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By CAROLYN VANCE SMITH / Special to The Natchez Democrat

CHURCH HILL — The completion of a months-long restoration of Christ Episcopal Church, Church Hill, will be revealed at a worship service at 2 p.m., Sunday.

Conducting the service will be the Rev. Sam Godfrey of Vicksburg.

Tate Taylor, a member of Christ Church, guided the restoration work by a host of talented local craftsmen, said Christ Church Junior Warden John Norris.

“Tate was a building contractor before he began a successful career in the film world,” Norris said. “He has devoted many recent months to leading the Christ Church project.”

Christ Church, dating to 1820, is considered the “cradle” of the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi because the congregation was the first to be formed.

Christ Church is a Partner-in-Mission with Trinity Episcopal Church in Natchez, formed in 1822 and the second Episcopal congregation in Mississippi.

The current Christ Church building dates to 1857-1858. It replaced two earlier structures including, first, a log cabin a mile away from the location of today’s church and second, an 1826 building on the current site.

Today’s Gothic Revival building was constructed of brick, which was stuccoed and scored to resemble stone masonry.

That treatment on the church’s interior had worn away through the years to be almost indiscernible, Norris said. “It has been beautifully restored,” he said.

The church also has a new roof and, for the first time, central air and heat and recessed electrical lighting.

Other improvements include the restoration of the church floor, interior walls and all 54 pews and the repair of damaged stained-glass windows, entrance ways, altar furniture and prayer kneelers.

“We are very happy with the result of all this hard work,” Norris said. “A soft reveal of the church’s restored interior will be a highlight at the Sept. 22 service.”

Funding for the restoration has come from Christ Church members and other supporters. One special ongoing fundraiser is the Pew Fund.

A tax-deductible $500 donation to restore a pew can honor someone living or deceased.

Donations may be sent by check made out to Christ Church and mailed to Christ Church, 57 Church Hill Road, Natchez, MS 39120. The honoree’s name and the words “Pew Fund” should be on the check’s memo line.

Christ Church, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has made numerous impacts on southwest Mississippi.

One is that the church’s location on a hill at the intersection of Mississippi Highway 553 and Church Hill Road inspired the community to be named Church Hill.