Our Past - Historical

Our Past - Historical Archives

Index:

ST. CHARLES EPISCOPAL PARISH
(Eventually to become Faith Episcopal Church)
(Source: 1989 photo directory)

St. Charles Episcopal Parish, Diocese of Olympia, is in the unique position of having two churches under its jurisdiction - St. Charles, Poulsbo, and St. Paul’s, Port Gamble. Originally a mission, parish status was reached on November 8, 1980. In numbers, the parish has grown from about twenty original members in 1932 to around three hundred members in 1986, with the majority attending St. Charles Church, Poulsbo.

The churches are nine miles apart and are over one hundred years apart in age and appearance. However, they may be used interchangeably by church members who also share the services of the parish rector, have the same lay governing body - the vestry - and the same budget.

Although St. Paul's was built in 1870, it was not originally used by an Episcopal congregation. It became a full mission of the Diocese of Olympia on February 2, 1932.

In the early days much of the responsibility for carrying on the work of the church was shouldered by many lay persons who gave generously of their time and talent. Priests from near-by congregations served on a part-time basis. Then on July 1, 1956, St. Paul's received its first fulltime resident priest and Sunday morning services were held regularly.

About this time, a study of projected growth in Kitsap County was made and the Diocese of Olympia decided to develop a new congregation in the area of Poulsbo Junction which seemed to be the center for an increasing population in the northern part of the county. The new church, St. Charles, was an outreach ministry of the congregation at St. Paul's in Port Gamble.

For two years services were held in Poulsbo at the Stone Chapel of the Lewis Funeral Home. Then, in 1965, a gift of land in Poulsbo was received from a long-time parishioner which became the present site for St. Charles.

The first service here was held in portables on October 9, 1966. The present church building was begun in 1977 and dedicated June 18, 1978. The parish hall was built in 1982.

Many members of St. Paul's congregation left to attend St. Charles because of the new church's proximity to their homes. The earlier predictions regarding changes in population development in the area came true so that we now find in the 1980's the "parent" church has reversed roles with its mission church and St. Paul's is now know at St. Paul's Chapel. However, the members of St. Paul's congregation are still an integral part of St. Charles Episcopal Parish giving continued financial support and participating in parish activities.

In October of 2004 St. Charles in Poulsbo announce they were breaking off from the Episcopal Church to align with a conservative Anglican bishop in Brazil. December 2006 The Olympia Diocese announces agreement with St. Charles Anglican Church’s congregation to allow them to continue in its Poulsbo facility. St. Charles aligned with the same Brazilian bishop as other Episcopal churches in the area. They affiliated with the Rt. Rev. Robinson Cavalcanti, who, unlike some other conservative bishops, was willing to take on those parishes headed by a woman or by a divorced and remarried man. (Source: Seattle Times, February 19, 2007 article)

Prior to St. Charles’ breaking off from the Episcopal Church, in the mid 1980's, a group of St. Charles’ members began meeting separately in area homes and community facilities. In 1990 this small group became a Mission Church of the The Episcopal Diocese of Olympia (The Episcopal Diocese of Olympia) as Faith Episcopal Church. After St. Charles vacated the church facilities on Little Valley Road in Poulsbo in 2015 the same small group who re-organized as Faith Episcopal Church began to occupy the church facilities in March of 2016 and continues to the present time.