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St. Mark's Mission |
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The town of Shafter was created by the Santa Fe Railroad and Kern County Land Company in 1911. It was named for a celebrated Spanish-American War General. This was where the Santa Fe tracks crossed the Lerdo Highway, the county road. Potatoes, onions, and other root crops were the first economic base. The Shafter potatoes refrigeration requirement together with nematodes and other soil pests have changed that. Almonds and grapes but more especially cotton, now dominate the agricultural scene. In early days a Mennonite colony settled in Shafter. Dust Bowl refugees came in large numbers during the Depression years. Nearby oil fields have both accelerated and destabilized Shafter's growth and economy. City fathers chose a slow growth policy in building several years ago, which is now regretted. There is a Jeep sense of "old families" in charge in the town of Shafter; some feel they "haven't made it" into those ranks after 20 years. A few dedicated Episcopalian families lived in Shafter in the early 1950s, commuting to St. Paul's, Bakersfield, for services. Mrs. Eleanor Kelly approached Bishop Walters about establish-ing a church in Shafter and he gave tentative approval. Mr. and Mrs. William Arnold and Mrs. Genevieve Cooper asked Fr. Leslie Rolls of Delano to begin holding services for about a dozen people. Meetings and services were held in homes. Fr. Rolls came from Delano in the evenings, first conducting only Evening Prayer. Later, he began to come on Sunday mornings after services in Delano. Bishop Walters met with the Shafter group, and perceiving that nothing would deter them, he gave his blessing to their plan of a Shafter congregation and promised to work with them closely. At that time Fr. Rolls suggested they adopt the name of St. Mark's" for the new mission. This was accepted unanimously. (Fr. Rolls was involved at the same time in starting St. Luke's, Bakersfield.) St. Mark's was admitted into union with the Convocation on January 22, 1956, in the motion preceding that for admitting St. Luke's. By early 1956, the congregation grew so that it could no longer be held in a private home. For a time, the guest house of the Ed Browns at 340 Mannel Avenue was used. The mission rented a building for a few months and outgrew it, and so rented a larger space at 135 Shafter Avenue, which came to be known affectionately as "the tin building." The first service was held there on October 7, 1956. Members from Wasco, 8 miles north, and Buttonwillow, on the west side of the Valley, began to swell St. Mark's numbers. Bill and Maud Arnold made the trip each weekend from their mountain cabin, 82 miles away, to help set up the altar for services. Fr. Rolls celebrated the Eucharist once a month. Bill Arnold meanwhile hand-crafted many of the items for the services, such as altar rails, processional Cross, candlesticks, hymn-number boards, lectern, and so forth. Various other furnishings, the first organ, kneelers, etc., were generously donated by members of the founding families, and by St. Luke's, Bakersfield, as well as by St. Therese's Roman Catholic Church in Shafter. Plans were soon in motion for a permanent building; the Episcopal Church Women were unstinting in their efforts to raise money for it. St. Mark's E.C.W. was first organized in 1955, with Mrs. Marjorie Brown as first President. By 1959, 38 families were listed at St. Mark's. In July, 1958, Edward L. Key came as first resident Vicar; he was ordained Deacon in September, 1958. Previously, he had served as a pastor for Three years in the Congregational Church. Bishop Walters ordained him Priest in the Tin Building in March, 1958. He served until June. 1963. Enthusiasm for the new church was growing apace, fund-raiser affairs were held, and the Ohanneson family donated a piece of land on Beech Avenue, two lots of which were later sold for further funds. The ground-breaking ceremony was held on Saturday, July 30, 1960, attended by the Bishop, Dean Lee of Fresno, and others. Work began in early August, scheduled for Three phases. Phase I was the building of a parish hall as a temporary church, to seat 120, with two school rooms, office, and kitchen. Phase II was a series of classrooms, separated by accordion screens, that open into one large room. Phase III was to be a permanent church. which has not yet been done. The present "temporary" church was occupied in early 1961. In September, 1963, the Rev. John D. Spear came into the Diocese as Vicar of St. Mark's, and served there until April, 1967. During his time, the Christian Education Building (Phase II) was completed. Ground-breaking was in October, 1965, and dedication took place on January 30 1966. It was designated by the Bishop's Committee as a memorial to the late Marjorie Brown, as much of the funding was given in her memory. Fr. Bruce Spencer followed \7r. Spear in September, 1967. He served until he was called to Ridgecrest. Fr. Spencer is remembered by many as a firmly orthodox teacher of the faith. Fr. Boardman C. Reed was St. Mark's fourth Vicar, from November, 1970, to February. 1973. He was a Prayer Book traditionalist, opposed to the novel liturgical "trial uses". Dana 0. Howard. originally of Taft, was ordained Deacon at Shafter in August, 1973, then ordered Priest the following year. He remained at St. Mark's until August, 1979, when he left to test a vocation in the Order of the Holy Cross at its Mother House in New York State. His was the longest tenure to that date. The church was given a definitely "High Church" veneer: a figure of the Risen Christ, carved in Italy, replaced the altar cross; a figure of the Blessed Virgin Mary was placed in the entry alcove, with votive lights. An ikon of the Virgin painted by a priest of Holy Cross, with its lamp, was put on the wall. "The Mass" was made the standard Sunday service, and incense was used regularly. Fellowship in the church was accented with numerous parties at the Pine Street vicarage and elsewhere, and on occasion police were called by scandalized Shafterites to investigate the observance of Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras Some people journeyed from Bakersfield, attracted by Fr. Howard's dramatic sermons, liturgical style, and the smaller congregation. Those who disapproved were invited to leave. As a consequence, intense feelings of loyalty and disaffection were generated. Fr. Howard died in 4986 after a lengthy bout with Lou Gehrig's disease. Fr. J. Frederick Johnson became Vicar in December, 1979, and served until April, 1981. He had a difficult time following in Fr. Howard's popular footsteps. The vicarage was sold and income was used for clergy housing. Fr. Mark Lawrence came on a "temporary basis", but served from August, 1981, until September. 1984. The church was packed for his farewell service. He sought to bring a strong consciousness of the Bible and its direction for the Church today. but left fejing very frustrated. During his time, however, St. Mark's people pledged more than their alloted share to Venture in Mission, and took on a measure of support for SAMS (the Anglican South American Missionary Society.) His departure left many in the congregation depressed and angry. Recognizing the need for stability. Fr. Christopher Kelley came as Vicar in February. 1985. He tried to cultivate the artistic talents in the congregation, supervising the creation of several processional banners. One was to be a replica of the banner brought by Fr. Francisco Garces on his trip to the San Joaquin Valley in 1776. Some church members, however, thought it was "too Roman Catholic." Fr. Kelley also endeavored to encourage the Wasco members to become the nucleus of a new congregation there, since Wasco is considerably larger than Shafter. This proved to be premature. For the church's 25th Anniversary service there was a large congregation with Fr. John Spear, now Rector of St. Paul's, Bakersfield, and Rural Dean. preaching for the occasion in February, 1986. Several friends of the congregation assisted financially with interior repainting and exterior refurbishing. This helped provide a needed morale boost, but the economic decline in oil and farming have continued to take their toll. Fr. Kelley, having been recently married, accepted an appointment as assistant at St. James' Cathedral in 1986. In September, 1987, an English priest. Fr. Robbins, former Dean of the Cathedral in Panama City, Panama, was appointed Vicar. |