Emmanuel Episcopal Church (Rapid City, South Dakota)


The Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Rapid City, South Dakota is an historic Gothic Revival sandstone Episcopal church located at 717 Quincy Street. In 1975, Emmanuel Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
It was built during 1887–88. It is a one-story cross-gabled building.

History

Emmanuel Episcopal Church is the only downtown Rapid City church still in its original building. A small group began holding services in Rapid City in 1887, under the leadership of George G. Ware, a lay reader who was later ordained and became the first rector. The cornerstone of the original sandstone church was laid November 10, 1887, and the first services were held in the new building in 1888.
The church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The original church building was enlarged by an addition to the south in the early 1940s, which also incorporated a stone Parish Hall adjacent on the east. In 1954, a large, new Parish Hall with a stage, kitchen and basement classrooms was added and, in 1991, an addition for office space and additional classrooms was completed.
The longest-serving Rector was the Rev. Mr. E. Jerome Pipes, who served from 1934 until 1960. Perhaps the best-remembered event of his tenure was the attendance of President Franklin D. Roosevelt at a regular Sunday service in 1936.
Rectors have included the Rev. Dr. Hanford L. King, Jr., 1960–1972; the Rev. Mr. Hewes "Doc" Phillips, 1972–1977; the Rev. Mr. David Anderson, 1978–1987; The Rev. Mr. David A. Cameron, 1987–2006; interim rectors the Very Rev. Dr. Robert Wagner and the Rev. Canon David L. Seger ; Rev. Richard Ressler, and the Rev. Chris Roussell.

Current use

Emmanuel Church is an active parish in the Episcopal Diocese of South Dakota.