St. Paul Church South Bass Island

St. Paul's Episcopal Church is an historic Episcopal church and the oldest surviving religious structure in the village of Put-in-Bay, Ohio. It is located at Catawba Ave and Lakeview Dr. on South Bass Island in Lake Erie. The parish is part of the Episcopal Church The parish will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the congregation's formation in 2014 and the 150th anniversary of the completion of the church building in 2015. Due to the unique history of the parish St. Paul's will also observe the 100th anniversary of their return to the Episcopal Church in 2012-2014.

1865 Episcopal Congregation Established

St. Paul's Episcopal Church was established in the fall 1864 by The Rev. Miles Kendrick and the local residents. They started out meeting in the local school while they raised building funds during the winter months. In May 1865, at the close of the Civil War, philanthropist Jay Cooke purchased the property where the church sits and contributed to the building fund. The Carpenter Gothic church was completed five months later in October 1865. The church and the original rectory appear to be based on a design in the book Rural Architecture by architect Richard Upjohn. In October, the first service was attended by the new congregation and several guests including Salmon P. Chase, Jay Cooke, and the Rev Parvin, who was the first rector of St. Paul's, Elkins Park PA,^[2] where Jay Cooke was a vestry member.^[3] After serving the parish for three years Rev Kendrick moved to larger churches and became the Bishop of the Episcopal Missionary Diocese of Arizona and New Mexico in 1889.^[4]

St. Paul's Episcopal Church is one of the oldest churches in continuous use in Ohio. Many of the churches Jay Cooke helped build were named for Saint Paul which was also the name of the church he attended in Philadelphia.

The rectory, known as "The Hartman House" is next door at 619 Catawba Ave. The "Hartman House," was built in 1959-1963 to replace the original 1865 rectory. The Hartman house is named for Marylib Vrooman Hartman whose estate made a large contribution to build the house in the 1950s which was matched by the parishioners. Phillip Vrooman, her father, was one of the original merchants on Put-in-Bay.

As the only church on the island, the parish served the entire community until the 1870 when a Catholic mission called Mother of Sorrows was established. It was completed in 1883.^[5] Today there are two still churches on the island. A third Lutheran mission meets at Mother of Sorrows.

Reformed Episcopal Church 1869 - 1912

Winter 1868-69 Ohio Bishop [Charles P. MaIlvaine | Charles Pettit McIlvaine] wrote to Rev S. R. Weldon, the rector, with instructions about the form of worship he should have and the vesture he should wear. Bishop McIlvaine had received a letter from a fall visitor describing Mr Weldon's inconsistencies with Episcopal vestments and practices. Rev. Weldon and Rev Kendrick both invited preachers of other denominations who were guests of Mr. Cooke at Gibraltar, to preach in the church. This was not allowed by any denomination at the time. Additionally, Mr. Weldon did not follow the prayer book during baptisms, leaving out the word regeneration.

In the spring of 1869, after the exchange of several letters, between Bishop McIlvaine and Mr. Weldon, he chose to leave the Episcopal church instead of following the Bishop's guidance. Mr. Jay Cooke did not discourage Mr. Weldon's decision. (He did not encourage it either) Jay Cooke was very active in the Episcopal church throughout his life, primarily in Philadelphia he also served on two National Episcopal Committees. Jay Cooke still provided financial support to St. Paul's, even though they had stepped away from the Episcopal church.

20 June 1869 – Church members voted to withdraw from the Episcopal Church and formed themselves as a Congregational Church but continued to worship using the Episcopal Prayer Book. Their decision was related to their rector's attraction to the theology and doctrine of Bishop Cummings (An Episcopalian who would go on to create the Reformed Episcopal Church in 1873).

1869 – 1889 the parish was led by ministers who were not connected to any denomination although most of them were trained in Episcopal Seminaries.

1873—Following the Civil War there was disagreement over the wording and understanding of the Baptismal Service leading to the formation of "The Reformed Episcopal Church" by Bishop [George David Cummins | George David Cummins]. Evangelical Episcopalians disturbed by High Church Tractarianism formed their own voluntary societies and continued to work in interdenominational agencies.^[6] One of the active supporters of the creation of the Reformed Episcopal Church was St. Paul's second rector, the Rev S. R. Weldon.

1875 – St Paul's affiliated with the Reformed Episcopal Church^[7]

1912 – The church returned to the Protestant Episcopal Church at the same time [Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial | Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial] was built. On Oct 25, 1912 the Episcopal Bishop's visitation marking the return. In 1914 - documents were signed completing the formal return to the Episcopal church.

Stained Glass

St Paul's has a number of stained glass windows from the early 1900s. The largest on was created by well known Stained Glass artist Francis D. Sweeney from Philadelphia.

A large stained glass window behind the altar was created by Francis D. Sweeney, other were placed in the church by the families of devoted church members.

The "Follow Me" Window (Over the Altar) Matthew 4:19: In 1902 Mrs. [Charles D. Barney | Charles D. Barney]^[8] (Laura L.), daughter of Jay Cooke presented the altar window as a memorial to her mother with this inscription: "To the Glory of God, and in loving memory of Dorothea Elizabeth Allen Cooke, Born 1828 died 1871 'He saith unto them: Follow Me' St. Mat. 4-19."

The grape vine laden with purple grapes and the fishermen with their net were selected based on their role as the products of the island, as well as the symbolic meaning from scripture. The window depicts the scene of Christ's call to the fishermen, showing Him seated beneath a gnarled grape vine bearing fruit near the sea, earnestly conversing with Peter and Andrew, who with their net are sitting in front of Jesus with characteristically eager faces, displaying the impetuosity of the former and the sincerity of the latter as they yield to the Lord's call in the spirit of worldly renunciation. The face of Christ is strikingly beautiful in its ardent earnestness and yearning desire for the partnership with those two fishermen.

The artist, Mrs Frances "Fanny" D. Sweeny of Philadelphia who was an instructor of Stained Class and proprietor of her own business at the time this was created.

Current History 1916-2012

St. Paul's continues to serve the residents and visitors to South Bass Island. Services are held all year around. The clergy of the parish also minister to residents of North Bass and Middle Bass.

Island clergy have worked together for many Ecumenical events. They participated in the internment ceremony at Perry's Monument in 1915. In 1990 the clergy and members of both officiated at the dedication of the memorial carillon in honor of EMS the emergency team that gave their lives trying to assist someone on Kelly's Island in 1983.

The island clergy participate in the annual Blessing of the fleet in May, various events around the island including the Founder's Day Weekend parade. Each summer the churches hold a combined vacation bible camp.

In 2011 a labyrinth was placed on the front lawn and is described in the World Wide Labyrinth Locator.^[9]

Wa-Li-Ro

In 1933–1970' A summer camp on South Bass Island for Episcopal and Anglican choristers. Named Wa-Li-Ro after Ohio Episcopal Bishop, The Rt. Rev. Walter Lincoln Rodgers, Thousands of boys participated in the camp that honed their skills as choristers. Their choir practice took place at St. Paul's Episcopal Church. The boys walked to the church from their dormitory to practice twice each day.

Boys would come from all over the United States to attend the camp. In later years there was a week set aside for girl choristers as well. In addition to the singing the boys spent time canoeing, fishing, swimming and hiking.

Wa-Li-Ro was led by many well known composers, choir directors and musicians. Directors included representatives from the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM), one of these was Gerald Knight who was the director of the RSCM 1952 to 1972. (his records are located at the Colles Reference Library on the close of Salisbury Cathedral). Paul Allen Beymer was the director of the camp for many years

Leo Sowerby (May 1, 1895 – July 7, 1968) made regular trips to the camp for many years. Sowerby was an American composer and church musician, was the winner of the Pulitzer Prize for music in 1946, Each year he wrote an anthem for Wa-Li-Ro. "Themes and Variations (Wa-Li-Ro) H-472 is an organ solo piece still being played (but the music is difficult to locate!). Sowerby died in Port Clinton, Ohio during one of his visits to the Wa-Li-Ro camp.

Parish Records

The records of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Put-in-Bay, Ohio, were transferred for microfilming to the Center for Archival Collections, Bowling Green State University^[10] in October 1984, with the cooperation of Reverend Neilson Rudd who was St Paul's rector at the time. The Bowling Green copies consists of copies of parish record books dating from 1865-1962, which include histories, financial abstracts, lists of communicants, baptisms, marriages, deaths and confirmations, as well as a church constitution and two letters regarding this church's membership in the Ohio Diocese.^[11]

Parish Records from 1864 to 1965 can be found in: Grace Luebke Local History Room Material Holdings, Harris-Elmore Public Library 328 Toledo Street (P.O. Box 45) Elmore, OH 43416

These Records include: Constitution April 10, 1908, Correspondence October 22, 1912, July 30, 1952, Record Book 1865-1962

References

Further reading

• Pollard, James (1935). The Journal Of Jay Cooke Or The Gibraltar Records, 1865-1905. Ohio State University Press. ISBN 125815904X.  This book contains copies of some key documents and reflections on the sermons of various ministers at St Paul's.
• Dodge, John (1986). Island Splendor.  Talks about the development of the Church in Chapter 2. Articles about Jay Cooke also mention St. Paul's.
• The University of Virginia has letters written by Laura Cooke Barney in the 1860s. There are references to St. Paul's in her letters.
• The archives of the Diocese of Ohio has some historic records of St. Paul's. The Diocesan newspaper called Church Life has articles about the parish beginning with the editions published in 1912.
• The archives of the Reformed Episcopal Church may contain information about the years from 1869 to 1912.

External links

• St Paul's Episcopal Church website
• Bowling Green State University Library
• List of Episcopal bishops Listing of Episcopal Bishops
• St Paul's Episcopal Church website