New Church Opens in 1926-27
In the message just before this one, we discussed the parish house, which opened on September 7, 1924.
Another year passed by as the new church building was under construction. (This was NOT the easternmost
area where the office of Father Gerry and the church office is located -- that would not come until 1956.)
I am talking now about the main sanctuary area. On Monday, November 23, 1925 at 4:30 PM, the Right
Reverend James Wise, then the Bishop of Kansas, laid the cornerstone for our church building. The
cornerstone contains the architect's drawing of the building, the program for the afternoon's events, a list of
the vestrymen at the time, a list of the building committee and other church organizations, a picture of the
original 1874 church, a list of the 128 communicants, a copy of the Canons of the Diocese of Kansas, a copy of
the 1925 edition of the Journal of the Diocese of Kansas, a copy of the Book of Common Prayer and a
copy of the Bible used at some time in the past.
During this slightly more than one year while the sanctuary was under construction, services were held in the
parish hall. The completed church was dedicated October 23, 1927. There was considerable controversy within
the congregation with regards to the plans of construction. The basement area of the parish hall -- an area which
few have ever seen -- is lower than the sewer line, which has resulted at one time or another in flooding in the
basement. The building contractor was A.E. Todd and Son.
Following the construction of the church, the Guild Room was added to the parish hall. Then, the final things to be
built were the kitchen and the rectory. The kitchen was completely remodeled in 1993. Father Shaner, who had first
come to us in 1922 at the old church, oversaw the building of the new church but resigned as our rector to serve
Trinity Church in Lawrence, Kansas. He did return however for the formal dedication on October 23, 1927. Reverend
Kenneth Rice, the priest in charge of our church and Bishop Wise were participants in the ceremony that day along
with Fr. Shaner.
The vestry in 1927 included Judge J. W. Holdren, Senior Warden, Charles E. Leppleman, Junior Warden, C. H.
Bates, Clerk; G.T. Guernsey, Jr, treasurer; also Guy Berry, John Denman, Jr., Austin Farnswoth, A.E. Lawson,
W.A. Spencer, Frank Hainline, Dana Kelsey and E.T. Patterson. The Building Committee was Mr. Guernsey who
was the chairman and treasurer, E.T. Patterson, W.A. Spencer, and Mrs. Charles Miller.
A question: Do YOU know where the cornerstone is located? Have you ever seen it?
PAT
Another year passed by as the new church building was under construction. (This was NOT the easternmost
area where the office of Father Gerry and the church office is located -- that would not come until 1956.)
I am talking now about the main sanctuary area. On Monday, November 23, 1925 at 4:30 PM, the Right
Reverend James Wise, then the Bishop of Kansas, laid the cornerstone for our church building. The
cornerstone contains the architect's drawing of the building, the program for the afternoon's events, a list of
the vestrymen at the time, a list of the building committee and other church organizations, a picture of the
original 1874 church, a list of the 128 communicants, a copy of the Canons of the Diocese of Kansas, a copy of
the 1925 edition of the Journal of the Diocese of Kansas, a copy of the Book of Common Prayer and a
copy of the Bible used at some time in the past.
During this slightly more than one year while the sanctuary was under construction, services were held in the
parish hall. The completed church was dedicated October 23, 1927. There was considerable controversy within
the congregation with regards to the plans of construction. The basement area of the parish hall -- an area which
few have ever seen -- is lower than the sewer line, which has resulted at one time or another in flooding in the
basement. The building contractor was A.E. Todd and Son.
Following the construction of the church, the Guild Room was added to the parish hall. Then, the final things to be
built were the kitchen and the rectory. The kitchen was completely remodeled in 1993. Father Shaner, who had first
come to us in 1922 at the old church, oversaw the building of the new church but resigned as our rector to serve
Trinity Church in Lawrence, Kansas. He did return however for the formal dedication on October 23, 1927. Reverend
Kenneth Rice, the priest in charge of our church and Bishop Wise were participants in the ceremony that day along
with Fr. Shaner.
The vestry in 1927 included Judge J. W. Holdren, Senior Warden, Charles E. Leppleman, Junior Warden, C. H.
Bates, Clerk; G.T. Guernsey, Jr, treasurer; also Guy Berry, John Denman, Jr., Austin Farnswoth, A.E. Lawson,
W.A. Spencer, Frank Hainline, Dana Kelsey and E.T. Patterson. The Building Committee was Mr. Guernsey who
was the chairman and treasurer, E.T. Patterson, W.A. Spencer, and Mrs. Charles Miller.
A question: Do YOU know where the cornerstone is located? Have you ever seen it?
PAT
posted by Patrick Townson at 11:30 PM
1 Comments:
I can show you the corner stone sometime when you are here, if someone hasn't already done that. It isn't actually on the corner. I've always been curious that they didn't engrave at the least the year on it. Maybe we should have that done.
Marti E.
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