St. George’s, which has worshipped at the facility since 1974, will be moving in November of this year to the new church site about two miles away. 

For many years St. George’s Episcopal Church and St. George’s Independent School (elementary), shared a 20 acre property. The school purchased the congregation’s interest in the campus and existing church facility in 2004, with the church remaining as a tenant until a new church is built, according to a news release from the parish.

“In many similar situations churches have founded schools, but in the natural course of a school’s development, the two have eventually separated,” said the Rev. Gary Sturni, rector of St. George’s since April 2006. “Parents of school students, even if members of the parish, become the major stockholders in the future of the school, and gradually assume a more active role than the church itself might as the originating sponsor.”

After a delay in the start of construction of the new church (now scheduled for completion in October), Sturni said, “St. George’s Independent School has been most gracious in providing continuing office space at the Cook Cottage on the current site, as well as the church and other facilities that allow the parish to continue its activities and schedule, and to grow in membership. In turn, the school has been able to get an earlier start on moving into the former church offices wing. Over the past several years, relations between the church and school have greatly improved and the church is grateful for the generosity of the school.”

Meanwhile, a likeness of St. Swithin, patron saint of construction workers, has been erected to oversee the St. George’s building site.  

This St. Swithin is a creation of the congregation’s Sunday School Arts Program, coordinated by Sunday School Director Jen Matthews. The 25-foot-tall wooden cut-out was prepared and painted by parishioners Dr. Wayne Conley, Lou D’Eri, Don Cook and Cindy Sturni, decorated by Sunday School children, signed by members of the congregation as part of the design of his vestments, and erected at the site on Easter. 

St. Swithin is a symbol of the appreciation of the congregation for the workers on the site.  Legend has it that the original St. Swithin, Bishop of Winchester from 852 to 862 AD, sat on a bench to watch the construction of Winchester Cathedral in England. He so enjoyed his post that he asked to be buried in the churchyard where rain and the steps of passersby might fall upon his grave, instead in the cathedral, considered the proper place for burial of bishops.

St. George’s Sunday school has been doing more than painting St. Swithin. The school raised more than $700 during the school year to purchase a cow and two sheep for Heifer International projects. Heifer International serves families around the world by providing livestock which are then bred to provide at least a subsistence lifestyle.
The children made small arks and did skits, presentations, and posters to gain support. When the children exceeded their goal in December with over $500, they decided to keep on going and set a new goal of $200 by Easter for the two sheep, according to a news release from the congregation.