St. Thomas’s Then…
In 1842, a group of professors at Newark College [now the University of Delaware] and others felt a need to establish an Episcopal presence in the growing village of Newark. Under the guidance and leadership of the Reverend George Allen, who served as a professor of literature and language at the college, St. Thomas’s Parish was established.
The first church was built and dedicated on February 24, 1845, and continues its presence as the Bayard Sharp Hall for the University at the convergence of Main and Delaware Streets.
The churchyard and cemetery continues to be used by St. Thomas’s, and is maintained by the loving hands and hearts of our parishioners. The parish moved to its current location in 1955.
We stand on the strong, faithful, and gracious shoulders of the saints of St. Thomas’s Parish history, lay and ordained. Now, it is our time to serve in our parish history.
St. Thomas’s Now…
Today, we stand solid in our vision and mission for the future.
St. Thomas’s Parish strives to be a safe and inclusive community of worship that welcomes everyone as a child of God, and values everyone’s ministry in the Church and the world.
St. Thomas’s is a diverse community of young and old, different races, languages, and nationalities, cradle Episcopalians and those new to our tradition. We are conservative and liberal, single and married and partnered, socially active, spiritually reflective, deeply committed to being the Gospel in our community, our diocese, and our world.