More on Sunday School

This morning, as we resume our Sunday School and Adult Education programs, I thought it might be of interest to look at some of the things recorded in the history of St. John’s about the Sunday School program. Our 50th Anniversary book has this to say -

In the afternoon of the same day, November 20, 1859 , a Sunday School was organized. Its first enrollment, preserved for us by Mr. Charles H. Vernor (son of the inventor of Vernors Ginger Ale), who was one of those participating in the organizing, was of 28 officers and teachers, and 136 scholars. Mr. Henry Porter Baldwin was made Superintendent….

Later the book goes on to note

The Sunday School, which as we have seen began with 28 teachers and officers and 136 scholars, grew rapidly; in June 1861 it reported 451 enrolled, in 1866, 727.

The Annual Report for 1926 shows that St. John’s, once a country parish, had undergone some radical changes to the neighborhood. Surrounded by commercial rather than primarily residential properties, the make-up of the congregation had changed. Although the parish had 2430 baptized members, the author of the report laments

It is often asked whether it is difficult to keep a Church School going in a downtown parish. It is difficult...Our aim is to have as large a school as possible; but regardless of its size we try to make it the best.

In 1926 this enrollment was 180 children in Sunday School and 80 adults participating in the bible classes. That is less than 8% of the baptized membership in Sunday School and less than 4% of the baptized membership involved in the Sunday bible classes in 1926. Currently we have about 6% of our baptized membership participating in Sunday School/Children’s Chapel, and about 4% participating in Sunday Adult Education.

We can, and must do better by having members participate, and including new members as well.

The 150th Anniversary Service

What a wonderful service it was. A great kick off to our 150's anniversary year's events

If you missed the service, here it is....
in nine parts

www.youtube.com/user/stjohnspriest

150 Years Ago TODAY

Today, 150 years ago, it became 'official'. The legal documents had been signed two weeks ago in the presence of the Diocesan Bishop, but it was today - The Feast of St. John's, that the first Parish Meeting was held.

I imagine it must have been an exciting moment in time. Christmas Day was just two days past, and everyone present would have known that they had just spent their last Christmas at their former parishes (primarily the old St. Paul's when it was on the river, Christ Church and Mariner's Church in Detroit).

It was probably just a 'given' that Henry Porter Baldwin, the man who had bought the property for the new parish buildings, commissioned the blue prints for a Church, a Chapel, and a Rectory, and called the three meetings in December at his house, would be elected Senior Warden. Afterall, he had been Jr. Warden at St. Paul's for many years, and Senior Warden there since Easter. Other officers and vestry members were elected - and St. John's officially came into existance!

It would be another month before the contractor was chosen, until April that the official cornerstone was laid, June until the Rector-to-be was elected (and he didn't formally accept until September), and in November that the Chapel was opened AND already too small.

But all that is ahead of us in a year of celebrations to come.

We have no record of how long the meeting was. What was the weather? Was it a social gathering as well (I imagine Harriett Cornelia Baldwin must have laid out a few things to eat and drink)? And we have no account of anything but the business conducted.

Today, at St. John's, in addition to our wonderful Christmas Lessons and Carols Service to begin the celebration, we have set up an historic display on the Undercroft Stage. There are photos of the founder, first rector, and the Church over the years (it had major cosmetic and structural renovations in 1888, 1892, 1915 and 1937). There is also a display of buildings that were and never were: our old parish hall that was demolished in the 1970's, and proposed buildings that were never constructed. We will also have a display of some liturgical items, including a rare lithograph version of the 1892 Altar Book. And on a third display will be the hand-written account of that first official meeting: written into the first Parish Register by our first Rector. Also contained in that same book are the signatures of guest preachers, including three men who are included in The Episcopal Church's book Lesser Feasts and Fasts - the closest thing to a book of saints for the Episcopal Church. (Bishop Jackson Kemper of Wisconsin, Fr. James Lloyd Breck the first dean of Nashotah House Seminary and missionary at that time to Minnesota, and Fr. James DeKoven the sometime Nashotah faculty member and president of Racine College).

Photos - Circa 1900 and 1933 - from the collection of the Library of Congress

A week later (150 years ago)

Having met together on December 6th and having heard about the gift of land, chapel and church design, the promise of a Rectory, and $1000 towards the building of the chapel, the neighbors of Henry Porter Baldwin met a second time 150 years ago today, December 13th (the Feast of St. Lucy). They had been challenged by Mr. Baldwin to raise another $7500 in subscriptions to actually build this new chapel for new parish in the rural area just north of Detroit (Detroit ended at Grand Circus Park, a few blocks south of St. John's).

As the 50th anniversary book states, "One week later, at the same place (HPB's house), reports were received, and action taken, the Rt. Rev'd Samuel A. McCroskry, Bishop of Michigan presiding. The subscription committee showed pledges amounting to $7600. Articles of Agreement were drawn up, and signed by twenty of those present; the day following 5 more names were added. St. John's was organized."

It would be on St. John's Day, December 27th, that the first parish meeting would be held to elect a vestry and wardens, and it is on this day that the parish name was chosen and therefore the day that we recognizes as our 'founding'.

Having the money pledged, land donated, blueprints already prepared, and Articles of Agreement in place, perhaps we should be celebrating the 150th Anniversary of St. Lucy's Church today! But the celebration will wait two more weeks....

Mark your calendars NOW for our celebration on Saturday, December 27th at 4pm with Christmas Lessons and Carols at ST. JOHN'S Church.

150 Years ago - December 6, 1858

Sent to the St. John's Email list on Saturday, December 6, 2008...

150 years ago tonight, December 6, 1858, Mr Henry Porter Baldwin, a prosperous Detroit merchant, called together a group of his neighbors, those who had moved 'out of town' in the area past Grand Circus Park (the park 3 blocks south of St. John's).

As the Senior Warden at St. Paul's Episcopal Church (which was then located on the Detroit River) he had a vision that Detroit would grow northward, not just along the river. Anything north of Grand Circus was considered the countryside.

In April he had purchased the lot of the farmer at the corner of Woodward and George Street (later known as High Street, then Vernor, now Fisher Freeway Service Drive). And on this December 6th night, he informed this group of neighbors that he wanted to start a new Episcopal Church. He was donating this land he had purchased, AND had already commissioned the design for a chapel (to be built first, seating 125 people) and a church seating at least 1000 to be build several years later as needed. He would also build a rectory at his own expense and donate the first $1000 towards the building of the chapel if they could raise the other $7500.

150 years ago tonight the challenge was laided down to the neighbors to begin this noble project. Had they chosen the name of the parish tonight, we might be St. Nicholas' Church....but that formality was 21 days away. They decided they would meet again in a week, with the bishop present, to see if such a project was in fact viable. But Henry Porter Baldwin, I am sure, knew it would be......