In 1943, during the dark days of World War II, gas rationing was beginning to tell on any number of Americans. Amongst this group were a number of Episcopalians who lived in the North Colonie area, and who were members of St. John's Church in Troy, New York. Finding that it was getting more difficult to drive to Church on Sundays because of the lack of gas, they contacted the Rector of St. John's, and asked him to supply a priest for Sunday Services. Agreeing to this, the Rector or Curate began holding Church at the S.W. Pitt Fire House on Route 155 in Latham. Having spent several years in the fire house, gathering between fire trucks, the small mission began to hold their weekly worship at the Latham Grange Hall on Old Niskayuna Road.

Finally, the decision was made to build a Church, and when land was given by the Paige family on Old Loudon Road (next to their chicken farm), a "chapel" was built in 1954, with the first service being held in December of that year. Originally named St. John's Chapel, the first priest-in-charge was the Reverend Stephen Gillespie, a Troy native who grew up in St. John's Church.

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