Our History
The Story of St. Alban, Our Namesake
The story of Alban is a remarkable one. It begins in a time when the Christian faith was forbidden in Britain. The origin is one of sacrifice and standing true to one’s beliefs.
Alban lived in the early third century in the Roman city of Verulamium, where the British town of St. Alban is located today. Alban was a very wealthy landowner.
One day he gave shelter to a stranger fleeing from persecution by the Roman authorities. This stranger, a Christian priest, was named Amphibalus. While sheltering the priest, Alban was inspired by how important faith was to the priest and asked to be taught more about Christianity.
When the Roman authorities finally discovered that the priest was staying with Alban, they came to arrest him. However, Alban’s new found faith would not let him allow the priest to be detained. Alban exchanged garments with the priest and was himself arrested, allowing Father Amphibalus to escape.
Alban refused to renounce his beliefs and the magistrate ordered that he should receive the same punishment as was intended for the escaped priest. Upon this ruling, Alban was led out of Verulamium and beheaded.
Alban is recognized and honored as Britain’s first saint.
The Story of St. Alban's Episcopal Church of Monroe
In early 1954, a group of Walton citizens, mostly who had relocated to this quaint Georgia town and were Episcopalians in their previous residences, organized and formed a mission church meeting in the local public utility building.
Shortly thereafter, a wealthy local businessman donated the funds to buy land and build a church building. On January 31, 1960, the Bishop Randolph R. Claiborne of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta, dedicated the new chapel and church building. St. Alban’s is now one of over a hundred Episcopal churches in the Atlanta diocese and a member of the worldwide fraternity of St. Alban’s Abby located in St. Albans, England.
Since the opening of this facility, the building has been expanded with a new sanctuary, parish hall, classrooms, offices, a columbarium, meditation garden and parking lot. St. Alban’s has been served by a total of 17 priests in her 66-year history.
In addition to serving as the worship home for Episcopalians in Walton County, St. Alban’s has been a good citizen through many outreach and charitable activities, most notably the origination of F.I.S.H. (Faith in Serving Humanity). This organization now serves those less fortunate not only through food and clothing distribution, but also has expanded into FISH4KIDS and FISH Medical and Dental. Our congregation continues to support F.I.S.H. and many other charitable organizations in the greater area with donations and volunteers on site throughout the year.
At St. Alban’s, we feel strongly that it is an honor to reach out to the greater community and serve our neighbors in need. We support a local Christian Day Care facility, collect items of need for Seniors in long term care homes and provide school supplies to many under privileged children in the greater Monroe area.
St. Alban’s in Monroe is a warm welcoming church open to all and we look forward to meeting you upon your visit.