On a leafy block of Davis Avenue in the Castleton section of Staten Island, St. Mary's Episcopal Church has opened its doors to worshippers every Sunday for more than 175 years. The Gothic stone church, completed in 1853 and reshaped over the decades by addition and restoration, is one of ten Episcopal parishes on the island and a member of both the Staten Island Interparish Council and the Staten Island Council of Churches. Its name honors the Blessed Virgin Mary, and its present-day life centers on two Sunday Eucharists, a Thursday evening discussion group, a long-running sermon archive, and a parish-wide commitment to making room for everyone at God's table.
Two Sunday Eucharists, Held in the 1853 Stone Church
The parish gathers twice on Sunday morning. At 8:00 a.m. the Contemplative Eucharist is celebrated using Rite I, the older language of the Book of Common Prayer, for those who want a quieter, reflective service. At 10:00 a.m. the Choral Eucharist uses Rite II and features the parish choir under organist and choir master Darcy A. Dyer. The 10:00 a.m. service is livestreamed on YouTube, and recordings of recent services are available in the church's sermon archive, which stretches back several years. Both services are held in English.
The building itself shapes the worship. Heavy oak paneling behind the High Altar was given in 1908. A richly carved and polychromed English oak reredos was installed on the east wall in 1926, the same year the Cisco Memorial Garden, with its statue of the Blessed Virgin, bronze crucifix, and rose garden used in part for the interment of cremated remains, was added to the grounds. The Casavant organ, built and dedicated in 1967, leads the singing.
A Castleton Parish Since 1848
St. Mary's history begins in 1848, when Dr. Samuel McKenzie Elliott erected a frame Gothic chapel on his property bounded by Bard and Davis avenues, Delafield Place, and Richmond Terrace. The parish was incorporated on August 17, 1849, and the Rev. Henry B. Bartow, an assistant at St. George's Church in Manhattan, was called as the first Rector. In 1853 a handsome new stone church, built on an acre given by Mr. and Mrs. William Bard with much of the cost borne by the Delafield family, was consecrated by the Rt. Rev. Jonathan Wainwright, Provisional Bishop of New York.
Throughout the late nineteenth century the building took its present shape. Under the Rev. Alfred G. Mortimer, the choir and sanctuary were added, the first slate roof was laid, the processional cross and jeweled chalice were acquired, and a new organ was installed. In 1897 the Rev. George E. Quaile became Rector and linked the parish to St. Austin's School, whose boys sang the morning services and Evensong each Sunday from the Garner House (now "The Villa" on the grounds of Richmond University Medical Center).
The parish's greatest building era came under the Rev. Francis LeJau Frost, who arrived in 1901 and served for thirty-four years. During his tenure the present parish house, now called English Hall, was built in 1910 and enlarged in 1925; the chapel with a choir room in the undercroft was constructed and consecrated in 1914; and the present rectory and cloister were completed in 1925. Frost drowned on February 24, 1935, when the S.S. Mohawk sank off the Atlantic Highlands.
The mid-twentieth century brought both challenge and renewal. Under the Rev. Orin A. Griesmyer, called in 1942, the parish struggled to pay off a $25,000 mortgage. On the morning of August 12, 1947, a day long remembered in parish memory, the church building was gutted by fire, with losses of more than $200,000. Staggered but undaunted, the congregation rebuilt while completing the mortgage payoff. The Rev. William L. English, curate and later Rector for twenty-five years, modernized the parish house and rectory, added a trumpet enchamade and choir screen, and installed the wrought iron fencing around the grounds before his retirement on September 1, 1999.
More recent rectors have each left a mark: the Rev. Dr. Richard Major researched parish history and welcomed four church banners and the gold Griesmyer vestments; the Rev. Kevin Fisher and his wife Jane helped build up the Sunday school and youth groups; and the Rev. Horace Dagnall Free, Jr., who served from May 2015 until September 2020, reintroduced Adult Faith Formation and an Intercessory Prayer ministry.
The Rev. Sylvester Ekunwe and the Parish Team
The current Rector is the Revd. Sylvester O. Ekunwe (pronounced "E Conway"). Fr. Ekunwe grew up in Nigeria, began his career there as a teacher after graduating from a teacher's college, then immigrated to the United States and earned a degree in computer science. He worked in technical fields and taught computer science in parochial schools before answering a call to ordained ministry in 2006. He trained at New Brunswick Theological Seminary in New Jersey and at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, California, for his Anglican Studies, and was ordained a priest in June 2017 by the Rt. Rev. Mark M. Beckwith, tenth Bishop of the Diocese of Newark. Before coming to St. Mary's, he served St. George's Episcopal Church in Maplewood, New Jersey; Epiphany and Christ Church in Orange, New Jersey; and St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Newark as its fifth vicar. His ministry has included a GED program for new immigrants, voter-registration efforts, youth and young-adult mentorship, and a community garden for fresh vegetables, alongside social-justice work through Faith-In-Action of New Jersey.
Fr. Ekunwe lives with his wife Faith Oviasuyi and their three children. He is a strong believer in the gift of salvation to all, with a passion for singing, community connection, neighborhood safety, and an open-door policy. He was formally instituted at St. Mary's on February 15, 2025.
The senior lay leadership of the parish is provided by Wardens Mark Oyelaja and Jody Stoll. Darcy A. Dyer serves as organist and choir master. Andrea Horsford-Dumas is Directress of St. Mary's Altar Society, which tends the sanctuary and its appointments.
Thursday Evenings: Christian Discussion
On Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. the parish gathers for a Christian Discussion session, a quiet, reflective hour of Bible study, fellowship, and conversation. The group meets through most of the year, with a break during the summer months. A separate Thursday morning offering, listed as Reflection and Prayers, is held at 9:30 a.m. Adult Faith Formation was reintroduced to the parish by the Rev. Horace Dagnall Free, Jr., and Christian Discussion remains one of the regular midweek touchpoints of parish life.
A Vision of Welcome and a Mission of Care
St. Mary's frames its life around two short statements. The parish vision is to reflect the radical love and welcome of God in Christ and to respect the dignity of every person, "no matter your background, religious affiliation, gender, or sexual identity," striving to make room for all at God's table. The mission is to worship God with reverence and thanksgiving, and to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ in welcoming the stranger, feeding the hungry, visiting the sick and those in need, and caring for one another.
That welcome is also expressed in the wedding policy. As provided by New York State law and the canons of the Episcopal Church, St. Mary's joyfully offers the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony to same-sex couples. Couples begin at least six months before their chosen date, with a minimum of three meetings with the priest.
Sunday School, Youth, and the Performing Arts
Christian formation for children and young people is part of parish life. The Sunday school is a regular feature, and a Youth Recreation ministry offers programming for younger members of the congregation. The parish also hosts the Staten Island Academy of Performing Arts, which uses parish space and links St. Mary's to the wider cultural life of the borough.
Parish facilities include English Hall, the parish house, which is available for community use; those interested are invited to call the parish office at 718-442-1527.
Weddings in the Gothic Stone Setting
St. Mary's offers a traditional setting for weddings and the blessing of civil marriages. The parish understands marriage as a covenant between two people entered into before God in the presence of Christian witnesses and guests, a lifelong commitment to love, honor, and cherish one another in faithfulness and true godliness. At least one member of the couple must be baptized. If either has been married before, proof of a divorce certificate is required. Three meetings between the couple and the priest are standard, and preparation begins at least six months before the ceremony. Couples and those seeking a blessing of a civil marriage can contact the church office to begin the process.
Getting Connected and Following Along
The parish office is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and the parish administrator, Frank M. Winter, can be reached at 718-442-1527 or stmarycastleton347@gmail.com. Those wishing to support the church's ministry can give online through Realm, and anyone wishing to keep up with parish news can subscribe to the church's email list. Recorded sermons by Fr. Ekunwe (and occasional guest preachers such as Mother Kirsten, Bishop Glasspool, and Bishop Shinn) are posted to SoundCloud, with the most recent 10:00 a.m. Eucharist also livestreamed on YouTube. The parish maintains an active presence on Facebook, Instagram, and X for ongoing updates.
Whether one comes to the 8:00 a.m. contemplative service, the 10:00 a.m. choral Eucharist, a Thursday evening discussion, or simply to sit in the Cisco Memorial Garden, St. Mary's offers the same invitation it has extended for more than 175 years: to worship God with reverence, to follow Jesus Christ in welcoming the stranger and caring for the neighbor, and to find a place at the table.