Nearby, in this very community, 48 years ago, something important happened.
Six families met in the Keller Lions Club and changed the community they lived in. They held an organizational meeting for the founding of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church. These six families were:
- Diana and Emmett Chenault
- Ann and Allen Dumas
- Bobbie and Raymond (Bo) Foote
- Loi and Earl Green
- Vida and Sonny Jeffery
- Jean and Weldon Snow
The Rev. Bill Kennedy conducted the meeting, and these founding families celebrated the first Holy Eucharist of our church. The date was January 8, 1970.
After that, church people worshipped at different times depending on the hours of the supply priest. Each family brought their own pillows to use as kneelers. Often after the service they would share a potluck meal and socialize. That first year, Maundy Thursday was celebrated at the home of the Hollaman family. Good Friday worship and Easter celebrations were at the Green’s.
In late summer of 1970, church members made an appointment with Madine and Harold Pipes, who sold us the 12 acres of semi-rural Tarrant County that our church now inhabits. This fantastic foresight secured a location for God’s ministry to begin in a new way!
The church Vestry members who signed the land agreement were E.A. Chenault, Allen Dumas, G.R. Foote, Earl W. Green, Charles. E Jeffrey, & Weldon Snow.
We’re working to collect your memories of our church community, and we invite you to share a story of an experience at our church. Why? Sharing something from the last five decades will help us cast our future! Send your stories or audio recordings or photos to history@stmartininthefields.org.
Will you help with dates, descriptions, and names in some photos?