St. Paul's, Leavenworth anniversary

Want to find a congregation near you? Use our congregation finder to locate the nearest place of worship. Choose from the pull-down-menu below or view the full list.

FIND IT HERE...

QUICK LINKS TO...

You are here: Home > News > The Harvest September/October 2006 > Leavenworth 150th anniversary

Leavenworth parish readies for 150th anniversary

St. Paul ’s, Leavenworth, has a variety of events planned to celebrate the founding of the parish on Dec. 10, 1856:

Nov. 12, 4 p.m. — Choral Evensong featuring the Youth Choristers of Grace cathedral, Topeka. Reception following.

Dec. 9-10 — Homecoming Weekend.

Dec. 9, 5:30 p.m. — Holy Eucharist with Bishop Dean Wolfe celebrating. Dinner following using recipes from the parish’s anniversary cookbook.

Dec. 10, 9:30 a.m. — Holy Eucharist with organ concert. Reception following.

Dec. 10, 1-7 p.m. — St. Paul’s will be on the Leavenworth Vintage Homes tour.

By Melodie Woerman
Editor, The Harvest

St. Paul ’s, Leavenworth, the first parish organized in what would become the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas, will celebrate the 150th anniversary of its founding with special celebrations in November and December.

Those will culminate with services the weekend of Dec. 10 — the actual anniversary date — with Bishop Dean Wolfe attending. Past members of the congregation also are invited to return for what the parish is calling a “homecoming weekend.”

Before statehood
Ministry by the Episcopal Church in what then was Kansas Territory took place under the direction of Bishop Jackson Kemper, the first missionary bishop selected by the Episcopal Church.

He was sent in 1835 to what then was called “the Northwest,” with responsibility for what became Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska.

The Rev. Hiram Stone responded to Bishop Kemper’s appeal for missionaries to the west and arrived in Leavenworth from Connecticut on Nov. 24, 1856.

Only two weeks later, with the help of 20 parishioners, he had founded the first permanent Episcopal church in Kansas, named St. Paul’s because of the financial support given it by St. Paul’s, New Haven. Conn.

The congregation’s first building was completed in 1858 and consecrated by Bishop Kemper.

After a few years of decline and resurgence, a new church building was begun at the corner of Seventh and Seneca. Services took place in its partially completed interior in 1864, with the building completed in 1872. It continues in use today.

More information on the parish’s anniversary events is available by calling 913-682-1033 or e-mailing administrator@stpaulslvn.org.