Cathedral Church of St. Paul

The Cathedral

The Cathedral Church of St. Paul has served the Episcopal community of Springfield since 1835. During this long history, the congregation has been intimately involved in the life of the community and constant in upholding the high church tradition of Episcopal worship. St. Paul's is well known in the community as a site for local arts and music events, and is justly proud of its extensive child care program, the largest in the Diocese of Springfield. Membership of the Cathedral currently shows more than 400 baptized members, 350 communicants, and a yearly budget of slightly more than $400,000.

Inside The Cathedral
The church was built in the English perpendicular gothic style, after plans approved by Ralph Adams Cram. The interior is noteworthy for its beautiful use of wood and its extensive stained glass windows, installed in a seventy year period between 1912 and 1982. the windows are entirely in the medieval gothic style, using imported glass, executed by the Willet Studios of Phladelphia.

The carved reredos is the single most distinctive work of art in the sactuary. It was carved and installed in 1920 by Alois Lang, a German woodcarver. Richly detailed with extensive Christian symbolism, the reredos is crowned by a Christus Rex, surrounded by statues of significant Biblical figures. The high altar is built of Caen stone from quarries in France with a marble tablepiece. The altar was moved out from its original location to its current freestanding position in the 1970's.

Although St. Paul's had been referred to as the pro-Cathedral of the Diocese fo Springfield for many years, it was not officially designated as the Cathedral until 1948. A major refurbishing of the interior of the structure in 1990 resulted in newly carved wood canopies over the sedelia and the Bishop's throne. these are the work of the late Gordon Benson, master craftsman, a communicant of St. Paul's. Additional work to make the church building and the communion rail accessible to persons with disabilities was carried out in 1995.

Between 1999 and 2002 the Cathedral completed two major expansion projects that provided additional classroom and office space, a new atrium entrance area and a social space know as the Cafe', plus elevator access to all floors of the buildings. Extensive building remodeling, including new roofs, tuck-pionting and a modern heating planet were also completed at this time. As St. Paul moves into the twenty-first century, the congregation continues to thrive and grow as it ministers to the entire City from its location at the center of downtown Springfield.

Here is the book list for the coming year Cathedral Book Club. The meetings are always held on the 3rd Tuesday of the month (unless otherwise noted) from 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. in the Cafe. Everyone is welcome to come even if you have not read the book!!