History of St. Phillips

[adning id=”49120″]

Mission established in 1878.

Until the time of John Hines, Bishop Alexander Charles Garrett was elderly and only presiding bishop of the American communion who had come to Texas.  

On April 12, 1875 Bishop Garrett described in his diary a visit to Sulphur Springs as a rich and lovely country with good roads except through Sulphur Bottom where the mules sank to their knees every step for miles.  During this time there were 1200 people in Sulphur Springs with 11 being Episcopal communicants in the Episcopal church.  Mrs. Emma Gilbert was the first to be baptized and confirmed.  The use of the Presbyterian Church was obtained for their worship services for more than twenty years.    

Various dates are mentioned for the establishment of St. Philip’s probably due to the fact that from 1864, when Sulphur Springs was added to the list of Mission Stations of Northern Texas and the Diocese of Dallas, until Bishop Garrett’s visit in 1875, there were long periods when there were no regular services.  

In November 1872 Bishop Gregg accompanied by the Rev. Francis R. Starr and Edwin A. Wagner visited Sulphur Springs and made arrangements for baptisms and confirmations for future services to be conducted by Father Starr.  

The name “St. Philip’s” first appears in 1886 in the Convention Journal of Northeast Texas.  It is believed the name was chosen by Bishop W. Gregg, the missionary bishop who visited people along the route and conducted services when asked to do so.

First church was located at 400 Houston Street in Sulphur Springs TX on land owned by the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas.  The land was given to the church in 1887 by C. M. and Nancy Houston.  The church Trustees: C. B Stephenson, J. K. Milam and S. L. Gibert accepted the land and conveyed it to Bishop Garrett for the Episcopal Missionary District of Northern Texas.  Colonel Stephenson and his daughter, Mrs. P. T. Tucker were instrumental in building the church some time between 1895 and 1900, probably 1895.  A local carpenter was hired.  The original structure was 53 ft in length and 21 ft wide with a vaulted ceiling being the more attractive feature.

In 1917 wings were added to extend the building to make room for an organ and a choir.  Stained-glass windows replaced the clear glass windows.  A memorial stained-glass window was installed over the altar for William B Arthur through the efforts of Louis H Gould and W. R. Patrick and other citizens.  Later stained-glass windows were installed in memory of these two men.   William B. Arthur was an eighteen year old who accidently shot himself with a shotgun and is buried in the City Cemetery.  Old ledger records showed this young man sponsored six baptisms in 1901 before his death in July of 1901.  

Father Grover McElyea served as priest from July 9, 1950 till November 23, 1952.  During this time the second addition was made to the church.  The parish hall was added which included an office, small kitchen, a central meeting room, seven Sunday school rooms, two powder rooms and a hall.  Father McElyea and his wife did much of the work installing the floor annex and altar rail which was given to St. Philip’s by the Church of the Holy Cross of Paris, Texas.  Howard Hicks gave the money anonymously.

[adning id=”49120″]

St. Philip’s opened her doors to Cub Scout, Explorer Post and Boy Scout groups.  Their woman’s organization created birthday calendars as a yearly fund raiser which was widely accepted by the people of Sulphur Springs.

Through the years only one parishioner entered the professional religious service, Father Bill R. Boyd who was ordained in 1970 and became the rector of St Luke’s Episcopal Church in Mineral Wells, Texas.

In 1976 the Hopkins County Historical Commission seek to have this structure declared a Recorded Texas Historical Landmark.  At that time this building was probably one of, if not the oldest church structure in continual use in Sulphur Springs.  There were 75 baptized members with Father Charles L. Henry as vicar and he was the first priest to be assigned full time to St. Philip’s.

For over 100 years the little church at 400 Houston Street served it’s community well.  With anonymous funds donated by Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth McKenzie, a new Texas granite church was built at 1206 College Street, Sulphur Springs, TX.  Many of the furnishings of the old church were used in the new building including the stained-glass windows and altar rail.  New stained-glass windows were ordered for the Chapel to be designed as closely to the original windows as possible.  In May of 1991 the new church was consecrated and the congregation moved in.

In September of 1992 the original church on Houton Street was deconsecrated and secularized in a special Sunday afternoon service.  When a church is secularized it means it is converted from religious use to civil or every day use.  The Hopkins County Historical Society later moved the original church to Heritage Park. Beautiful stained-glass windows of Texas flowers have been installed in the old building to take the place of those moved to the new sanctuary.  

The past 30 years for this 150 year old mission has been very active with community and church activities such as Music, Altar Guild, Lay Ministries, Children’s church and Activities, Adult social group activities,  Fundraising/Hospitality, Communications Committee, Back Packs for Kids, Craft Ministry, Daughters of the King, Dinner Bell, Loan Investment Club, Church Maintenance, First Responders Appreciation, and St Fill-Ups Food Boxes.  Activities were hampered by the years of Pandemic but we are coming back stronger than ever.

[adning id=”49120″]