Original church built 1882

Church of Our Saviour, Episcopal, located on Route 33 in the village of Montpelier, was founded over one hundred thirty five years ago in 1882 as part of St. Martin’s Parish in Hanover County, Virginia.

Our church began through the efforts of the Reverend Robert Nelson of Oakland Plantation, who was a missionary in Shanghai, China, from the 1820’s to the 1880’s. During his leave from the Church of Our Saviour in Shanghai in 1880 and 1881, he conducted services for the people of western Hanover in the Montpelier School building or in the grove of trees surrounding the school.

Encouraged by the response, upon his return to China, Dr. Nelson solicited funds among the members of his congregation in Shanghai to build a namesake church in Virginia.

These contributions, supplemented by a generous gift from an American relative of a member of the Chinese congregation, made the building of Church of our Saviour in Montpelier possible. It was consecrated on October 17, 1882, after being erected on land given by Mr. Edward Morris of Clazemont Plantation.

The original church building was destroyed by fire in 1928, and the present structure was built in a similar style upon the ashes of the original. Again, the first contributions for its restoration came from the Church of Our Saviour in Shanghai. It is felt that this represents a singular, if not unique, example of reciprocal missionary work in the Episcopal Church in this county.

Reverend Robert Nelson’s missionary in Shanghai, China that helped build Church of Our Saviour

Our lovely church has expanded over the years, and continues to serve the church family and the community of western Hanover county. No longer a part of St. Martin’s Parish, we are a self supporting church, under the supervision of the Bishop of the Diocese of Virginia with Rev. Emily Krudys as Rector.