History

In 1872 land was given by Thomas Satterthwaite to the diocese for the purpose of erecting a church building. It was located at Grant and Whitford Avenues. 

At a meeting on October 2, 1873, the first warden and vestrymen were elected. Two weeks later, the congregation formed themselves into a “body corporate” according to the laws of New Jersey. On Easter Day (April 13) that year the first church service was held. The Reverend William H. Carter, rector of Christ Church, Bloomfield, served as vicar for the first few years of the parish.

In 1879 the Reverend William R. Narin became the first permanent rector. Under his leadership the membership grew, all debts were paid off, and the church was consecrated by the Rt. Rev. Thomas F. Starkey, Bishop of Northern New Jersey.  Father Narrin served until his death in 1889.

The first church was very dear to those who laboured and sacrificed for its existence. It was a small wooden frame building seating about 150, with a Sunday School room in the basement. The Reverend John P. Appleton of Booton was called to be the second rector of Grace Church (Episcopal) in 1890.

During his rectorship, in 1891, land was given again by the Satterthwaite family, at one of the highest points in Nutley: the site of our present church, rectory, parish hall, office, and education buildings on what is now the corner of Highfield Lane and North Road. In 1897 the present rectory was completed on this site and occupied at that time by the Appleton family. Though the congregation continued to worship at the building at Grant and Whitford while money was raised for new buildings.

In April of 1904, the name of the town having been changed from Franklin to Nutley (the name of the Satterthwaite Family’s estate), the corporate title of Grace Church (Episcopal) became Grace Church in Nutley.

In July, 1908, the building committee signed the contract for the erection of the present church and parish hall, with Henry P. Kirby giving his services as architect. The cornerstone was laid on September 19 and the first service in the new church was held Christmas Day all in that same year. The congregation initially worshiped in the Parish Hall, until the Sanctuary was completed.

In 1919 a series of murals depicting stories from the Old and New Testaments were painted by Charles Balmer and installed in the nave. However, on December 30, 1925, a fire seriously damaged the body of the church building, the organ, and roof. Once restoration of the building was completed, the parish retained Balmer again to recreate his masterpieces. The current murals were completed in 1929.

Because of the dedicated fundraising and stewardship of the women of Grace Church, the mortgage was paid off in 1947. At a service on March 2 of that year the mortgage slip was burned by the Guild President, Mrs. D. Payne and the church was formally consecrated by the Right Reverend Benjamin Washburn, Bishop of the Diocese of Newark.

On October 17, 1948, the 75th anniversary of the church was celebrated with the dedication of the church’s stained glass windows during the worship service.

In the following years the Sunday School and parish continued to grow and in 1958 two buildings were added for offices and education to expand space for our ministries.

In 1973 in conjunction with the Centennial Celebrations, major changes were made within the church. New pews were installed and the altar was brought from the reredos on the Eastern wall of the nave to a more central location in the chancel. That same year The Reverend Wade A. Renn was called to Grace Church after serving as a missionary in Africa. During Father Renn’s tenure the Memorial Garden was developed and began to be used as a place of rest and reflection for the community. During this time Mrs Renn began a Flower Guild to help beautify the worship space with fresh arrangements of flowers, which would then be shared each week with members of the community who were celebrating or grieving important events and moments in their lives.

In 1992 the Community School in Nutley formed as a missional ministry of six churches, including Grace Church. The Infant and Toddler Center currently uses space in our Sunday School building here at Grace Church, and the rest of the Community School is housed with our neighbours at Vincent United Methodist Church. The community school is still led by a board of directors composed of representatives from each of the sponsoring congregations.

In 1997 the Reverend Pamela Bakal was called as the first female rector of the parish. During her rectorship three other women were also called to the ordained ministry from our parish – two to the priesthood and one to the diaconate. Grace Church was also blessed to have the ministry of Mr Randal Svane, a world renowned composer and musician, join the staff as the Director of Choir and Organist during Mother Pam’s tenure. She retired in the summer of 2023.

In December of 2023 the Reverend Asa David Coulson was appointed by Bishop Carlye J. Hughes as our Priest-in-Charge after almost five years of ministry as the Associate Rector at Grace Church in Madison, NJ. Father Asa’s first Sunday with us was on January 21, 2024. In 2025 following Mr. Svane’s retirement, Doctor Jeeminn Lee was appointed by Father Asa as the new director of music and choirs. Grace Church in Nutley continues to find its place as a parish dedicated to proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ through radical hospitality and inclusive community with word, sacrament, and action.