About Us
A Note from Our Rector:
Grace Memorial is a church firmly rooted in the Episcopal tradition. Our worship space is the oldest and one of the most beautiful churches in Hammond, and our worship life is centered in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. At the same time, Grace Memorial is a church actively involved in caring for our community, both inside and outside of the church. In all we do, we seek to serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbor as ourselves. To this end, we strive to offer education programs of various descriptions for all ages, fellowship, and service opportunities. All are welcome and wanted at Grace Memorial. I pray you will consider making Grace Memorial your church home. Please contact us with any questions and wonderings at (985) 345-2764 or [email protected] I am grateful for the privilege to serve Grace Memorial in Hammond, Louisiana. If you have any questions about our church, or if there is some way I might be of service to you, please feel free to contact me here. Welcome to Grace Memorial! May God’s peace be with you. Yours faithfully, The Rev. Liz Embler-Beazley Rector |
Church History
You can also listen to a version of our history at the Hammond Historic District website.
Hammond's first Christian congregation developed from a Sunday School established by Melzar Waterman and his daughter Mertie Ann Waterman Cate. In 1872, Episcopal Deacon the Reverend Herman Cope Duncan began missionary work along the route of New Orleans, Jackson, and the Great Northern Railroad. In Hammond, he found a Christian community that favored the Episcopal Church. In November 1872, the Hammond Missionary Society began, and from that beginning came Grace Memorial Episcopal Church.
The congregation signed a formal charter on January 29, 1876 and accepted a donation of a full square of ground and $500 from pioneer developer Charles Emery Cate. Desiring to erect a church building, the people engaged in a variety of money raising efforts. A $500 donation from a New York churchwoman began construction. The congregation then employed several tactics to raise funds. For example, Mertie Cate cut hair for fifteen-cents a head, and farmers sold their produce. The church also held a "May Festival" for many years, sometimes earning as much as $80. In addition, much of the labor on the church was donated. Men and boys assisted the carpenters, Charles E. Cate donated lumber and bricks, and volunteers with special skills provided the chancel furniture. The completed building cost $3,500.
The church was consecrated on October 28, 1888 under the name Grace Memorial Episcopal Church in memory of Mertie Ann Waterman Cate. In honor of her, the church bells were not tolled at funerals for many years because she believed they should only toll for joyful occasions. Also, t her dying request, her husband Charles cancelled a debt of $850 for the church.
Durkee Hall, in memory of the Durkee family, was erected in 1904 originally as a Sunday school building and is now the church office. It contains stained glass windows from Christ Church Cathedral of New Orleans, which was Louisiana's first Episcopal congregation. Other additions include a Sunday school building that was added in the 1960's, extraordinary stained glass windows donated by various families, and lengthening the original church building to make room for a pipe organ. The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in American in 1973.
Several movies have used this lovely setting. One of the most notable was Otto Preminger's "Hurry Sundown." This film features both interior and exterior scenes, and members of our distinguished choir made their cinematic debuts with Jane Fonda, Michael Caine, and Burgess Meredith.
Visitors are welcome not only to our buildings and services but also to stroll through the cemetery behind the church. The cemetery includes the graves of Charles E. Cate, Mertie Waterman Cate, former Hammond mayors Henry C. Mooney and Charles C. Carter, former church rector Howard Giere, and numerous other persons prominent in the history of Hammond and the life of Grace Memorial Episcopal Church.
History written by Howard and Sue Nichols
Hammond's first Christian congregation developed from a Sunday School established by Melzar Waterman and his daughter Mertie Ann Waterman Cate. In 1872, Episcopal Deacon the Reverend Herman Cope Duncan began missionary work along the route of New Orleans, Jackson, and the Great Northern Railroad. In Hammond, he found a Christian community that favored the Episcopal Church. In November 1872, the Hammond Missionary Society began, and from that beginning came Grace Memorial Episcopal Church.
The congregation signed a formal charter on January 29, 1876 and accepted a donation of a full square of ground and $500 from pioneer developer Charles Emery Cate. Desiring to erect a church building, the people engaged in a variety of money raising efforts. A $500 donation from a New York churchwoman began construction. The congregation then employed several tactics to raise funds. For example, Mertie Cate cut hair for fifteen-cents a head, and farmers sold their produce. The church also held a "May Festival" for many years, sometimes earning as much as $80. In addition, much of the labor on the church was donated. Men and boys assisted the carpenters, Charles E. Cate donated lumber and bricks, and volunteers with special skills provided the chancel furniture. The completed building cost $3,500.
The church was consecrated on October 28, 1888 under the name Grace Memorial Episcopal Church in memory of Mertie Ann Waterman Cate. In honor of her, the church bells were not tolled at funerals for many years because she believed they should only toll for joyful occasions. Also, t her dying request, her husband Charles cancelled a debt of $850 for the church.
Durkee Hall, in memory of the Durkee family, was erected in 1904 originally as a Sunday school building and is now the church office. It contains stained glass windows from Christ Church Cathedral of New Orleans, which was Louisiana's first Episcopal congregation. Other additions include a Sunday school building that was added in the 1960's, extraordinary stained glass windows donated by various families, and lengthening the original church building to make room for a pipe organ. The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in American in 1973.
Several movies have used this lovely setting. One of the most notable was Otto Preminger's "Hurry Sundown." This film features both interior and exterior scenes, and members of our distinguished choir made their cinematic debuts with Jane Fonda, Michael Caine, and Burgess Meredith.
Visitors are welcome not only to our buildings and services but also to stroll through the cemetery behind the church. The cemetery includes the graves of Charles E. Cate, Mertie Waterman Cate, former Hammond mayors Henry C. Mooney and Charles C. Carter, former church rector Howard Giere, and numerous other persons prominent in the history of Hammond and the life of Grace Memorial Episcopal Church.
History written by Howard and Sue Nichols