Saint Gabriel's Episcopal Church sits on the corner of Front Street and South Street in the heart of Marion's historic village, just inland from Sippican waters on Massachusetts's South Coast. The parish, roughly 300 family units strong, calls itself "a community of faith, celebrating and sharing Christ's love," and extends that warmth through two Sunday liturgies, a Wednesday-evening Vespers during the program year, an extensive music program, full children and youth formation, and a Mission and Outreach Committee that disbursed more than $9,000 to local and international partners in 2025 alone. The buildings, a 19th-century chapel and a larger main church, share a campus that has welcomed not only Episcopalians but social clubs, community events, self-help groups, and concerts.
A Heritage Reaching Back to 1871
The story of Saint Gabriel's begins on a stormy stretch of coast. According to parish tradition, Vice Admiral Andrew Allen Harwood once vowed at sea that, if granted safe passage, he would build a church in Marion as a thank-offering and name it for the Archangel Gabriel. The admiral's home, where the founders first met, is now the Beverly Yacht Club. In 1871, a small group of summer visitors began gathering for Episcopal worship on Sundays at Silvershell Beach, the Bay View Hotel, or in Harwood's parlor. Two years later, in 1873, they formed a formal mission and rented the second floor of the Sippican Seminary, the building that still serves as the chapel. The mission purchased that building in 1874 for $700 and began extensive renovations. Year-round services began in 1896. The congregation was consecrated on June 23, 1900, declared a "church" in 1901, and canonized as Saint Gabriel's Episcopal Church in 1920.
Sunday Worship at 8:00 and 10:00
Saint Gabriel's offers two Sunday services, both centered on the Holy Eucharist and shaped by The Book of Common Prayer. The 8:00 a.m. liturgy is a traditional Rite One service held in the chapel. The 10:00 a.m. liturgy, Rite Two, takes place in the main church and draws on the prayerbook and supplemental texts from the Episcopal Church and the global Anglican Communion, giving it a more contemporary feel. Both services mark the fullness of the church year - Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, Easter, and Ordinary Time - along with feasts such as Our Lady of Walsingham, Michaelmas, Candlemas, and Rogation Days.
For those unable to attend in person, the 10:00 a.m. service is livestreamed on the parish's YouTube page. Recordings of the previous week's service also air on ORCTV in Rochester, Marion, and Mattapoisett, on Comcast channels 9, 97, and 95 and Verizon channels 36, 37, 38, and 40.
A Wednesday Pause with Vespers
From September through May, the parish observes Vespers on Wednesday evenings at 6:00 p.m. Described by the church as a quiet, contemplative service of evening prayer, Vespers invites worshipers to gather, pray the Psalms, listen to scripture, and rest in God's presence as the day comes to a close. All are welcome to come as they are.
What a First-Time Visitor Can Expect
Saint Gabriel's describes itself as a "broad church" that honors and celebrates all forms of churchmanship. The pews hold three books: a blue 1982 Hymnal with traditional and beloved hymns, a black-and-red Lift Every Voice and Sing hymnal, and the red Book of Common Prayer that shapes every Episcopalian's prayer life.
Visitors are asked to sign the red guestbook at the door. Ushers are there to answer questions and to help the introduction feel welcoming. Coffee Hour follows the 10:00 a.m. service in the Parish Hall, or in the courtyard in warmer months, and serves as a primary place to greet newcomers and reconnect with old friends. The parish community includes people from Roman Catholic, Congregationalist, and other backgrounds, as well as those with no prior church experience, all kinds of pieties, and all kinds of politics. Saint Gabriel's is an affirming parish that proudly welcomes members of the LGBTQ+ community.
The parish is currently in a period of clergy transition, served by an interim priest while the congregation searches for a new rector.
Children, Youth, and Family
Faith Formation at Saint Gabriel's is led by Children, Youth & Family Ministry Director Wendy Reardon. Classes for students from preschool through high school meet at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings in the Education Wing, between the two Sunday services. Confirmation classes are offered to students in the tenth grade and up every two years.
The Youth Group, for students in seventh through twelfth grades, gathers weekly on Wednesday evenings at 6:00 p.m. throughout the program year, with once-a-month Sunday afternoon service projects. Recent Mission Trip Teams have traveled both domestically and internationally, and the parish maintains an active registration for upcoming trips.
Adult Faith Formation and Bible Study
Adult education at Saint Gabriel's has a long history of quarterly programs and lectures on Anglican, spiritual, and theological topics, drawing both parishioners and members of the wider community. A Women's Bible Study meets on Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m. in the Library and is led by parishioners. It is a discussion-style round table for reflection, study, and interpretation, open to women of all ages.
Music, Choir, and Evensong
Music holds a central place in parish life. The choir, led by organist and choir director David N. Burnham, has grown significantly over the years and offers a diverse repertoire that spans centuries and traditions. While many members are not professionally trained, the choir's quality is exceptional. Rehearsals take place on Thursday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., and new members are always welcome.
Choral Evensong is celebrated periodically in the historic nineteenth-century chapel. Drawn from the Church of England's 1662 Book of Common Prayer, the service features Anglican chant and choral music and appeals to prayerbook enthusiasts across the wider region.
Pastoral Care and Healing Prayer
Pastoral Care at Saint Gabriel's is a team ministry. Members visit parishioners in their homes and at hospitals, with each team member assigned one or two people to visit, call, and share communion with. Updates are reported to a vestry liaison each month. The Pastoral Care Team also includes a meal-train ministry and a knitting and prayer ministry.
A separate Healing Prayer Ministry offers prayer, comfort, and spiritual support for those in need of healing in body, mind, or spirit. A Prayer Shawl and Knitting Group creates handmade items as tangible expressions of care for those facing illness, loss, or life transitions.
Mission and Outreach Across SouthCoast
The Mission and Outreach Committee at Saint Gabriel's disbursed more than $9,000 in 2025 in support of local, regional, and international partners. Supported organizations included My Brother's Keeper of Dartmouth, Damien's Food Pantry, Mobile Ministries, Turning Point of Wareham, Gifts to Give in Acushnet, the Interchurch Council of Greater New Bedford, the Grace Church New Bedford Diaper Pantry, and the Turning Point Walk for the Homeless. The parish also hosts a Rise Against Hunger meal-packaging event.
Disaster-relief contributions in 2025 went to the Diocese of Los Angeles for LA fire recovery and to Saint Peters, Kerrville, after the Texas floods. Extra parish-wide collections have provided clothing and food for local pantries, backpacks and school supplies for New Bedford schools, gift cards to United Neighbors of Fall River, and support for the Saint Gabriel's youth program, including the youth service trip and the Great Pie Challenge. Each month, parishioners volunteer at Damien's Food Pantry.
Fellowship and Small Groups
Coffee Angels coordinate a rotating schedule of parishioners who host coffee hour after the 10:00 a.m. service, providing light refreshments and a welcoming space to greet newcomers and reconnect with old friends. The Men's Group gathers on Thursdays at 8:00 a.m. in the Parish Hall for food, conversation, and prayer. A Women's Book Club meets weekly to explore books that deepen faith and reflect on living a Christ-centered life. Moveable Feast offers parishioners a chance to meet one another by sharing a monthly meal around a faith-based prompt, with hosts drawn at random so that new friendships form.
The Campus on Front and South Streets
The church campus sits at the corner of Front Street and South Street in Marion's historic village. Two houses of worship share the grounds: the nineteenth-century chapel, which can most easily be reached from South Street, and the larger main church. Parking is available on the streets around the campus and in the church parking lot on South Street.
Capital-campaign-funded improvements in recent years have included solar panels that have reduced electrical expense by approximately 72 percent, the installation of five new stained glass windows in the main church, a complete renovation of the courtyard and approaches to the church with granite walkways and curbing, replacement and refurbishment of clapboard siding throughout the buildings, a chapel bell tower overhaul, and ongoing upgrades to the security and fire-alarm systems.
Accessibility
Accessibility has been a deliberate priority. There are two handicap-accessible parking spaces along Front Street, one along the property, and one at the Loft School driveway, all van accessible, plus two additional parallel parking spaces on South Street directly opposite the chapel. Two automatic push-button doors open onto Front Street and the South Street courtyard, and a flat entrance and manual door lead into the Parish Hall. The family restroom in the administrative wing is fully handicap accessible with grab bars, automatic faucet and towels, additional seating, and a baby-changing area. Wheelchair seating is reserved in the last rear row of the main church, with additional space in the front row of the chapel.
Weddings, Baptisms, and Funerals
The pastoral offices are open to the broader community. People of any age can be baptized at Saint Gabriel's. Weddings are open to all persons, and as an affirming parish Saint Gabriel's welcomes same-sex couples to be married there. Several sessions of pre-marital counseling are required, and a fee schedule is available from the parish administrator.
Funerals are open to members of the parish and their families, and parishioners are encouraged to pre-plan. The courtyard can hold cremated remains, and plots may be purchased. Full-body and green burials are also encouraged, the latter generally off-campus. All funeral liturgies are drawn from the Rite One Service in the Book of Common Prayer, and the church has published a list of suggested readings to help with planning.
Stewardship, Giving, and the Harwood Society
Saint Gabriel's congregation supports the parish's ministry through annual pledges. Online giving is available through the church's Realm portal, and gifts can also be made by texting GIVE2SG to 73256. The Harwood Society, established by the vestry in 2011, honors parishioners who include Saint Gabriel's in their estate plans. Its name nods to Vice Admiral Harwood, the congregation's maritime founder, and members are recognized on a memorial plaque in the narthex of the church.
Clergy and Staff
The Reverend David A. Fredrickson serves as Interim Priest during the current period of clergy transition. He holds an M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary and an S.T.M. in Anglican Studies from the General Theological Seminary, and has served congregations in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Vermont.
The Reverend Kristine "Kris" Holmes serves as Deacon of Saint Gabriel's. Ordained in 2016, she came to the Episcopal Church after a career supporting adults with developmental disabilities through the Massachusetts Department of Development Services. Her ministry at Saint Gabriel's includes the Outreach Committee, Rooted Service, Pastoral Care, and work with the parish's youth and adult programs.
Wendy Reardon serves as Children, Youth & Family Ministry Director, and David N. Burnham leads the music program as organist and choir director.
Becoming a Member
Saint Gabriel's outlines a five-step path to membership. Newcomers begin by attending services - either the traditional 8:00 a.m. Rite One or the more contemporary 10:00 a.m. Rite Two - and completing a New Member Form. Members then seek Baptism, Confirmation, Reaffirmation, or Reception, depending on their background. The church encourages everyone to find a ministry or small group and to support the parish's work through a financial pledge of time, talent, and treasure.
Saint Gabriel's Episcopal Church, at 124 Front Street in Marion, is a parish with a long maritime memory and a deep sense of place. Whether one comes through the chapel door on a quiet Sunday morning, joins the choir on a Thursday evening, drops a check in the collection plate, or volunteers at Damien's Food Pantry, the parish holds open the door of a small nineteenth-century mission that has shared the glad tidings of its namesake archangel for a century and a half.