Our story
As church histories go, Holy Nativity is but an infant. In the summer of 1972, a small group of Episcopalians began meeting in Meridian homes. At that time, Meridian was primarily an agricultural-based community of about 3,000 people. Having an Episcopal church in Meridian made sense, as the nearest Episcopal churches were located at least 10 miles away in neighboring cities. These home meetings were followed by services held in the Locust Grove Grange Hall that November.
The Episcopal Church of the Holy Nativity was born on Christmas Eve, 1973, on West Eighth Street near the downtown area. The accommodations for that service were similar to those of the first Christmas in the stable at Bethlehem – very rough and rudimentary.
At the Legacy Brunch, in 2015, founding members recalled coming together in their spare time to paint and “put together” the interior of their new church home. The congregation grew with the addition of quite a few young families. Family atmosphere was (and still is) of utmost importance. An organ, some pews, and a bell were obtained from the church in the Grandview/Bruneau area, which was closing. Eventually, there was a need to add a parish hall and classroom wing. After this addition, in 1984, there were about 3,800 square feet of space.
Holy Nativity has been blessed to have several women clergy through the years. The first woman priest in the Episcopal Diocese of Idaho, The Reverend Edwina Aker, was Interim Rector at Holy Nativity in the late 1980s/early 1990s. Deacon Paula Egbert was the first Deacon at Holy Nativity from the late 1980s-2011. The Reverend Barbara Bond brought a lot of vitality and culture to our parish. In 2000, she accepted another call, and The Reverend Alice Farquhar-Mayes became our Interim Priest.
When the parish grew to an Average Sunday Attendance (ASA) of 180, we looked for ways to expand our building, and the parish was compelled to seek a larger facility. The nearby Meridian Catholic Church building was available, and it was quite suitable for our growing congregation. In 2005, we coupled the proceeds from the sale of the old church with a sale of 13 acres of pasture land owned by the Diocese and were able to purchase the Catholic Church building. Pentecost Sunday, 2005, was a glorious day for Holy Nativity as the entire congregation, led by Bishop Bainbridge, processed from the old church to the new church for the consecration — a distance of two blocks.
Sitting on a spacious 3.6 acres, Holy Nativity has:
- on-site parking for 170 vehicles
- a sanctuary that seats 395
- a small library
- four large classrooms
- a nursery
- atrium
- a parish hall with a commercial kitchen
- 2,400 square foot Rectory with a garage, currently used for the Church offices as well as meeting rooms
In the years since, we have reconstructed our financial picture, watched our congregation grow, and developed our Lay Leadership. We have a strong and highly-committed Vestry, who communicate well with parishioners. We have a wonderful working relationship with our Bishop, as well as our Priests, the Reverend Michael Case and the Reverend Jennifer Anttonen. With God’s help, we have grown confident in our areas of ministry, and we continue to discern God’s call to serve the larger community.
