St. Paul's Episcopal Church was established in 1853 and its nave and chancel, including its distinctive steeple, were erected in 1856 on a Town Green site previously occupied by two county jails.
One of the jails was burned during the British invasion of Fairfield in 1779 and the other jail was burned by a prisoner in 1852. The foundations of these structures are visible today in the church basement.
In 1891, St. Paul's parish built an addition for its Sunday school and Women's Auxiliary, and the church launched a building campaign in 1928 that produced its transept, an expanded chancel capable of seating a choir and housing an organ, a chapel adjoining the chancel, which is now part of the sacristy, and the Parish Hall and adjoining rooms that served at the time to house the parish offices, choir room and Sunday school rooms.
The church several decades later erected a wing that is currently home to the parish offices, Sunday school classrooms and the choir rehearsal room.
Sunday church services in the fall, winter and spring include Holy Eucharist I at 8 a.m., Holy Eucharist II at 9:15 a.m. and Holy Eucharist II at 11:15 a.m. Church school and a forum for adults is held from 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. On Wednesdays, Holy Eucharist II services are at 7 a.m. and 11 a.m.
Summer worship services on Sunday include Holy Eucharist I at 8 a.m., Holy Eucharist II at 10 a.m. and a service at Jennings Beach, in July and August, at 8:30 a.m. The church advises that parishioners who do not have a Fairfield beach sticker on their cars will be ticketed after 10 a.m.
St. Paul's Episcopal Church has 1,000 members and describes itself as a nurturing parish that welcomes everyone in the name of Christ and that is dedicated to growing spiritually and sharing Christ's love through inspiring worship, lively fellowship and joyful service to the community.