History

Our Congregation and the Larger Tradition In Which We Share

A Brief History of Emmanuel Parish

1870's 

The first services from the Book of Common Prayer in the Concho Valley were held in 1871 at Fort Concho, when and Episcopal clergyman, the Rev. Norman Badger, was sent to be the post chaplain. He was succeeded in 1876 by the Rev. George W. Dunbar, under whose guidance a building was erected at the fort to serve as a school and chapel. The chapel was placed under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Missionary District of Western Texas, based in San Antonio, where the Rt. Rev. Robert Woodward Barnwell Elliott was Bishop.

 1880's

Bishop Elliott made a fundraising mission trip to the East Coast, where the Parish of Emmanuel in Baltimore gave $1,000 to help build a church in West Texas. The place where Bishop Elliott chose to put those funds to use was San Angelo, and the church was named Emmanuel after the sponsoring church in Baltimore. Emmanuel Church was formally organized in 1884, and land for the first church building was purchased for $500, all raised by the Ladies' Guild, on the northwest corner of Harris Avenue and Chadbourne Street. The first clergyman to serve as Rector of Emmanuel was the Rev. Dr. Thomas Coke Stanley. Construction of a church building began in 1887 and was completed in 1888. The architect was Oscar Ruffini, while J.D. O'Daniel was the general contractor. By the time of the dedication of the new church, Bishop Elliott had died, and he was succeeded by the Rt. Rev. James Steptoe Johnsonton.

1890's

In the 1890's, Emmanuel was served by a succession of clergyman who stayed but a short while. The parish was held together in large part by devoted women of the Ladies' Guild, like Mrs. Ed Duggan, who is remembered as "the mother of the church, who bossed us all."

1900's

The Hon. William Anson, son of the Earl of Litchfield, purchased the "Head-of-the-River" Ranch near Christoval in 1903. He was a dedicated Churchman and organizer of people. He sponsored a boys' choir and baseball team that was open only to members of the boys' choir. It has been said, "Billy Anson was really the cornerstone of youth work in our church." In 1906, the lot on Chadbourne and Harris was sold, with the stipulation that it not be used for a saloon, and a new lot at West College and Randolph was purchased. A new rectory was built there, but was sold in 1909, the proceeeds being used to purchase the land where the church presently stands at the corner of Randolph and Harris Streets. The original wood-frame church was moved to the west end of the lot and a rectory was built at 11 S. Randolph.

1910's

Emmanuel became part of the Missionary District of North Texas in 1913. The Bishop's headquarters were then in Amarillo. Emmanuel became a self-supporting parish in 1914. Among the ministries active at the time was the King's Daughters, who ministered to the Latino community of San Angelo. Thirty-one men from Emmanuel Parish left to serve in the Great War (World War I) in 1918, including Billy Anson, who had become an American citizen, and who served as a captain in the U.S. Army.

1920's

The construction of a Tom Green County Courthouse in San Angelo was a significant event for Emmanuel Parish, which was able to purchase the discarded limestone for $2,500. The county commissioners gave the old courthouse bell to the parish as a gift. The Rev. Arthur E. Whittle, a former British military chaplain, came from St. Paul's Church in Corinth, Mississippi, where he had led a successful campaign to build a church building, to serve as Rector of Emmanuel in 1929. The architect was John G. Becker, and H.F. Templeton was the general contractor. Groundbreaking was held on Easter of 1929 and the first service was held in the new church on Christmas Eve of that year.

1930's

In spite of financial hardship brought on by the Great Depression, Emmanuel continued to pursue its mission and ministry. A young people's service league was organized, Sunday School was very active, and several dedicated lay readers carried on with worship services when the health of the  Rev. Paul Reese began to fail. The mayor, Jose L. Tweedy, a member of the vestry, organized social service ministries, and Mrs. Hazel Beesley was local director for the Texas Relief Commission. She and others from the parish saw to the relief of families in distress. The youth of Emmanuel found positive activities through an active drama group directed by Mrs. Kenneth Oliver, and their productions raised money for benevolent causes. A quality music ministry was also maintained, which made Sunday services and other musical events attractive to the community. In 1935, the Rev. Philip Kemp, with his wife and three children, came to serve as Rector. The Kemp family was the last to occupy the big frame rectory that had been built in 1906. in 1936, the parish was more than $3,000 in debt, but a Vestryman gave the church a loan to pay of its debts. The Greek Orthodox Church of the Assumption of Mary were tenants in the old frame church until it caught fire in 1937. The building was not a total loss, however, and Emmanuel sold the building to the Greek Orthodox congregation, moved it to the corner of Kenwood and Montecito, where stuccoed and enlarged, it still serves the Greek Orthodox congregation today.

1940's

 The 1940's was a time of transition for Emmanuel Parish. From being something of a chapel for a few select families, a ministry to and for the entire community began to emerge. Emmanuel parishioners hosted events for the men stationed at the new air base. The debt incurred during the Depression years was paid off in 1944, and the question of rejoining the San Antonio based Diocese of West Texas was put to the congregation. Even though the congregation voted in favor, no action was taken, and Emmanuel remains a part of what is now the Diocese of Northwest Texas. In 1946, the Rt. Rev. George C. Quarterman became Bishop of the Missionary District of North Texas. During his tenure, the missionary district became the Diocese of Northwest Texas. In 1947, the young women's guild took the name of St. Catherine's, which is still an active guild of Emmanuel today. In 1949, Emmanuel called the Rev. Morris F. Elliott to serve as Rector, where he was to serve until 1974.

1950-74: The Elliott Years

In his ministry as Choirmaster, Don Lummus built an impressive choir of all volunteer membership, with the help of Duwain Hughes as Organist. By 1954 the enrollment for Sunday School was 218 children, which prompted the construction of the stone Sunday School Annex, completed in 1958. Today it houses parish offices, the parlor, church bookstore, and the library. The beauty of the nave of the church was augmented by the addition of wooden carvings of Christian symbols by Sunny Jones, Helen White, and Paul Campbell. Emmanuel celebrated its Diamond Anniversary in 1959. The Rev. Mr. Elliott conducted extensive research on the history of Emmanuel, and he started the Archives, which are a treasure that is still meticulously curated by volunteers today. The 1960's saw the addition of the Memorial Garden, air conditioning in the church, and the present 22-rank Reuter Duwain E. Hughes Memorial Pipe Organ. Emmanuel parishioners were part of a steering committee that helped to establish a mission church as San Angelo continued to grow. That effort produced the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd. Emmanuel was designated as a state historical site in 1967. In 1973, Emmanuel was left a trust from the estate of William E. Kreps to be used for the benefit of its youth development program within the state of Texas, and this fund continues to allow us to be active in ministry with youth in the area. The Rev. Mr. Elliott retired in 1974, his final large event coming when Emmanuel hosted Diocesan Council that year.

1974-84: The Griffith Years

Upon the retirement of the Rev. Morriss Elliott was called from Beaumont to serve as Rector of Emmanuel. He led the parish through the turbulence of Prayer Book Revision and opening up to increasing roles for women in the church, among those roles being the ordination of women as priests. Closer to home, women became leaders in worship and leadership. Mary  Compton Martin was the first woman elected to the Vestry, while Sharon Templeton was the first woman to serve as Senior Warden. 1976 saw the completion of the Parish Hall, a setting for meetings, meals, and fellowship that continues to serve as a hub of parish activity. Since 1978, a midweek meal for parishioners and friends has been served on Wednesday evenings in the Parish Hall. The addition of the Parish Hall created a u-shaped cloister, which in 1980 became the Hunter Garden, dedicated in memory of Mary Bland Millspaugh Hunter, who was born in San Angelo in the same year, 1884, that the congregation was officially organized. A playground in memory of Derrell Dorrance was added in 1983, and then followed a Mother's Day Out program, which was intended to be the first step toward an Episcopal school for San Angelo, but that is a dream that has not yet been realized. Fr. Griffith retired in 1984.

1984-Present

Emmanuel has been served by four Rectors in the past three decades. The Rev. James T. Horton (1985-1989), the Rev. John H. Loving (1990-2004), the Rev. Allan A. Conkling (2005-2011), and the current Rector, the Rev. Matthew R. Rowe (2012-present). It has been a time of growth in the number and types of programs the church offers, and it has been a time of change in society. We look back with gratitude on those saints in Baltimore who funded the first church, on Bishop Elliott, for his vision to plant a church in San Angelo, and to the countless faithful members who have contributed to the present health and vitality of Emmanuel Parish. Now, with God's grace, we press on into the future.

Ancient Celtic Roots of the Anglican Way of Faith

 The Episcopal Church is part of the Anglican Communion, a global family of churches who share a common heritage of the Church of England as our Mother Church, and who are all bound together in fellowship because we are in communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury, the spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion.

Christianity came to ancient Britain very early. There is even a legend that Jesus went there as a boy in the company of Joseph. This legend was poeticized in 1810 by William Blake in his Preface to Milton a Poem, in a poem that is called Jerusalem. Another legend says that Joseph of Arimathea came to Britain and buried the Holy Grail, the cup used at the Last Supper, at Glastonbury. Those legends aside, there is evidence of Christian practice in Britain as early as the 2nd century A.D., when it was still illegal to practice the Christian faith in the Roman Empire. The first British martyr was Albanus, and St. Alban's Cathedral now stands on the site of his martyrdom. When Emperor Constantine adopted Christianity as the religion of the Roman Empire, he called for a council of bishops to meet in order to produce a summary statement of Christian belief. Among the bishops present, there were several from Britain. That statement, which dates to 325 A.D., is called the Nicene Creed, which we still recite together on Sundays and Major Feast Days.

Over time, the Roman Empire began to fade and provinces such as Britain were abandoned as the focus shifted to defending Rome itself from Barbarian invasion. By the early 5th century, without Roman soldiers to keep order, Britain came under the control of pagan marauders from the north, called Celts (pronounced 'Kelts'). Under these pagans, Christianity was driven underground. The only place Christainity retained its hold openly was in Wales. 

Gradually, Christian missionaries like Patrick, Columba, and Aidan, brought the Christian faith back out into the open, so that by the 7th century Christianity was again a strong presence in Britain. At about that time, in the year 598, Pope Gregory the Great took an interest in Britain, and he sent Augustine as a missionary bishop to establish a mission in Britain. He landed in the Kingdom of Kent, in what is now the southeast of England. There he met King Ethelbert of Kent. The queen, Bertha, was already a Christian. With her influence to help, Ethelbert converted to Christianity, and with him the entire population of the Kingdom of Kent, 20,000 souls, was baptized. This marked the establishment of the Roman way of Christianity, which would spread northward until it collided with the earlier British form of Christianity, which was very humble, tied to the rhythms of nature, and based on the old Julian calendar. It soon became clear that the two ways of being Christian could not easily co-exist. In the year 664, a great synodical meeting convened at the Abbey at Whitby, where Hilda was Abbess, to decide if Britain would continue to follow the earlier form of Christianity, or if the Latinized practice from Rome would become the practice of the British Church. The Synod of Whitby endorsed the Latin practice, so that Britain would not be cut off from the rest of the western European Church. From 664 until the Reformation of the 16th century, The English Church would be a branch of the Roman Catholic Church, although always a bit of a wild branch that caused headaches for more than one Pope!

The English Reformation

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A Uniquely American Church

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