Our History

In 1915 two dedicated Weymouth Episcopalians made a door-to-door canvas of South Weymouth and discovered that twenty-three families were interested in forming an Episcopal Church. On December 25, 1915, the first gathering of Episcopalians met at Colonel and Mrs. Daniel Cornman's home on Columbian Street and voted unanimously to give the name of the Church of the Holy Nativity to the mission to commemorate that date.

On February 16, 1916, the Rev. Myron O. Patton celebrated the first service of Holy Communion. Services were held in the Cornman's living room each Sunday for the next four years. In the summer of 1919, just a short distance from the Cornman home, on land donated by Mrs. Edward B. Nevin, ground was broken for the church. The building, designed by architect John Vining, was built of Weymouth seamface granite. Services were held for the first time on Easter Sunday, April 4, 1920, with Suffragan Bishop Samuel G. Babock representing the diocese.

The Women’s Guild, formed that same year, was the church's first organization. Through various fund-raising efforts they were able to establish a nest egg for a parish house which was officially opened in March of 1928. The parish house consisted of a large function hall, kitchen, restrooms, and choir room. In 1928 the building of the rectory, a six-room, center-entrance colonial, completed the construction part of the mission’s history. The rectory is still in existence today.Under a new rector, the Rev. George Elliott’s (1927-1939) attention turned to spiritual growth and to the growth of Sunday School and youth groups. Under a new rector, the Rev. George Elliott’s (1927-1939) attention turned to spiritual growth and to the growth of Sunday School and youth groups.

During the depression of the 1930s Holy Nativity experienced some difficult times, including a year without a full-time rector. Some members left to attend other churches. In 1940, under the direction of the Rev. Wilbur Kingwill, Holy Nativity began a period of reorganization and growth. The enthusiasm that began with Mr. Kingwill and 106 families continued through the years of Rev. Ernest Siller’s rectorate. In the late 1940s Holy Nativity became a self-supporting parish of the diocese.

The years following World War II brought a period of rampant growth to the Town of Weymouth. From 1950 to 1960 the population grew by fifty percent and 3,500 new homes were constructed. The number of communicants at Holy Nativity increased from 375 in 1952 to 623 in 1961, necessitating a major building program.

From its small altar and a few pews, the church was enlarged to accommodate a choir and additional seating. In 1958 a new wing was added to the parish hall for Sunday School classrooms. At the same time the sacristy was enlarged, alterations were made to the sanctuary, and offices and a kitchen were added.

A day kindergarten filled the need for the care and teaching of preschool children of the area from 1954 until the early 1970s when the town began a public program. Men of the church started a Boy-Scout troop. In the 1960s some church members, inspired by the Rev. David Flanders, helped the community to provide transportation and lunch for black students in the Metco school program.

The church buildings are set on a 36,580 square-foot lot of land located one block from the intersection of Columbian Street and Main Street (Route 18), behind the Nevin Building at 851 Main Street.