Meet St. Paul's, Monroe

The Diocese's 41st parish

By Nicci Brown

In the early 1870s, the community of Monroe began its recovery from the Civil War and its aftermath. Fourteen Episcopalians met in a parlor and signed a petition asking for the formation of a parish. The present property was purchased in 1875, and St. Paul’s was admitted to the diocese as the 41st parish organized in North Carolina. Work began on the present church building in 1911, with extensive remodeling between 1919 and 1921. A parish house was built in 1924.

The Rev. Frederick B. Drane became priest-in-charge in 1929, and his ministry continued for many years until his retirement. Additions were made to the parish house, and a Sunday School wing, which included the guild room, was constructed

The Rev. George Peters served as rector from 1958 to 1963, introducing the use of Eucharistic vestments, a three-year cycle of courses in Christian education and an annual Feast of Lights service.

In 1964, the Rev. James King was called to be rector. He did much to strengthen the life of our church family and the community until his resignation in 1973.

The Rev. Preston Huntley, Jr., became our rector in 1974. The centennial of St. Paul’s was celebrated on November 10 of that year. Virginia Heath compiled a history of the parish for this occasion. After a building fund was established, the old parish house was razed, and a new parish hall and education building were dedicated in 1978. Huntley’s ministry at St. Paul’s ended in 1981.

 In 1982, The Rev. Daniel (Dan) Riggall answered a call to be our rector. He and his family resided in the “new” rectory, which had been purchased in 1963.  

The Rev. Henry Presler came to St. Paul’s in 1988 and served until his retirement in 2008. Known as “Father Henry,” he watched over the growth of outreach programs such as Loaves and Fishes, a food bank; Turning Point, a shelter for battered women; food service at the homeless shelter; special church services for persons with disabilities; and regular services for residents of a nearby retirement community.

After an extensive search following Presler’s retirement, the parish called the Rev. Dr. Bradford Ray Smith to be our new priest. He began his tenure in November 2009. In August 2017, Smith accepted a position at St. John’s, Charlotte, as senior associate for Christian formation and spiritual development.

Following Smith’s departure, St. Paul’s was fortunate to be served by a dedicated series of supply priests, allowing our parish life and worship traditions to continue largely uninterrupted while our vestry searched for a new rector.

After about a year, we were fortunate to find the Rev. Dr. James Croom, who was serving as interim rector at St. Alban’s, Davidson. He and his wife, Stephanie, were already living in Monroe, making his transition to St. Paul’s virtually seamless. They have been with us since July 2018.