A Gothic Landmark in Stapleton
St. Paul's Memorial Church stands on St. Paul's Avenue in Stapleton, one of Staten Island's oldest neighborhoods. Its stone walls, pointed arches, and tall stained-glass windows mark it as a High Victorian Gothic sanctuary, and the building, together with the adjoining rectory, is a recognized landmark. Inside, the parish carries on the traditional Anglo-Catholic expression of the Episcopal Church: scripture, prayer, sacred music, sermon, and Holy Communion every Sunday morning, with a warm welcome to anyone who walks through the door.
From 1833 to the Present Stone Church
The parish was incorporated on March 11, 1833, in Tompkinsville, Staten Island, on land given by Caleb T. Ward. The cornerstone of the present Gothic stone church was laid on September 29, 1866. The new building was the gift of Albert Ward in memory of his sister, Mary Mann Ward, and the parish took the name St. Paul's Memorial Church in her honor. The architect was Edward Tuckerman Potter, and the completed church was opened on Easter Day in April 1870 and consecrated by Bishop Horatio Potter.
Nearly two centuries after its founding and more than 150 years after the present building opened, St. Paul's continues to gather the same parish family in the same sanctuary, with a vision rooted in the example of its patron saint. As the parish describes it, the mission is to profess the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, inspired by Saint Paul, welcoming others, serving neighbors, and supporting one another as a loving witness for the Lord.
Sunday Mass at Ten
Sunday Mass is celebrated every week at 10:00 a.m. at 225 St. Paul's Avenue, in person and on Zoom. Visitors do not need to know the service in advance; the invitation posted at the entrance is simply "come as you are." Worship follows the traditional Anglo-Catholic expression of the Episcopal Church, including scripture, sacred music, prayer, a sermon, and Holy Communion in the historic sanctuary.
On the last Sunday of each month, anointing with Holy Oil for healing is offered at 10:15 a.m., during Mass, immediately after the Eucharist, in the side chapel. The parish also schedules seasonal services through the year: Evensong and Benediction, a Festival of Lessons and Carols in Advent, Christmas Eve Mass, and Christmas Day Mass.
A Pipe Organ Restored
Music has been part of St. Paul's since its earliest years. Records identify organs by Henry Erben in 1834 and 1850, by William H. Davis in 1860, and a Farrand and Votey instrument installed in 1900. That earlier Farrand and Votey organ was lost in a fire in the 1980s.
Today the sanctuary is home to Aeolian-Skinner Opus 969, built in 1937 for St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Whitemarsh, Pennsylvania, and later moved to St. Paul's by the Quimby Organ Company. The instrument uses electro-pneumatic action and has three manuals, twenty-seven stops, and thirty ranks. In 2021, Meloni Farrier Organ Builders restored the organ with grant support from the Hampson Albert Sisler Foundation, returning its voice to the sanctuary. Kenneth Hamrick serves as organist and choirmaster, and the instrument supports Sunday Mass, weddings, funerals, Evensong, the Flower Festival concert, and Lessons and Carols.
Community Life and Annual Traditions
Beyond Sunday worship, St. Paul's is a gathering place for the wider neighborhood. The parish is home to five twelve-step groups and two LGBTQ groups that meet in the building through the week. The parish grounds also host a number of traditions that have drawn Staten Islanders for generations.
Each September the annual yard sale fills the property with neighbors shopping, donating, and volunteering. In mid-October the church holds its Flower Festival: the building is open for viewing the floral arrangements on Saturday, and on Sunday afternoon visitors are invited to a musical concert and afternoon tea, with tickets and raffles supporting the festival. In December the Festival of Lessons and Carols fills the sanctuary with seasonal scripture, sacred music, and worship.
Caring for a Landmark Building
St. Paul's Memorial Church and its rectory are landmarked High Victorian Gothic buildings, and the parish has launched a Restoration Fund to care for them. Current priorities include repointing the stonework, restoring stained-glass window frames, repairing the rectory's roof, soffits, gutters, chimney, and windows, and addressing interior damage within the church. Online giving details for the fund are being prepared, and gifts made to the parish support the continuing preservation of a building that still serves as both a worship space and a community resource.
Clergy and Parish Leadership
The Rev. Frederick Schraplau serves as Parish Chaplain. Laverne Peter is Senior Warden and Margaret Simon is Junior Warden. Kenneth Hamrick directs the music program as Organist and Choirmaster, and Christopher Still serves as sexton. The parish office, reachable at 718-273-9572 or StPaulsSI@aol.com, is the place to call with accessibility questions or for help planning a first visit.