Church profile: St. Matthew’s, Jamestown

St. Matthew’s is blessed in so many ways, including its location in the heart of a lovely island village, a striking sanctuary, and a wonderful choir and congregation. In addition, since the beginning of June we have been blessed with the arrival of a new rector, the Rev. Christa Moore-Levesque, and her family. She has a strong background working with children and youth, and has already proved to be an inspiring preacher and smart manager of church affairs.


St. Matthew’s provides space for a multitude of programs, including Alcoholics Anonymous, the Community Band, the Rotary Club, the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts. However, our thrift store is perhaps the heart of our community outreach. Consider: it brings nearly $40,000 a year. But that is only one measure of its success. The recently expanded store is truly ecumenical. Many of the dedicated staff are not members of the church, and it brings in folks from all over on Tuesday and Saturday mornings to browse its kitchen and dining supplies, clothes, toys and books. 

On July 20, St. Matthew’s hosts its annual Summer Fair, which typically raises about $15,000.


St. Matthew’s, 87 Narragansett Ave.; 401-423-1762; the Rev. Christa Moore-Levesque, rector. Bishop’s visitation July 14. website

Church profile: Holy Spirit, Charlestown

Church of the Holy Spirit is a warm, vibrant church community with a strong sense of mission. We laugh a lot, try to treat each other well and look forward to time spent together in worship, prayer and study.

Located in the historic district of Charlestown, we serve a community consisting of rural farms and beach cottages. We offer spiritual direction, the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises, a book group, faith-sharing groups, gentle yoga and retreats. We seek to become contemplatives in action. Prayer and mission are priorities here. In 2017, ChurchWoods came about when the diocese, our congregation and the town of Charlestown partnered to offer affordable housing to qualified area residents 55 and older. ChurchWoods offers attractive duplexes adjacent to the church grounds.

We host a summer farmers’ market weekly on our church grounds sponsored by the Charlestown Land Trust, and we hold a monthly pancake breakfast to raise money for homeless families. We support four other local agencies to joyously serve all sorts and conditions of God’s people.

 Check out our Facebook page or, even better, come meet us in person. Join us!


Church of the Holy Spirit, 4150 Old Post Rd., Charlestown; 401-364-6368; the Rev. Eileen Lindeman, priest-in-charge; Bishop’s visitation July 7. website

Church of the Holy Spirit, Charlestown

Church Profile: St. James, Woonsocket

Founded in 1832, St. James is in the heart of the city of Woonsocket, both geographically and in our mission.

Seven days a week, our doors are open and something is happening, whether it’s a worship service, Alcoholics Anonymous® meeting, Bible study, choir rehearsal, social service agency staff meeting, baby shower, birthday party or any of a host of other activities. Fellowship meals and congregational dinners happen several times a year, including our annual May Breakfast, which just saw its 98th celebration.   

Most of our major ministries are conducted in partnership with other churches and community organizations: Referrals for the Prescott Beach Memorial Food Bank and the Coat of Many Colors clothing ministry come from the Community Care Alliance, while City Camp Woonsocket is a summer day-camp run in partnership with the Episcopal Conference Center and in consultation with the Woonsocket School District.

We’ve recently established an ecumenical covenant partnership with St. Mark Lutheran church to share clergy and other resources, combine ministry efforts, and worship and pray together more regularly. St. James is defined by our desire to serve our neighbors and invite them to share the work of the Gospel.  


St. James, 24 Hamlet Avenue, Woonsocket; 401-762-2222; the Rev. Peter Tierney III, vicar; Bishop’s visitation was June 9. Facebook page

St. James Woonsocket parishioners on Easter Sunday, 2019

Church profile: Christ Church, Lonsdale

Christ Church dates its founding to 1833, when Episcopalians in the mill village of Lonsdale began holding services in the village schoolhouse. The next year, worshippers gathered at the school house to formally organized themselves into an Episcopal parish, which was accepted into the diocese at the 1834 Diocesan Convention.

In early 1835, the Lonsdale Company, whose mills employed most of the parishioners, contributed $2,000 toward the construction of a church, and the land on which to build it. Christ Church has remained a part of the Lonsdale community since 1835, originally as a place where people could shower and exercise after work, or attend literacy classes before the popularity of public education. When the first church burned in 1883, the Lonsdale Company built the current church building on the same site in 1884.

Today Christ Church continues to thrive. Many members have deep roots, with generations of their families attending, while newer members find a place in the close-knit community. The thrift shop is a flourishing asset to the community, offering gently used clothing and household items at reasonable prices.

Christ Church, 1645 Lonsdale Ave., Lincoln; 401-725-1920
The Rev. Alvin Marcetti, Vicar.
Bishop’s visitation March 31, 2019.
website: http://www.christchurchlincoln.org/

Church profile: Christ Church, Lonsdale

Christ Church dates its founding to 1833, when Episcopalians in the mill village of Lonsdale began holding services in the village schoolhouse. The next year, worshippers gathered at the school house to formally organized themselves into an Episcopal parish, which was accepted into the diocese at the 1834 Diocesan Convention.

In early 1835, the Lonsdale Company, whose mills employed most of the parishioners, contributed $2,000 toward the construction of a church, and the land on which to build it. Christ Church has remained a part of the Lonsdale community since 1835, originally as a place where people could shower and exercise after work, or attend literacy classes before the popularity of public education. When the first church burned in 1883, the Lonsdale Company built the current church building on the same site in 1884.

Today Christ Church continues to thrive. Many members have deep roots, with generations of their families attending, while newer members find a place in the close-knit community. The thrift shop is a flourishing asset to the community, offering gently used clothing and household items at reasonable prices.

Christ Church, 1645 Lonsdale Ave., Lincoln; 401-725-1920
The Rev. Alvin Marcetti, Vicar.
Bishop’s visitation March 31, 2019.
website: http://www.christchurchlincoln.org/

Church Profile: St. James, North Providence

Saint Nicholas of Myra visits the children of St. James North Providence in early December

St. James looks like an old-fashioned country church. The simple white frame invites passers-by to “Come, see what’s inside!” Once they do, they find that St. James is “bigger on the inside.”

We have seen challenging times in recent decades. But our commitment is not to recapture our glory days, but to build something new as we share the fruits of the Jesus Movement with the broader community. We offer a liturgy known for its warm, family atmosphere. Together, we are exploring “The Way of Love” after Sunday Eucharists.
We invite numerous people to our space for bazaars, craft fairs, Quarter Auctions, an annual visit from Saint Nicholas and an annual blessing of animals. Together with friends from the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity at Johnson and Wales University, we are restoring our property. We celebrate the diversity of all God’s children, host several Twelve Step groups and walk with grieving people who haven’t had a church of their own. In March, we will launch a new Saturday afternoon liturgy aimed at young adults.
Many who have spent time with us report they have found the church they didn’t know they were looking for. We invite you to join us, to see what’s on the inside!
St. James, 474 Fruit Hill Ave., North Providence; 401-353-2079; the Rev. John Reardon, vicar; Bishop’s visitation March 24. website

Church Profile: Epiphany, Rumford

Epiphany began its Episcopal ministry in the Rumford section of East Providence in 1944, known then as St. Michael and All Angels. In the years since, Grace Episcopal in the Phillipsdale neighborhood of East Providence (1990) and St. Martin’s in Pawtucket (2007) merged with St. Michael’s, and today we are known as Church of the Epiphany.
Through our 50+ year old thrift shop ministry, partnership with the Bread of Life Food Pantry and support of East Bay Community Action we serve the East Providence, Pawtucket, Seekonk and Rehoboth communities.
We are a creative and curious parish congregation that values valuing lifelong adult spiritual formation, including weekly Pilgrim Series this year. And we’ve developed well-loved alternative worship opportunities beyond Sunday morning to offer a variety of encounters with the Holy Spirit — from Holy Hiking days, monthly Candlelight Compline, Advent Labyrinth walks and Simple Table dinner churches, all actively involving young and older alike.
Church of the Epiphany, 1336 Pawtucket Ave., Rumford; 401-434-5012; the Rev. Jennifer Zogg, rector. Bishop’s visitation February 24

Church profile: Church of the Transfiguration, Cranston

Christ calls us to love. The Church of the Transfiguration lives into that mission with great delight. What other church invites you to enter through a whale’s mouth, has parishioners dancing in the aisles or takes 29 members to visit a member in a nursing home? Whether holding a Taizé service, keeping the Maundy Thursday Watch or meeting for Saturday morning prayer, our love for Jesus is clear.
Our desire for mission pours out to our neighbors. “Transfig” is home to SAGE, Memory Café, four Alcoholics Anonymous groups, the Edgewood Pawtuxet Food Closet, Touch of Heaven thrift shop, Beautiful Day and Lydia’s Luxury Items For Less.
We are firm in our belief that Christ’s love is looking for innovative and joy-filled ways to be expressed. We gather for Bible, Brunch and Brew at local pubs and recently launched virtual church service to keep us connected despite miles or weather.
Our education programs are a “holy hoot” and draw not only Episcopalians but also Roman Catholics, seekers and, on occasion, a devout atheist. Joy-filled love is what Transfig is all about.
Church of the Transfiguration, 1665 Broad St., Cranston; 401-461-3142; The Rev Dr. Michele Matott, priest-in-charge. Visitation January 13 Website

Maundy Thursday at Church of the Transfiguration