History of Christ Episcopal Church Kent Ohio 1835-Present

Christ Church, Franklin Mills was organized by twenty-five dedicated people in the red schoolhouse on Stow Street on October 11th, 1835. It was the fourth denomination to organize in Kent, and the 14th parish in the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio. Ten years of lay services in various homes preceded the organization of the parish.

The first church building was consecrated in 1838. The present church is standing on the site of the original. In 1867, the interior was redecorated; om 1900 the building was lengthened at the front, adding a sacristy, and vestry, and new pews to create a center aisle. In 1927, the building was completely remodeled to the appearance it has today. The undercroft was excavated, creating more space, and a new stone altar in memory of William S. Kent was put in place. In 1958, an education wing and parish hall were added. The one-story education wing was replaced with a two-story wing in 2002.

Early rectors had shared responsibilities with nearby parishes. When there was no rector, laymen held services. The parish had full-time clergy from 1898.

Parish organizations have played a major role in sustaining the church spiritually and financially. The principal group was St. Mary's Guild (1895-1982) which several times saved the parish financially. other significant organizations have been St. Hilda's, the Altar Guild, the Episcopal Church Women, the Men's Club, and the Brotherhood of St. Andrew.

The sesquicentennial (150th) of the parish was marked with some gifts and improvements to the fabric of the building. Four new stained glass windows representing aspects of the ministry of Christ Church were added between 1985 and 1997. These windows were made in Kent by a local firm. New needlepoint kneelers were installed at that time, with additional ones in 1999. A time capsule, which contains many photographs and artifacts and is to be opened in 2035 was buried near the present parking lot to celebrate the sesquicentennial.

In November 1990, the church roof literally collapsed. The church building was evacuated, and our home away from home was an empty furniture store donated by a local family in Kent. The "Raise the Roof" campaign ($150,000) was wonderfully successful due to the faith, confidence, support, and many talents of all the members of the congregation. On September 8th, 1991, we triumphantly returned to our church building with a completed roof, renovated undercroft and kitchen, a new elevator, and handicapped-accessible restrooms. Christ Church was subsequently awarded the Immy in 1991 by the Kent Chamber of Commerce for excellence in improvement to the facility in the Historical Classification category.

An organ was purchased for $52,000 in 1996.

Rectors of Christ Episcopal Church of Kent

The Diocese of Ohio was formed in January 1818. Later that year The Rt. Rev Philander Chase was elected bishop and would be consecrated in 1819. He founded Bexley Hall, an Episcopal seminary in 1824 to help solve the clergy shortage in Ohio. In 1818 There were only six priests in Ohio when the diocese began.

There were Episcopalians who settled in the Stow OH area before 1818. They began lay led worship in their homes. Sometimes a seminarian from Bexley Hall at Gambier would travel the 104 miles to preach.

1818-1835 Lay led services with occasional Seminarians who preached or traveling clergy. They met in homes, and later in the "red school house" in Stow, OH.

1835 The people of Franklin Mills began to organize a parish.

1836 July 7, 1936 Bp Chase visited Christ Church Parish, Franklin Mills, Oh

1836-1857 Lay led worship with occasional Clergy from St. John’s Ohio City, St. John’s Cuyahoga Falls, St. Matthews Hamilton, St. Andrews Elyria, Boston Oh, Peninsula Oh, Granville Oh and Bexley Hall the local Episcopal Seminary.

1857-1867 The Rev. Levi L. Holden would preach in the morning at St. John’s Cuyahoga Falls and in the afternoon at Christ Church Franklin Mills Ohio.

1868-1869 - The Rev. Cheven

1869-1870 - The Rev. Curtis

1871-1873 - The Rev. Davis

1875-1878 - The Rev. Fairchild, The Rev. Ganber

1883-1884 - The Rev. Hammond

1884-1891 - The Rev. Crackraft

1891-1895 – The Rev. James A. Brown

1895-1906 – The Rev. Kell

1906-1910 – The Rev. William Morrow Washington

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1910 – 1919 --The Rev. William C. Leslie was the First resident rector at Franklin Mills

1919-July 1921 -- The Rev. Frank A. Zimmerman (Also rector at Grace Episcopal Hudson)

1910-1915 The Rev. Francis McIlwaine

July 1921- December 1922 Mr. Harkins, a seminarian lay leader

Jan 1922-1924 -- The Rev. Harkins, who became full time rector after his ordination.

1924-1927 The Rev. H.J. Buxton

1927-1928 The Rev. Frank A. Zimmerman

1929-1935 The Rev. Earnest Henry McDonald Sept 8th 1929 from Cambridge, MA. Also rector of Grace Ravenna

1935 – 1939 unknown

1939-1944 The Rev. Stephen Marelton Kelker

1944-July to Oct 1945 The Rev. John Martel Reinheimer, rector. Moved to St. Thomas (Wisconsin) Oct. 25, 1945

Jan 1946-Feb 1947 The Rev. Kenneth Hershal Gass. Moved to St. Timothy’s (Massillon) Feb 23, 1947

Aug 1947 The Rev. Stephen M Kelker -- Served as Interim

Sept 1947-1971 The Rev. Booth Forest Bond; Longest serving rector: 24 years

Sept 1971-June 1980 The Rev. Lloyd Frost O’Keefe

Sept 1980 The Rev. James Cooney Assisting and Supply 1980 – 2006. Also served other parishes.

Oct 1980-Oct 1991 The Rev. Thomas Forbes Webster (Was a member of the 1941 paid boys choir.)

Dec 1991-May 1992 The Rev. William Edward Lyle

1992 – 1993 Interim & Supply

Jan-Dec 1994 The Rev. Hugh E. Brown (his wife, also a priest, occasionally assisted.)

Jun-Aug 1995 The Rev. Alan Belton, Interim

Sept 1995-Jan 2000 The Rev. Robert (Bob) J. Brooks Rector

2000 The Rev D.M. Bowles, Interim

Apr-Sept 2000 The Rev. William Lyle, Interim

January 2001 The Rev. David Mathus SSC, Interim

Jan 2001-Aug 2003 The Rev. Reid H. Hamilton, Rector

Nov 2003-June 2006 The Rev. Gary Mitchener, Interim

Sept 2006-July 2022 The Rev. Julie Blake-Fisher

Sept 2022-present The Rev. Mary L. Staley, Interim (Part-time)

History of Christ Episcopal Church Kent Ohio 1835-Present

Keeping the Faith, by John C. Weise (Condensed)

Rectors of Christ Episcopal Church of Kent