In 1945 the Diocesan Missionary Society of the Diocese of Virginia initiated the planning for St. Matthew's, purchasing a portion of the present property for $3500 for the first Episcopal mission to be established in the Richmond area since St. Stephen's in 1911. It was projected, in this post World War II growth period, that the mission would serve 30 subdivisions that included an estimated 150 Episcopal families.

The Rev. Henry Johnston Jr. was hired as vicar of the mission and on November 9, 1948 members of the congregation met and selected the name, St. Matthew's. On November 28, 1948 the first service was held at Tuckahoe Elementary School. On January 2, 1949 the first Vestry committee met and this was followed by an Every Member Canvass that raised $4,298 in pledges. St. Matthew's was admitted to the Diocese in 1949 as a mission church and achieved parish (self-supporting) status in 1954, five years ahead of the Society's informal schedule.

Rev. Johnston, who saw himself as a builder rather than a maintainer of churches, left St. Matthew's in 1956 and the congregation called the Rev. David H. Lewis Jr. as Rector. When the Rev. Lewis was elected Suffragan Bishop by the Diocese of Virginia in 1979, his assistant and later the interim Rector, the Rev. E.A. (Tad) de Bordenave III, was called as Rector. When the Rev. de Bordenave left to establish Anglican Frontier Missions, the Rev. Charles D. (Chuck) Alley was called as Rector in 1994.

St. Matthew's Church Logo

Over the 45 year span of Rectors, the size of the congregation grew steadily and new facilities were constructed to handle the growth. In 1948 the additional portion of the entire block on the northeast corner of Patterson and Forest Avenues was purchased at a cost of $3600. In 1950 the first sanctuary (the present Parish Hall) and a downstairs Parish Hall were completed at a cost of $56,000.

In 1955 additional Sunday School classrooms were added at a cost of $34,600 and in 1959 a new $220,000 sanctuary, with seating for 525, was dedicated. More classrooms, a nursery, a library and offices were added for $173,000 in 1968 and in 1993, pledges of $360,000 to a Capital Campaign made possible a new $195,000 organ and other improvements.

At St. Matthew's Bishop Lewis had the help of four assistants -- the Rev. Louis S. Breitenbach in 1958, the Rev. Harry Lee Hoffman in 1963, the Rev. Charles L. Johnson in 1970 and the Rev. de Bordenave in 1976. The Rev. de Bordenave had as his assistants the Rev. James Barham in 1981, the Rev. Larry Hill in 1985 and the Rev. Eric Turner in 1988. The Rev. Turner and the Rev. William Harper served as Interim Rector of the Parish between the time of the Rev. de Bordenave's leaving and the arrival of our new Rector, the Rev. Chuck Alley. He is presently assisted by a staff that includes Assistant Rector the Rev. Mario Gonzalez del Solar who succeeded The Rev. Lee Moore; youth minister Ken Langley; and music director B. J. Barlow and organist/accompanist Megan Barlow. Programs for pre-school children are directed by two members of the congregation, Sue Rickman and Spring Kirby.

Read a brief biography of St. Matthew by clicking this link.