Church of the Redeemer, Episcopal 
Shelbyville, TN
The
Church of the Redeemer was started at Shelbyville, Tennessee, in 1853
and in May, 1867, the Parish was admitted into union with the
Convention of the Diocese of Tennessee. The original church
building, a small brick structure of English architecture was
Consecrated by the Right Rev. C. T. Quintard, Bishop of Tennessee, on
August 1, 1868. Confederate General Braxton B. Bragg, who was a
close friend of the Bishop and a resident of Shelbyville was the first
person confirmed in the new Church. The Rev. J. B. Smith was the
first Rector of the Church of the Redeemer.
In the early nineteen twenties, the Church was dissolved and the property was sold with the proceeds from the sale of the property invested by the Diocese for future use in case the Shelbyville Church should ever be revived. Later, a petition for reorganization bearing twenty-three signatures was submitted to the Right Rev. Thomas F. Gailor, then Bishop of Tennessee. The church was reorganized as a Mission in 1935 and received once more into union with the Convention of the Diocese in Nashville, January 1936. A building was secured just a few blocks from the Courthouse square. This building was built in 1817 by the Presbyterians and had been used by several dominations through the years. The furniture from the original Redeemer had been preserved and was moved to its new home. The Gailor Family, manifesting an interest in the newly organized Church, the last one officially authorized by Bishop Gailor, gave the Altar and serving pieces in his private chapel at Sewanee, to the Redeemer. On May 5, 1936, the Church was Consecrated by the Right Rev. James M. Maxon, Bishop of Tennessee.
Through the years the Church has been served by many Clergy and also many Senior Theological Students who came “off the mountain”. In 1975, the Rev. Robert A. Bolton, was called as Vicar of the Redeemer. Under his leadership the growth in membership and giving enabled the Church of Redeemer to achieve parish status in 1981. The building located in the East Shelbyville Historic District, was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 23, 1990. In 2001, the Church underwent a complete renovation, but retaining the original furniture and its Colonial architecture.
In the early nineteen twenties, the Church was dissolved and the property was sold with the proceeds from the sale of the property invested by the Diocese for future use in case the Shelbyville Church should ever be revived. Later, a petition for reorganization bearing twenty-three signatures was submitted to the Right Rev. Thomas F. Gailor, then Bishop of Tennessee. The church was reorganized as a Mission in 1935 and received once more into union with the Convention of the Diocese in Nashville, January 1936. A building was secured just a few blocks from the Courthouse square. This building was built in 1817 by the Presbyterians and had been used by several dominations through the years. The furniture from the original Redeemer had been preserved and was moved to its new home. The Gailor Family, manifesting an interest in the newly organized Church, the last one officially authorized by Bishop Gailor, gave the Altar and serving pieces in his private chapel at Sewanee, to the Redeemer. On May 5, 1936, the Church was Consecrated by the Right Rev. James M. Maxon, Bishop of Tennessee.
Through the years the Church has been served by many Clergy and also many Senior Theological Students who came “off the mountain”. In 1975, the Rev. Robert A. Bolton, was called as Vicar of the Redeemer. Under his leadership the growth in membership and giving enabled the Church of Redeemer to achieve parish status in 1981. The building located in the East Shelbyville Historic District, was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 23, 1990. In 2001, the Church underwent a complete renovation, but retaining the original furniture and its Colonial architecture.
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