Founder's Day Fold:

Martha Branson was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church in Hamburg. When she moved to the Lake Shore area, she became a member of Holy Communion.

Martha's earliest memories of the Church of the Holy Communion were of Bishop Dudley McNeil and his lovely wife Charlotte. She has fond memories of being confirmed in the church.

Martha remembers when there were five children in the Nursery. Shortly thereafter, her daughter Kira was born.
When she was born, the Bishop and Charlotte took Martha's daughter Renee into their home until Martha was released from the hospital. The rest of the children were taken care of by family members.

Her most cherished memory was when the Bishop came to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Church of the Holy Communion. Her sister-in-law Ruth, had been a member of the original Church of the Holy Communion on Humboldt Parkway in Buffalo. She and her husband came to LakeView to celebrate the anniversary with them. Shortly after, her sister-in-law Ruth passed away.

Martha is still active in the church. She attends the 8 o'clock service, and is a Lector at that service. She has also recently been licensed to serve as a Lay Eucharistic Minister.

In 1960, Bishop Lauriston Scaife invited his friend, Bishop Dudley McNeil, newly retired, to come to Western New York, to build a church in the Lake Shore area.
The first service was held on November 27th, 1960 in a store front building on Route #5 across the road from the Cloverbank .....Hotel.
The congregation grew to such an extent, that soon they had 2 services, and before long they added a 3rd service.
Although the little building didn't hold many people, they had an organ, a choir, acolytes, and all the earmarks of a successful ch~rch.Vestments were sewn for the choir, and the choir directress, made little caps for the junior choir, (from her· discarded bathing suit!!) Plans were drawn for the new church, to be located at the intersection of Rt. #5 and the Old Lake Shore Rd. Ground was broken on Easter Sunday. The foundation was poured and the members began to build their church. After a day of hard work at Bethlehem or Ford, the men came to the site and worked until darkness forced them to quit. The Women brought picnic suppers and everyone participated in the project. The first service in the new building was held on Christmas Eve. At one point in the beginning, the Acolyte Director complained that he had so many Acolytes he didn't know how to keep them all busy!!
There were "about 80 families, numbering about 250souls", .....There were about 70 children.
The first Book of Records, shows the following names, many of· whom are still with us :

Mary & Charles Cawl 5/1/61 Kathy (Cawl) Muck 5/1/61

Jos'eph & Martha Branson 5/1/61 Robert & Shelby Catherwood 3/23/62

Lynn (Catherwood) Schiedel 3/23/62 John & Margaret Leavitt 4/6/62

Susan (Leavitt) Loyst 4/6/62 Jackie & Phil Manns 4/6/62

Margaret. Saunders 8/17/67 John & Grace Rosati 12/10/76

Some of our Treasures

The Altar was originally installed in the Church of the Holy Communion on 6th Avenue and 20th Street in New York City. The first ingathering of the United Thank Offering in 1889 was presented on that Altar. The Altar was ultimately put in storage when the church merged with S1. George's Church on 16th Street at Gramercy Park, and when the Church of the Holy Communion on Humboldt Parkway in . Buffalo was organized in 1915, it was brought from New York to be used at that location. When the 33 Expressway replaced the Parkway, the neighborhood changed drastically and the church was sold and deconsecrated. All the furnishings were put in storage until 'our' Holy Communion was organized, and then we inherited not only the wonderful Altar, but the Lectern (the Eagle), the Pulpit, the Bishops Chair, the Pews and the Organ. The organ had been built for the Humboldt church and the Organ Committee had agreed to pay $1,975.00 for it. (Today we pay that much to have it professionally tuned!!!) Most of our 'altarware' - candleabra, vases, processional cross and candles, have been given as memorial gifts in honor of members who have passed on, and therefore are very special to us.
The Baptismal Font was given to S1. Luke's Church at Seneca and Swan Streets in 1897, in memory of Nettie Riedpath, by her sister and brother-in-law, Isabelle and Darwin Martin, owners of the Frank LLoyd Wright Martin House and GraycJiff in Derby.

Vicars, 1960-2006

*Bishop Dudley McNeil *Rev. Richard Ellis
*Rev. Peter Bridgford Rev. Kenneth Curry
*Rev. Paul Brisbane Rev. Ralph Darling
Rev. William Crittenden Rev. Paul Henderson
*Rev. Ralph Darling Various Supply Priests *Rev. Andrew Horton (team)
*Rev. Heather Benson (team) *Rev. William Webb (team)
*Rev. Charles Whitmore (team) Various Supply Priests *Rev. Bryan Glancey
Rev. James Evans *Rev. Eric Williams
Rev. Canon Daniel Weir· *Rev. Robert Arnold Supply Priests

(* denotes Permanent Vicar)