.[26] In 1993, the chorister programme was revised with an additional girls choir which sang at the Sunday 9a.m. Mass.

As of 2023, the Parish Choir, a mixed adult choir with a professional core, sings at the 10:30 a.m. Solemn Mass on Sundays and for various feast days and special liturgies. For many years, the boy and girl choristers have sung Evensong on Sunday afternoon weekly, together with a group of tenors and basses. In summer 2023, the chorister programme went on hiatus. The parish's Directors of Music include Douglas Birchby, Paul Callaway, J. Marcus Ritchie, Jeffrey Smith (1992-2004; 2017-2022), Mark Dwyer (2004-2007), and Robert McCormick (2007-2016). In July 2022, Monica Czausz Berney was named Interim Director of Music,[27] in July 2023, she was named Director of Music.[28]

Following the retirement of the Rev'd Andrew L. Sloane in January 2013, the priest in charge was the Rt Rev'd James Jelinek as interim rector. In May 2015, the vestry of St. Paul's announced the election of the Rev'd Richard David Wall as rector.

The organ for the "first" church was installed by Roper & Co. from Boston in July 1868.[29] In June 1901, a new three-manual organ by Lyon & Healy was dedicated in memory of John P. Franklin, the parish's first organist and choirmaster. [30] This instrument was renovated in 1919, 1930, and after relocation to the new church, in 1949.[31]

A new organ of 51 stops and 64 ranks was built in 1996 by American organ builder Schoenstein & Co.[32] The first instrument built by Schoenstein in the Mid-Atlantic Region, the organ at St. Paul's is a standard-bearer of the American symphonic style and is particularly notable for its "double expression". Two separate enclosed divisions called Celestial and Ethereal are located within the Swell division, which is enclosed itself. The organ has four expression shoes, one for the Choir Division, one for the Swell Division, one for the Double Expression Divisions (Celestial/Ethereal, called "Utility") and one for the Solo Division. In 2005, a Tuba Mirabilis was added, the pipes of which are located on cabinetry installed on the church's rear wall. In summer 2023, new memory levels were added and the toe studs on the pedal board were re-assigned.

• Church website