Looking back at St. Stephen’s
Charles Wiggins (left) and Sandra Sterling receive stationery featuring the original St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, as they are the longest-term members of the church.
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church organist Marshall Maxwell (left) and member Ed Seymour look at a list of sponsors of the church, both donors and honorees.
LIBERTY— St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church has long been part of the local fabric, and recently, members of the congregation and community toured the original church building and heard about its storied history.
Tour goers assembled at the grounds of the Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center for the tour on Sunday, Oct. 12.
Sandy Pickett shared a bit of the church’s history: it began as a congregation known as “All Faith Church,” which was admitted to the Diocese of Texas in 1852.
Although they didn’t have a permanent priest or building, they met in various buildings, homes, or other churches.
The church’s name changed several times, including St. Mary’s, St. Peter’s, St. John’s, Trinity Mission, and others, until it finally became St. Stephen’s.
By 1896, the congregation was anxious to have a building of their own. Judge William F. Hardin donated the land, and Helen Hardin was very active in various fundraising efforts and in selecting furniture.
She was quoted saying, “Liberty cannot have too many churches and the man who invests his money in the church makes a safe investment.”
B.F. Cameron and his wife, Adelia, were also very involved in the establishment of St. Stephen’s.
Construction on the church began in 1898, and the original building is much like the one at SHRLRC. In the late 1960s, stained glass windows were installed, new pews were added, as well as air conditioning, an altar, altar rails, a pulpit and a few other changes were made.
The first service of the new church was held on Jan. 27, 1899, and Bishop Kinsolving consecrated the church on May 28, 1899, as the “Church of the Intercession.”
The church was named St. Stephen’s in 1952 and became a self-supporting parish the next year.
By the 1990s, the congregation had grown, and discussions began over whether to keep the original church or find alternative ways to accommodate the growth. Eventually, it was decided to build a new church building.
Instead of tearing down the church, the Atascosito Historical Society agreed to help move the building to SHRLRC.
Plans were set in motion, but a historic flood in 1994 halted everything.
Sandra Sterling, a member of the church, said while the church was on the truck, ready to be moved, people from other churches joked, “Those Episcopalians knew something we didn’t.”
The church was moved in November, minus the steeple, which had to be removed for transport.
Atascosito Historical Society led fundraising efforts to restore the original church, and after several events, $100,000 was raised.
Restoration efforts were completed in 2002, and a dedication ceremony was held in June.