Posted on August 17, 2020 at 11:39 AM by Denise Cartina
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Miss Althea Gibbs was a founding member of Saint John's Episcopal Church, now Century Memorial Chapel, located on our grounds at Naper Settlement. She was responsible for procuring and making her own large donations to the church. An archived article from a newspaper in 1971 says she should be seen as the patron saint of St. Johns. Her devotion to the church is a highlight to the role women played in making the church possible. Consecrated in 1865, only days after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the Chapel served as a place of worship and community for the congregation of St. John’s for over one hundred years. The Century Memorial Chapel continues to be a cherished gathering place with dozens of couples choosing to hold their wedding in the Chapel each year. The construction of the church also allowed the congregation to finally have their own worshiping space outside of the borrowed space of other churches.
Inside of the church there is a piece of stained glass left in memory of Miss Althea Gibbs. Her work is recognized by the St. John’s congregation as why their church was able to be constructed. Please see the attached picture below."
Nominated by Arlene Calderone