St Thomas' Episcopal Church,

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St. Thomas' Episcopal Church is a congregation of the Diocese of Fond du Lac located in Menasha, Wisconsin. The congregation has 900 baptized members and an average Sunday worshipping attendance of 250. It is part of the Lake Winnebago Deanery.HistoryThe roots of the congregation begin in 1853 with services held in the Menasha area. In 1859, St. Stephen's was organized. In 1866, the roots of a new congregation were planted and in 1868, Trinity Church was organized in Neenah.Over the next 50 years, these congregations in the "Twin Cities" were usually served by the same priest. Often when one congregation was healthy and vital, the other would struggle. This position reversed many times over five decades. In early 1914 discussion about uniting these two congregations into one began in earnest.On Christmas Day, 1914, the first union service was held and on Easter Day, 1915 a new congregation was formally established. Junior Warden Harry Price, who had worshipped in St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue, New York, persuaded the Vestry to name the new congregation after it because of its beauty. St. Thomas was formally incorporated on September 8, 1915.Over the next 90+ years, the congregation experienced growth in membership, programs and property. A new church building was occupied in 1916. Boy Scout Troop 3 was founded in 1922. Stained glass windows were installed in the 1930s. By the 1940s, baptized membership exceeded 500 from over 200 families. A new Parish Hall replaced the Parish House and Gymnasium in the 1950s.In 1961, fire destroyed the west 1/3 of the church building. By 1963, a new 'addition' by Chicago architect Harry Weese was dedicated which integrated the old sanctuary and nave as a chapel to a modern sanctuary and nave of concrete, wood and copper.

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