A brief look at the history of The Diocese of West Missouri
1800’s
January 1, 1835
Christ Church, Boonville is Founded
Christ Church is established under Bishop Kemper with the Rev. Frederick Foote Peake as its first priest.
January 1, 1836
St. Mary’s Fayette is Founded
St. Mary’s is established under Bishop Kemper with the Rev. Frederick Foote Peake as its first priest.
January 1, 1844
Christ Church, Lexington is Founded
Christ Church is established under Bishop Kemper with the Rev. Michael Fackler as its first priest.
January 1, 1844
Trinity, Independence is Founded
Trinity, the oldest Episcopal Church in Jackson County, is established under Bishop Kemper in with the Rev. Michael Fackler as its first priest.
Bess Truman, a member of the parish, will later go on to marry Harry S. Truman at Trinity in 1919. Their daughter, Margaret, and her husband Clifton also got married at Trinity in 1956. President Truman later laid the cornerstone of the office and education building in 1959.
January 1, 1850
Church of the Mediator, Blackburn is Founded
January 1, 1851
St. Anne’s, Brunswick is Founded
January 1, 1851
St. John’s, Weston is Founded
St. John’s is established under Bishop Cicero Hawks with the Rev. John McNamara as its first priest. St. John’s closed in 1913.
January 1, 1852
Christ Church, St. Joseph is Founded
Christ Church is established under Bishop Hawks with the Rev. John McNamara as its first priest.
January 1, 1852
St. Stephen’s, Glasgow is Founded
St. Stephen’s is established between January and March.
January 1, 1854
St. Mary’s, Kansas City is Founded
St. Mary’s, originally called St. Luke’s, is established under Bishop Hawks with the Rev. Joseph I. Corundern as its first deacon-in-charge.
January 1, 1855
St. Mary’s, Savannah is Founded
January 1, 1858
Grace, Chillicothe is Founded
Grace Church is established under Bishop Hawks, then admitted to the diocese in 1859. The Rev. J. Loop is its first priest.
January 1, 1859
Christ Church, Springfield is Founded
Christ Church is founded, then later established under Bishop Hawks in 1866. The Rev. John H. Waterman is its first priest.
January 1, 1866
Grace, Liberty is Founded
Grace Church is established under Bishop Hawks with the Rev. F.R. Holeman as its first priest.
January 1, 1866
Calvary, Sedalia is Founded
Calvary is established under Bishop Hawks with the Rev. F.R. Holeman as its first priest.
January 1, 1868
Calvary, Pleasant Hill is Founded
Calvary is established under Bishop Hawks with the Rev. Thompson L. Smith as its first priest. The church closed in 1957.
January 1, 1868
Christ Church, Warrensburg is Founded
Christ Church is established under Bishop Hawks with the Rev. W.H.D. Hatton as its first priest.
January 1, 1869
Grace, Carthage is Founded
Grace Church is established under Bishop Charles Robertson with the Rev. D’Eastaing Jennings as its first rector.
January 1, 1869
St. Paul’s, Lee’s Summit is Founded
St. Paul’s is established under Bishop Robertson with the Rev. Philip A. Johnson as its first priest.
January 1, 1869
Holy Trinity, St. Joseph is Founded
Holy Trinity is established under Bishop Robertson with the Rev. William R. Pickman as its first priest. Holy Trinity closed in 1918.
January 1, 1870
All Saints, Nevada is Founded
All Saint’s is established under Bishop Robertson with the Rev. Philip A. Johnson as its first priest.
January 1, 1870
Trinity, Hamilton is Founded
Trinity is established under Bishop Robertson with the Rev. J.H. Waterman as its first priest. Trinity closed in 1913.
January 1, 1870
Mt. Calvary, Holden is Founded
Mt. Calvary is established under Bishop Robertson with the Rev. L.A. Freeman as its first priest. Mt. Calvary closed in 1914.
January 1, 1870
St. Paul’s, Carrollton is Founded
St. Paul’s is established under Bishop Robertson with the Rev. D’Eastaing Jennings as its first priest. St. Paul’s closed in 1980.
January 1, 1870
St. John’s, Cameron is Founded
St. John’s is established under Bishop Robertson with the Rev. Francis Moore as its first priest. St. John’s closed in 1940.
January 1, 1870
Grace, Brookfield is Founded
Grace Church is established under Bishop Robertson with the Rev. Ethelbert Talbot as its first priest. Grace closed in 1984.
January 1, 1870
Grace, Kansas City is Founded
Grace Church is established as St. Paul’s Church under Bishop Robertson with Rev. Franklin Reeve Haff as its first Rector. The parish gets renamed “Grace Church” in April of 1873 and later merged with Trinity Church in 1917 to form Grace and Holy Trinity Church.
January 1, 1871
St. Peter’s, Harrisonville is Founded
St. Peter’s is established under Bishop Robertson with the Rev. D’Eastaing Jennings as its first priest.
January 1, 1872
Trinity, Marshall is Founded
Trinity is established under Bishop Robertson with the Rev. A.F. Samuels as its first priest. Trinity closed in 2012.
January 1, 1873
Trinity, Lebanon is Founded
Trinity is established under Bishop Robertson with the Rev. William Johnson as its first priest.
January 1, 1874
St. Philip’s, Joplin is Founded
St. Philip’s is established under Bishop Robertson with the Rev. Robert C. Wall as its first priest.
January 1, 1875
St. Matthew’s, Amazonia is Founded
St. Matthew’s is established, but later closes on an unknown date.
January 1, 1875
St. Mark’s, Butler is Founded
St. Mark’s is established under Bishop Robertson with the Rev. William Brittain as its first priest. St. Mark’s closed in 1930.
January 1, 1875
St. Paul’s, Clinton is Founded
St. Paul’s is established under Bishop Robertson with the Rev. J.J. Wilkins as its first priest.
January 1, 1875
St. Mary’s, Plattsburg is Founded
St. Mary’s is established, but later closes on an unknown date.
January 1, 1878
St. Paul’s, Maryville is Founded
St. Paul’s is established under Bishop Robertson with the Rev. E. Victor Beals as its first priest. St. Paul’s closed on December 31st, 2019.
January 1, 1880
St. Luke’s, Rich Hill is Founded
St. Luke’s is established under Bishop Robertson with the Rev. William Brittain as its first priest. St. Luke’s closes on an unknown date.
January 1, 1881
St. Augustine’s, Kansas City is Founded
St. Augustine’s is established under Bishop Robertson as Kansas City’s oldest Episcopal black congregation. The Rev. Charles E. Cummings is appointed as its first priest.
January 1, 1883
Trinity, Kansas City is Founded
Trinity Church is established under Bishop Robertson with the Rev. Robert E. Talbot as its first Rector. Trinity Church merged with Grace Church in 1917.
January 1, 1885
St. Matthias’, St. Joseph is Founded
St. Matthias’ is established under Bishop Robertson as St. Joseph’s black congregation. The Rev. B.W. Timothy is appointed as the first priest. St. Matthias’ closed in 1934.
January 1, 1886
St. John’s, Springfield is Founded
St. John’s is established under Bishop Robertson with the Rev. M.M. Moore as its first priest.
January 1, 1886
St. Mark’s, Kansas City is Founded
St. Mark’s is one of the first churches established in western Missouri under Bishop Daniel Tuttle. The Rev. John K. Dunn is appointed as the first priest after the church’s formation in 1889. St. Mark’s closed in 1932.
Note: Our files indicate two different years for St. Mark’s founding: 1886 and 1889.
January 1, 1888
All Saints’, West Plains is Founded
In 1888, All Saints’ was pronounced an ‘organized mission’ by Bishop Daniel Sylvester Tuttle after Mr. and Mrs. Thomas donated land for a church building. A sum of $100 earned at a fair provided the funds to build the church, which was almost debt-free when completed. The first service was held in the new church on January 16, 1889, just in time for the pipe organ to be installed.
January 1, 1889
St. John’s, Neosho is Founded
St. John’s Episcopal Church is established in June of 1889, with the Rev. Robert Shaw Locke as the first priest. Built in 1892, St. John’s is now the oldest standing church in use as a church in Neosho.
May 22, 1889
The 50th Diocesan Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri
The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri approves a resolution to divide itself, which is ratified after extended debate by the 36th General Convention of The Episcopal Church on October 15, 1889.
October 15, 1889
General Convention of The Episcopal Church Approves the Splitting of the Diocese of Missouri
On October 7, the House of Deputies adopted a resolution supporting the split of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri. The Committee on the Admission of New Dioceses, however, did not unanimously agree on the ratification of the House of Deputies’ resolution.
After various resolutions were suggested and rejected, on October 15, 1889, the House of Bishops finally approved the majority resolution from the Committee on the Admission of New Dioceses, and the resolution to split the Diocese of Missouri was approved.
The full Journal of the 36th General Convention of The Episcopal Church can be found here
January 1, 1890
Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration, Mountain Grove is Founded
June 3, 1890
The Rt. Rev. Edward Robert Atwill is Elected as Bishop
Edward Robert Atwill is elected as the first Bishop of The Diocese of West Missouri. Bishop Atwill served from 1890 to 1911.
January 1, 1891
St. George’s, Kansas City is Founded
January 1, 1891
St. Oswald’s in-the-Fields, Skidmore is Founded
St. Oswald’s opens for public services beginning October 30, 1892.
January 1, 1891
St. Paul’s of Westport, Kansas City is Founded
January 1, 1893
St. Philip’s, Trenton is Founded
January 1, 1893
St. Stephen’s, Monett is Founded
January 1, 1899
St. Paul’s, Webb City is Founded
1900’s
January 1, 1905
St. Luke’s, Excelsior Springs is Founded
January 1, 1905
All Saints, Sedalia is Founded
January 1, 1907
St. Luke’s, St. Joseph is Founded
January 1, 1911
The Rt. Rev. Sidney Catlin Partridge is Elected as Bishop
Sidney Catlin Partridge is elected as the second bishop of The Diocese of West Missouri. Bishop Partridge served from 1911 to 1930.
January 1, 1913
St Andrew’s, Kansas City is Founded
St. Andrew’s of Kansas City became organized in 1913 and admitted in 1923.
June 28, 1919
Harry S. Truman and Bess Wallace Get Married
Harry S. Truman and Bess Wallace are married at Trinity Episcopal Church in Independence.
January 1, 1930
The Rt. Rev. Robert Nelson Spencer is Elected as Bishop
Robert Nelson Spencer is elected as the third bishop of The Diocese of West Missouri. Bishop Spencer served from 1930 to 1949.
October 29, 1935
Grace and Holy Trinity Church Becomes the Cathedral
Grace and Holy Trinity Church is consecrated as the Cathedral of The Diocese of West Missouri.
January 1, 1948
Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Kansas City is Founded
Church of the Good Shepherd is organized in 1948 and admitted in 1951.
January 1, 1950
The Rt. Rev. Edward Randolph Welles is Elected as Bishop
Edward Randolph Welles is elected as the fourth bishop of The Diocese of West Missouri. Bishop Welles served from 1950 to 1972.
January 1, 1953
St. Matthew’s, Raytown is Founded
January 1, 1954
Church of the Redeemer, Parkville is Founded
Church of the Redeemer is organized in 1954 and admitted in 1981.
January 1, 1954
Shepherd of the Hills, Branson is Founded
Shepherd of the Hills is organized in 1954 and admitted in 1975.
January 1, 1956
St. Nicholas’, Noel is Founded
January 1, 1958
St. Peter’s, Kansas City is Founded
St. Peter’s is organized in 1958 and admitted in 1959.
January 1, 1959
St. James, Springfield is Founded
St. James is organized in 1959 and admitted in 1963.
January 1, 1960
St George’s, Camdenton is Founded
St. George is organized in 1960 and admitted in 2001.
January 1, 1964
Episcopal Church of the Resurrection, Blue Springs is Founded
Church of the Resurrection is organized in 1964 and admitted in 1994.
January 1, 1967
Church of the Ascension, Springfield is Founded
Charles B. Doan becomes the vicar for Church of the Ascension. The church closed on February 10, 2012.
January 1, 1972
St. Michael’s, Independence is Founded
January 1, 1973
The Rt. Rev. Arthur Anton Vogel is Elected as Bishop
Arthur Anton Vogel is elected as the fifth bishop of The Diocese of West Missouri. Bishop Vogel served from 1973 to 1989.
January 1, 1985
St. Mark’s, Kimberling City is Founded
January 1, 1989
The Rt. Rev. John Clark Buchanan is Elected as Bishop
John Clark Buchanan is elected as the sixth bishop of The Diocese of West Missouri. Bishop Buchanan served from 1989 to 1999.
January 1, 1991
St. Anne’s, Lee’s Summit is Founded
St. Anne’s is organized in 1991 and admitted in 1999.
January 1, 1991
St. Alban’s in the Ozarks, Bolivar is Founded
January 1, 1999
The Rt. Rev. Barry Robert Howe is Elected as Bishop
Barry Robert Howe is elected as the seventh bishop of The Diocese of West Missouri. Bishop Howe served from 1999 to 2011.
2000’s
January 1, 2002
St. Thomas a Becket, Cassville is Founded
January 1, 2003
St. Mary Magdalene, Belton is Founded
March 5, 2011
The Rt. Rev. Martin Scott Field is Elected as Bishop
Martin Scott Field is elected as the eighth bishop of The Diocese of West Missouri. Bishop Field served from March 5, 2011 to September 13, 2021.
November 7, 2014
125th Convention of The Diocese of West Missouri
The 125th Convention of The Diocese of West Missouri was held November 7 – 8, 2014 in Springfield.
November 8, 2014
St. Matthew’s, Ozarks is Founded
St. Matthew’s, Ozark is admitted into the diocese at the 125th Annual Convention of The Diocese of West Missouri on November 8, 2014.
December 31, 2019
St. Paul’s, Maryville is Dissolved
Following the 131st Annual Convention of The Diocese of West Missouri, on December 31, 2019, St. Paul’s in Maryville, Missouri was formally dissolved.
April 16, 2020
The Rt. Rev. John Clark Buchanan Passes Away (1933-2020)
The Rt. Rev. John Clark Buchanan, Sixth Bishop of West Missouri, passed into Larger Life the evening of Wednesday, April 15, at his home in South Carolina.
John served The Diocese of West Missouri as Bishop Coadjutor in 1989, and as Bishop Diocesan from 1990 until 1999. After his resignation, Bishop Buchanan returned to his home state of South Carolina, but in retirement served as Bishop Provisional of Quincy until its juncture with the Diocese of Chicago as well as Bishop Provisional of Southern Virginia. He also held several offices in the House of Bishops, serving at the pleasure of several Presiding Bishops.
October 8, 2020
New Home for St. Matthew’s of Ozark
St. Matthew’s of Ozark moved into their new home, Ozark Presbyterian Church. The new facility offers St. Matthew’s an opportunity to grow and offer expanded outreach ministries in conjunction with the Presbyterians.
April 8, 2021
Bishop Marty Announces His Last Day as the Bishop of West Missouri
The Rt. Rev. Martin Scott Field, Bishop of West Missouri announces his intent to resign in 2021 during his address to the diocese’s Annual Convention in 2018. His resignation becomes effective September 14, 2021.
The Standing Committee states they are actively seeking a Bishop Provisional to guide the diocese through a period of self-examination and a missional visioning process before the call of the next Bishop Diocesan.
November 6, 2021
The Rt. Rev. Diane M. Jardine Bruce is Appointed Bishop Provisional of West Missouri
The 132nd Annual Diocesan Convention of The Diocese of West Missouri votes overwhelmingly to appoint Bishop Bruce as Bishop Provisional of West Missouri.
January 6, 2022
Welcome and Seating of Bishop Bruce
A Welcome and Seating service was held for the Rt. Rev. Diane M. Jardine Bruce at Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral. The service included a celebration of a new ministry, the handing of the bishop’s crozier, and renewal of baptismal vows, and Holy Eucharist.
July 24, 2024
The Deconsecration of St. Paul’s in Maryville
On Wednesday, July 24 at 6 p.m., The Diocese of West Missouri deconsecrated St. Paul’s in Maryville. St. Paul’s was established under Bishop Robertson in 1878, with the Rev. E. Victor Beals as its first priest.
