St. Martin in the Fields of Edwardsville, Kansas, named after St. Martin in the Fields in London, England, is a fitting name for a little church that sits above a meadow where deer are frequently seen grazing.
On October 15th, 1952, a group of eighteen people met to discuss the possibility of establishing an Episcopal Mission in the Edwardsville area. Several weeks later, on November 2nd, 1952, the first worship service was held in the basement of the Delaware Township Fire House in Edwardsville. After a little over a year without permanent clergy, Canon Charles R. Tyner, retired, agreed to serve at St. Martin on a part-time basis.
In April of 1953, 19 acres of wooded land were donated by the Rhode family to the church for a permanent church site. Our first building, an old farmhouse sitting atop a hill, was transformed into our place of worship. In 1954, our first minister assumed the duties as Rector. He and his family occupied the second floor of the farmhouse until the Rectory was completed in November, 1954. Several months after the completion of the Rectory, our current church structure with sanctuary and narthex (shown on the cover) was built. It has served us well for over 50 years.
We have come a long way since the first Church services were held in the basement of a firehouse in 1952.
As our Church Family grew, we added the Fellowship Hall, adding a full kitchen, Sunday School areas and room for our fabulous pot luck suppers.
On October 15th, 1952, a group of eighteen people met to discuss the possibility of establishing an Episcopal Mission in the Edwardsville area. Several weeks later, on November 2nd, 1952, the first worship service was held in the basement of the Delaware Township Fire House in Edwardsville. After a little over a year without permanent clergy, Canon Charles R. Tyner, retired, agreed to serve at St. Martin on a part-time basis.
In April of 1953, 19 acres of wooded land were donated by the Rhode family to the church for a permanent church site. Our first building, an old farmhouse sitting atop a hill, was transformed into our place of worship. In 1954, our first minister assumed the duties as Rector. He and his family occupied the second floor of the farmhouse until the Rectory was completed in November, 1954. Several months after the completion of the Rectory, our current church structure with sanctuary and narthex (shown on the cover) was built. It has served us well for over 50 years.
We have come a long way since the first Church services were held in the basement of a firehouse in 1952.
As our Church Family grew, we added the Fellowship Hall, adding a full kitchen, Sunday School areas and room for our fabulous pot luck suppers.
