A Brief History of Saint David’s Church

            Although a fairly young church, Saint David’s claims roots deep in the history of Ledyard, the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion.  Bishop Samuel Seabury, the first American Episcopal Bishop and the first Bishop of Connecticut, was born in Ledyard only about five miles from St. David’s.

            For two hundred years, the town of Ledyard lacked an Episcopal church.   Those who wanted to worship as Episcopalians had to journey to Saint James Mission in Poquetanuck or to Bishop Seabury Church in Groton.

            During the 1960s, Ledyard was rapidly expanding from a farming community to a bedroom community because of the growth of the Naval submarine force, training facilities and submarine construction in Groton.  A dedicated group of Navy personnel and civilian citizens of Ledyard, through hard work, prayers, and with the encouragement of Bishop Walter Gray, held the first worship service of Saint David’s Mission on January 7, 1962, in the Gales Ferry School auditorium.   The service was attended by 198 people.

            Progress and milestones came quickly.  Judge and Mrs. Billings Crandall donated the large piece of land where Saint David’s is now located.  The Reverend Robert Worthey was appointed Vicar by the Bishop.  Ground was broken on April 21, 1963, for the church (Now the parish hall) and it was dedicated on October 13, 1963.  The present sanctuary was added in 1966.

            Fr. Worthey was succeeded by the Reverend G. Richard Siener as Vicar in 1964.  Saint David’s became an official self-sustaining Parish in 1972 with Fr. Siener as the first Rector.  The Reverend David Cox served as Rector from 1975 – 1987, and he was succeeded by the Reverend Henry C. Burdick from 1988 – 1999.  The Reverend Charles M. Baker was called to be the fourth Rector on June 1, 2000.

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