| St. Philip's was organized in 1876 through the efforts of the rector of St. Paul's Parish in Baden for black parishioners of the Episcopal faith. It remained a parochial mission until 1946 when it became a diocesan mission supervised directly by the bishop and his representative, the vicar.
The original St. Philip's Chapel in Aquasco was of frame construction. A small hall was built for the educational and social activities of the community by the congregation. The first social hall proved inadequate for the expanding population and a two room school house was leased from the Prince George's Board of Education. Attempts were made in the early 1970s to acquire property in Aquasco, adjoining the Chapel but in November 1976 St. Philip's Chapel was destroyed by fire. For the next few years an arrangement was made by the Diocese to lease the chapel and social hall of St. Mary's Church in Aquasco during hours the white congregation was not using the buildings. This arrangement terminated in 1980 when St. Philip's congregation, aided by funds from the Diocese and insurance, moved into the Old St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church.
The vicar serving St. Philip's, in past decades, also served other missions, namely: Chapels of St. Simon Croome and St. Mary's, New Market (Charlotte Hall). For this reason, the financial report book contains monthly reports for the three chapels. The Maryland State Archives has filmed the archives of St. Simon Croome (see M 1379). St. Simon and St. Mary's are now defunct and only St. Philip's remains an active congregation. |
