In 1909, The Rev. George B. Gilbert became Priest-In-Charge of Emmanuel Episcopal Church, in Killingworth, Connecticut. Gilbert was a graduate of Trinity College and of Berkeley Divinity School in Middletown. His informal style and populist political views sometimes drew the disapproval of the church hierarchy and some of his church members, but his desire to serve the people drew wide admiration. The Christian Herald sponsored a nation-wide contest to select a typical country pastor, and Gilbert was selected in 1939 from 1,000 nominees. He revitalized the church and made it known to the world with his famous book, Forty Years a Country Preacher. - Killingworth Historical Society.