St Stephen’s History
Preface
This history update began with work for the history section of the parish profile for a new Rector search. Two questions came to mind: How should the St Stephen's history shape the future vision of the parish? and what history might be helpful to the new Rector and staff to know?
It became clear that St Stephen's history was been marked by struggle, beginning with fifty years as a Mission. At times, income has been insufficient to do all the parish wished and retain staff. This led to a greater appreciation of the legacy enjoyed at St Stephen's from the toil, generosity and dogged perseverance of those who proceed us.
Progress, change and accomplishment in a community of faith can at times encounter disagreement. This has been true for St Stephen's as well. But without debate and a focus on consensus, St Stephen's course would have lacked wisdom. Without open exploration and passion, artistry would be lacking. Fortunately, this has not been the case at St Stephen's.
St Stephen's history reveals many strengths, but a few standout: spiritual growth from riveting sermons grounded in faith and still remembered after two decades; church leaders who adopted lofty goals and accomplished them, building consensus from controversy; a community center and incubator of outreach; ministry to new, young families; and world class artistry in music, architecture and art.
Updated February 9, 2012 by Jan L. Gullett
From the Work of Carl Mosher Though 19881
The Birth of St Stephen’s Community (1834-1904)
Understanding St Stephen's first fifty years as a Mission requires an understanding that the local neighborhood has not always been an a well established, residential suburban neighborhood. Missionary services began in an active, gritty railroad community surrounded by dairy farms and fisheries then led to the St Stephen's Mission on Still Island.
Colonial settlement began in Tiburon and Mill Valley with a whaling ship that brought John Reed to a land of native Coastal Miwok villages along the bay. Tiburon has had native settlements for at least three thousand years as witnessed by petroglphys carved in stone on Ring Mountain and archeological remains of more than fifty villages.2 John Reed was Catholic and an Irishman and one of the twelve Europeans in the county. In 1834 he was given the rancho Corte de Madera Del Presidio as Mission lands were secularized. The ranch employed Miwoks to tend cattle and included Tiburon stretching to the San Quentin sloughs and Mill Valley where he lived in an adobe home with his wife, Hilaria Sanchez.2
In time wild cattle gave way to dairy cows and in 1868 his son John Joseph inherited much of the peninsula and John's sister Hilarita inherited Strawberry and other portions of Tiburon. John Joseph lived in a mansion near Bel Air with his wife Carlotta Suarez from Mazatlan. In 1872 sister Hilarita married Canadian born Dr. Benjamin Lyford and they lived near what is now Belveron. The Lyford's House was later moved and preserved by the Audubon Society in Strawberry. In time they operated four dairies including the noted Eagle Dairy on Richardson Bay near Trestle Glen. The Little Reed Dairy occupied the current site of Del Mar School and was run by the Manuel Borges family, while Hilarita Dairy, later called Souza's and then Avila's, occupied the current site of Reed School.2
Other than diaries, The Morgan Oyster Company could be found staking import oysters in the bay near Strawberry while the bay near Belvedere was used as a graveyard for wrecking obsolete and damaged ships. But many of Tiburon's earliest activities were on the opposite east shore, with the first saloon near what is now Paradise Cay, Vigolite's Hazard Powder gunpowder operation near today's Seafirth, the Lynde & Hough cod fishery and brick makers using clay from the shore to supply San Francisco by boat.2
The towns of Tiburon and Belvedere both began on rocky spits extending from the peninsula and island with Tiburon quite separate from Belvedere. The lagoon residential area which now connects the two was unfilled tidal marsh.
As early as 1880, there were always a few Episcopalians who "knelt in front of the couch" as Rev'd Frederick W. Reed, Rector of Christ Church, Sausalito (1882-1889), held missionary services once a month in homes in Tiburon. These services continued until the formation of St Stephen's.
When there were just forty four voting residents in Tiburon, with explosives and steam shovel, San Francisco Industrialist Peter Donohue tunneled his San Francisco and North Pacific railroad south, opening the difficult route to Tiburon in 1884. This railroad connected the port of Petaluma, then the sixth largest city in California, to San Francisco by ferry from San Rafael, which had been established as part of chain of Spanish Missions. Beyond Petaluma it continued north through Santa Rosa and by 1892 reached Ukiah and Glen Ellen. The southern extension brought the lumber, freight and passengers destined for San Francisco through town in lieu of the slower San Rafael ferry route. The railroad also maintained its locomotives in Tiburon yards.2
The first settler in Belvedere, then called Still Island, was in 1855. Israel Kashow was the first settler and lived near the current location of the San Francisco Yacht club where he dried fish on racks in his yard. He was joined by Nicholas Bichard in 1865. Nicholas supplied Israel with fish from the Alaska Banks by boat and was involved in boat salvage. The salvaged China Steamer, which yielded forty tons of metal, also yielded the China Cabin which became his home and is now preserved on Beach Road.
The Tiburon spit was populated with four hundred Irish railroad workers who built the railway and who lived in a bayside hotel, first built in 1883, and rooming houses across the street, along with the Portuguese and Italian immigrants who worked at the dairies. The town had a grocery and a dry goods store, stables, four saloons and the post office which was first established in 1884.2It was in 1888 that Israel Kashow built the drawbridge first connecting Belvedere to Corinthian Island and Tiburon.2
While the Tiburon village was small, the railroad traffic was not. In 1890, after making its initial stock offering as public company, the San Francisco and North Pacific railroad built the largest ferry in the world, the Ukiah to serve the Tiburon ferry point. The Ukiah had capacity to hold sixteen railroad cars and four thousand passengers. It replaced the earlier 1875 James M. Donahue ferry which held five hundred passengers. Today the Ukiah is preserved at the Hyde Street pier in San Francisco.2
In 1891 the railroad sought to attract tourists and built El Campo, three miles east of the ferry port in Tiburon. Offering camping, bathing, fishing and picnic grounds, El Campo would expand to include a wharf, pavilion, bowling alley, shooting gallery, restaurant and merry-go-round. Lyford's Hygeia, presented as a chance for the utopian life, opened nearby as the first area subdivision in 1895. The stone tower preserved in Old Tiburon was the real estate office.2
Belvedere was first incorporated in 1896 as Belvedere Island had become popular as a great fishing resort and a favorite summer residence for San Franciscans.3 Arks floated on the coves and lagoon, and are now the shops on Tiburon's boutique street and home of the Thrift Store. The arks were occupied by summer visitors as was the fifty room Belvedere Hotel built in 18984, which occupied the site of the San Francisco Yacht Club for twenty five years. Visitors filled the both the Orpheum Theatre and Corinthian Yacht club. On Opening Day each spring, the drawbridge was raised to allow the arks to move from their winter shelter on the lagoon. Strings of lanterns adorned the arks, sailboats and houses for the Night in Venice water festival featuring a procession of boats in the Venetian tradition, with torch lights and fireworks.2
Despite the railroad traffic and summer visitors which passed through, even dirt wagon roads were few at the turn the century. More cows occupied the Tiburon hills than people. Belvedere had a population of 444 and gritty Tiburon would remain unincorporated until 1964. There were two churches nearby. Old St Hilary's Catholic Church was perched on the Tiburon hillside in 1888 for the comfort of railroad workers3 and named after Hilaria Reed's patron saint.2 The Belvedere Presbyterian Church was constructed in Belvedere in 1896.
Struggle as a Mission (1904-1954)
In this community on September 7, 1902, "Rev'd W.F. Venables, Assistant at Christ Church, Sausalito, opened mission in Belvedere...at which some twenty-five Episcopalians were present. Services will be held there every Sunday hereafter at 4 o'clock p.m."5
On Palm Sunday, April 5, 1904 that Spring, the Rt. Rev'd William Ford Nichols, Bishop of the Diocese, visited the Mission and confirmed three persons: Linda Zoe, Helena Scott and Mildred Hazel Scott.."6 The Scott family was important in the early history because the Scotts shared their home on Golden Gate Avenue for services before the chapel was built. George Scott, honored as "Captain," was Chief Engineer of the James M. Donohue and Ukiah ferry boats. The family's service to the community was significant. Daughter Florence, graduated from the University of California Medical School in 1896 and after her first years in San Francisco, moved her medical practice to the Belvedere Land Company building on Beach Road in 1906. Her admirers said "...Dr. Scott worked day and night during the World War I flu epidemic, and my sister would have died if it hadn't been for her;" and In 1921, she and two companions "dashed across the street through tangled wire and flames to rescue a paralytic."
The official Mission formation service was Friday April 17, 1904, but by then the Mission had baptized, confirmed, purchased and paid for a lot. At the formation service Rev'd Kelley represented Bishop William Nichols. At the time it was reported, "St Stephen's Mission is steadily growing. Services are still being held in private homes, but plans are now being drawn for a chapel soon, we hope, to be built on the lot lately bought."6
The first St Stephen's church lot, purchased on March 16, 1904 was located on Acacia Avenue in Belvedere. Only four weeks after the land was purchased, construction began and five months later the 30' x 40' building was close enough to completion to hold services. "St Stephen's Mission, Belvedere, held its first services at the new church Sunday September 14, 1904. There was an early celebration at 8:00 a.m., Rev'd W. F. Venables, Priest in Charge, Celebrant. About twenty-five people received. At evening and Holy Baptism, at 4:00, the church was crowded to its utmost capacity.."
Rev'd W.F. Venables was considered exceptionally able, often in long cassock with golden cross around his neck. He was formal but encouraged the active young who often came to early service in sailing or tennis attire and often stacked their gear in the back of the church.
The building was affected by a landslide three years after initial construction, but the Mission already desired more room and expanded the building with elevation of the main structure to add a ground floor underneath in conjunction with a move a short distance to 41 Acacia Avenue, where St Stephen's meeting place would remain for fifty years. Initially this additional space was used for housing but later it was converted to classrooms. There, Rev'd W.F. Venables started St Stephen's first Sunday School.
In 1906, the San Francisco earthquake shifted the seasonal Belvedere lifestyle. While there was little damage on the island, the psychological and financial impact was profound. Many who escaped the ruins of town homes and businesses in San Francisco chose to remain year round. Most, but not all, of these early residents were well to do, but they faced quiet lives on the island.4
Isolation increased as in 1907 Donahue's' San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad merged with other lines to become the Northwestern Pacific railroad and two years later passenger service to Tiburon was discontinued. Tiburon became exclusively a freight terminal and repair shop where the locomotives and freight cars were maintained. The only way to get to San Francisco was to the 97 foot steamer Requa, later rechristened the Marin. From 1909 until 1944, every hour from 6:40 am until midnight, the ferry ran between Belvedere, Tiburon and Sausalito where connections were made for the San Francisco ferries or trains northward.4
Organ was one early joy amidst this quiet. From 1907 the Organ House on the Blanding estate on Golden Gate Avenue featured a 35' x 45' concert hall with 18' ceilings centered on a three rank Aeolian Skinner organ. It housed a library of 3000 volumes "all of literary merit" decorated in silk damask hung with a fine art collection of appropriately sized oils mostly by William Keith.4
In the wake of these changes, in early 1908, Father Venables was given a new assignment and his St Stephen's responsibilities passed to Rev'd Frank H. Church. Rev'd Church was a versatile Diocesan man whose time was in constant demand in San Francisco. He was Secretary of the Convention of the Diocese of California, and also continually writing for the Pacific Churchman. So it is not surprising that other Cathedral staff were a presence at the Mission as often as he. One of the Cathedral staff, Rev'd D. H. St George, assumed the role of Vicar from 1914-1915.
Golf became a relief from the quiet of the island in 1914 when the Belvedere Golf and Country Club opened a nine hole course on the north end of the island. While the east end of the island had been developed early, the west end would remain undeveloped for decades.4 The course stretched from what is now Oak Street and San Rafael Avenue to the lagoon and Richardson Bay. With the advent of World War I, sales, development and construction in Belvedere slowed, and residents experienced a simpler lifestyle. While the golf club prospered for a time after the war, it was a casualty of the depression and closed in October 1933 when the land was acquired by the Belvedere Land Company.4
In 1915, Christ Church, Sausalito, called a new Rector, the Rev'd Harrold St George Buttrum, originally of Ipswich England and later the University of Manitoba. He had served parishes in Winnipeg and then Vancouver. He sought and was given the role of Vicar for St Stephen's in addition to his duties at Christ Church. Thus began a twenty eight year ministry in Marin County. While closer than Cathedral staff in San Francisco, his split responsibilities were challenging. Rev'd Buttrum would hold 7:00 am Eucharist at Christ Church, take the ferry to St Stephen's for a 9:00 a.m. Sunday Service and 10:00 a.m. Sunday School before using the ferry to return to Sausalito for the 11:00 a.m. Sunday Service.
St Stephen's has long been active in the role of a community church. The St Stephen's Ladies Auxiliary Guild was formed in the early 1920's and sponsored the first Annual Belvedere Tiburon house tour event. This event would continue through the late 1980's. As the roaring twenties came to an end, times were difficult but would present opportunity for St Stephen's. In 1928, the Belvedere Presbyterian Church closed and St Stephen's leased the building broadening its role as protestant community church. The lease called for "consideration of $1.00, the promise to encourage and promote Sunday School, to maintain and preserve the interior and to insure the building against fire and earthquake."4
While the maintenance of the building was later disputed, the Sunday School was more successful, as St Stephen's had also acquired their popular Sunday School superintendent, Ferdinand "Ferd" Peterson, an ardent Sunday School advocate. This rental continued until 1935. Later, in 1941 Bishop Block even inquired about purchasing the building, then owned by Helen Markillie of San Francisco, but nothing came of it. In 1949 this building was moved to its present location and renovated as Belvedere's City Hall and Community Center and began to attract some of the community activities previously at St Stephen's. The Presbyterian church would later reopen in Strawberry.
In the 1930's transportation routes began to shift toward backwater Tiburon and away from Sausalito. State Route 131, now called Tiburon Boulevard, was connected to State Route 101 for the first time in 1930. The ferry service to Sausalito began to be replaced by shuttle buses in 1933.2 With the opening of the Golden Gate bridge in 1937, the automobile began to replace the early buses and became an alternative route to San Francisco.4 But despite this connection, Tiburon would remain unincorporated and relatively undeveloped until the 1960's.
The Kretchmer family was an important early St Stephen's supporter. Clancy Kretchmer was an important San Francisco businessman. They purchased the Organ House from the Blanding estate and restored the concert hall as their living room. Representing Belvedere's longstanding interest in music, for thirty years they held public and private concerts regularly. Illustrating the progressive nature of the community, concerts included recital comparisons of an early electric with the Aeolian Skinner organ which could also play automatically with organ rolls. In was in this space every year at Christmas that the St Stephen's children would come to see the Christmas tree and sing with the organ, which was later donated to the Oakland Symphony and then Oakland's Paramount Theater.
Although attendance grew somewhat in the 1930's, St Stephen's continued to struggle during its long years as a Mission. Parishioners moaned over the puny attendance until the late 1940's. One man commented, we were just about the only people there. As of June 1, 1943 there were ninety one church members and forty one children had received instruction in the prior year. This was a fraction of the Belvedere population estimated at 750 in 1948.
Dr. Buttram retired in July,1943 and on December 7th, forty years after the Mission's founding, Bishop Block offered to "help find and fund a young energetic, high caliber man to be full time Rector at St Stephens." Shortly, a much liked naval Chaplain, Clinton L. Morrill, arrived to serve St Stephen's for three months on an interim basis until a new naval assignment began. The search identified Rev'd Reginald G. Rosson a highly literate, twenty nine year old family man, who was highly recommended by a leading Phoenix church. He arrived on June 1, 1944 but this tenure was short. Perhaps this was due to the poor family housing that was provided, insufficient church funds or perhaps given his dedication to the Episcopalian identity, discomfort with a protestant community church focus. In any event, he accepted a call to work in Las Vegas in May 1945, less than a year after his arrival. A diligent search ensued.
World War II had an impact on growth in the neighborhood and southern Marin. The Hilarita housing project joined the St Hilary's church as only the second significant building on the Tiburon hills. It was constructed initially as temporary housing for the Navy men who manned the submarine Net Depot on the other side of the peninsula which had replaced a Naval Coaling Station. This was the site of the Lynde & Hough fishery and later a depot Golden Gate bridge construction and is now a Marine Research Station.2
The submarine net protected the San Francisco bay during World War II. Then the naval role in Tiburon was significant enough that in May 1945 the Navy announced plans to take over the peninsula to supply ammunition. While depot construction began, the Japanese soon surrendered and the plans were scrapped.2 The Hilarita site was later purchased by the Tiburon Ecumenical Housing Authority and repurposed as lower income housing.
St Stephen’s Builds — The Rev'd Edward John Mohr (1945-1961)
It is said that Harrison McClung first recommended the name of Rev'd Edward John "Ed" Mohr, the Rector of All Saints Church in San Leandro to Bishop Block for the position at St Stephen's. It was a fortuitous moment when Rev'd Mohr agreed to move to an obscure Mission. The Bishop's letter, dated October 25, 1945, said "I believe you have a much greater opportunity than the present state of the work indicates and I shall be pleased to work with you in the development of St Stephen's to the limit of my ability." Perhaps growth prospects of the Mission were apparent -- the local population would grow 170% in next ten years. Events to follow would indicate that this calling was "made in heaven."
Five years later on August 28, 1950 the Mission leaders, Alexander Bolton, Ralph Noah, Clarence Kretchmer and James Michael requested the Bishop's consent to organize as a parish and on June 27, 1951, Rev'd Mohr was named Rector.
St Stephen's community orientation continued through this time. It was in 1952, when the "Thrift Shop" proposed by parishioner Beverley Bastian, was founded as an ecumenical effort. It was a success from the start. Even today this shop continues as a service ministry and source of some income to St Stephen's. Later Beverly would found the Landmarks Society.
Rev'd Mohr's interest in symbolism, architecture and aesthetic design supported by abilities in administration and finance were put to use as interest building a new church building grew in the post war years. After rejecting a site near the railroad tracks in undeveloped Tiburon close to the present site of Reed School, the current Bayview and Golden Gate parcel was purchased from the Belvedere Land Company. This land was the first parcel sold from the Belvedere Golf and Country Club property and preceded sale of surrounding residential lots. Then in 1954 at the annual church dinner at the Corinthian Yacht Club, Rev'd Mohr announced, "if everything goes well..we can start building by the end of the year." The building campaign was broadly supported with seventy two members listed as part of the General Campaign Committee. It was chaired by Robert S. Ingram with Clarence M. Kretchmer and Ralph G. Noah as Co-Chairman and Edwin G. Weed, Vice Chairman. 7 Architect Ernest Winkler, a local resident, was engaged to ensure structural soundness and build on the vision captured in Rev'd Mohr's twenty four page design criteria "Report on General Principles of Church Building Functions."
Rev'd Mohr's interest in symbolism, architecture and aesthetic design helped make aesthetic pursuit part of St Stephen's. While some felt that Rev'd Mohr's preaching may have been "theologically over their heads," and that he had limitations as a "mixer," everyone knew him as a friend, a man with drive and a skilled builder. "Church buildings," he said, "are interior organizations of space... so arranged that when anyone comes in contact with it...that empty space will convey to that person something about the nature of God and our relationship with Him." While the views of the Rector were well known to the Building Committee at the time, the aesthetically inclined committee still traveled over quite an area examining many church designs in a quest for creative vision. They considered an American Modern and a hexagonal creation. In the end they choose to use the most modern materials and technology but in pursuit of a "historic church"4 and created the wonderful sanctuary enjoyed today.
Plans called for a church 78' x 36' built to hold 240 and a comparable parish hall 64' x 30', of modern frame construction with large areas of glass.7 After three years of planning and fund raising, ground was broken on January 22, 1955 and the cornerstone was laid on May 1st with Bishop Karl Morgan Block officiating. The contractor was Herbert A. Crocker.
The church is Modern Gothic with its high ceilings, pillars and a long nave that turns poured concrete into a work of art. It was crafted with attention to detail as the concrete mix formula was so carefully delineated that its description required four type written pages. Rev'd Mohr wrote, "A rectangle that is not too wide so a face-to-face dialogue may be conducted with the congregation; a sanctuary that is not flared out, so worshipers are encouraged to look ahead at the 'gateway to the Throne of God;' proportion with the height 2 1/2 to 3 times the width of the interior to keep communicants' eyes and spirit on the Holy Table, the baptismal font and the Christus Rex; side aisles in balance with the columns and arches, for symmetry and/or effective ceremonial processions; a Christus Rex that will focus the entire structure." For this crucial element, Rev'd Mohr commissioned a local man, David Lemon with financial support from the Kretchmers, for the Christus Rex wood sculpture that forms the focus of worship today.
During the 1930's the Union cod fishery, after merging with Tiburon's Lynde & Hough, had expanded from drying and packing to canning, which was more hazardous and may have contributed to a fire which destroyed much of the plant in 1937. After this portion was razed in 1939, the remainder was converted to housing for ship workers in Sausalito and later became an artist's community. It was secluded in some ways from Belvedere as it could be accessed only by foot via steep path or by boat. David Lemon, whose works of art are in and on numerous public buildings, and his wife Jerry O'Day were among the first to have a home at the fishery. It was there that the Christus Rex was carved. It was hauled over the steep hill, since there were no roads along West Shore, and installed at St Stephen's in 1954. Until 1962, the cod fishery remained a gathering place for artists, writers and conversationalists. David and his wife, also an artist whose paintings and drawings have been widely distributed, were the last residents to leave the fishery in 1962. David died in 1997 shortly after an exhibition of his work in St Stephen's sanctuary.4
The building ended up costing approximately $125,000 financed with $80,000 in pledges (backed by life insurance), subscriptions, memorial bays and $70,000 from a ten year loan. Financing burdens were eased as the nave was memorialized in the name of Mrs. Elizabeth Sullivan who willed her $35,000 home to St Stephen's and 41 Acacia Avenue was sold for $10,000. The large parish hall, that was used for community as well as parish activities,4 was initially named Whitaker Hall in honor of Mrs. Nettie May Whitaker, a San Franciscan who was good friends of parishioners Mr. and Mrs. Fred Palmer. They willed $125,000 to the parish.
The sanctuary windows are of abstract design constructed with three dimensional glass held with cement rather than lead. The chunks of glass are said to represent the stones by which St Stephen was martyred. They were made using the leading edge process by H.W. Cummings whose family lived on Corinthian Island from 1933 until 1985. They represent an important part in the American history of glass as they are the very first faceted windows (glass held in concrete) made by an American following the process that had originated in France. The lower windows seem to portray the Christian symbol of a fish while the upper ones (best seen from the choir loft) include a chalice, paten, star, candle and perhaps a carpenters square.
The sanctuary was dedicated on November 6, 1955 and shortly thereafter, two additional lots, one adjacent to the parish hall and one across Bayview, were acquired for parking space.
In 1958, Beverly Bastian, an active parishioner, organized the Landmarks Society, a charitable organization for the acquisition and preservation of properties and structures of local conservation and historical significance. It was dedicated initially to the open space around the decommissioned St Hilary's mission which for years had presented a comforting view from Belvedere. This organization led the development of the open space movement in the county and received attention with a demonstration by hundreds who formed a human fence stretching bed sheets between them, end to end around the property, and singing America the Beautiful to save the 117 acres from development.4
Bishop Pike, elected by the Diocese of California in 1958, came under heavy criticism because of his outspoken views, often expressed during television appearances, on: the ordination of women; racial desegregation; a living wage; and acceptance of the gay and lesbian community. Amidst this controversy, Rev'd Mohr, a staunch supporter of Bishop Pike, left St Stephen's on October 31, 1961. He returned to his native New York to become editorial assistant on the Witness, a pro-Pike Episcopalian publication with national circulation.
For the creative power of his sixteen years and the general role that Rev'd Mohr played in the building and life of this church, St Stephen's will be forever grateful.
Prior to 1955, Beach Road was still not connected to Tiburon Boulevard and access to Tiburon from Belvedere was still limited to Kashow's drawbridge to Corinthian Island which connected to Tiburon's Main Street. But Tiburon housing was starting to boom and cow pastures shrink.2
In 1956 Fred G. Zelinsky, a weekend resident, became the major Tiburon property owner, and helped initiate a community effort, called the "Great Paint-up" to repaint the entire town in two days. Bagpipes played during painting for motivation. This was needed because a report in 1950 described Tiburon as "A bundle of tracks and a clump of smoky buildings and forty two acres of land...a workshop of noise, oil, welding and hammering.
Change in Tiburon accelerated with the closure of the maintenance yard in 1963 and the entire railroad in 1967.2 Tiburon was incorporated in 19644 and in the next three decades, with support from neighboring Belvedere, Tiburon would change dramatically from its roots as a gritty railroad yard, grow dramatically and become intertwined with Belvedere.
School, Compassion and Empathy — The Rev'd Lew White (1961-1968)
Rector Search Committee selected Rev'd Llewellyn A. White, then Rector of Church of the Nativity in Marinwood to follow Rev'd Mohr. He assumed his duties on December 17, 1961 following interim Rev'd Stanley Clapham. At this time the St Stephen's property was valued at $325,000, debt had been reduced to $37,000, population was still growing (but at a reduced pace) and parish programs were solid.
This period was marked Rev'd White's spiritual sermons, compassion and empathy. There was also a persistent effort to establish a parochial school. The church's experience went back to the 1940's when the Belvedere St Stephen's Nursery School rented parts of the early Mission on Acacia Avenue. This lasted until 1950 when the Nursery moved to more spacious quarters in the Boardwalk. Rev'd White arrived in the midst of parochial enthusiasm and by 1962 a tentative School Board announced that they could and should open by September 1963, and indeed they did. Beverly Bastain and Dorothy Blackmore established a comprehensive, non-graded program focused on the body, emotions and mind for kindergarten through fourth grade. Initial results were positive but gradually the school succumbed to the strength of new local public schools and zoning opposition from neighbors. It closed in 1975 when the Director departed and formed Mount Tamalpais School, a private independent school in Mill Valley.
In March 1965, following his "strongest convictions" Rev'd White joined a "Trip to Selma" to protest the insulting, beating and jailing of black people. This event was marked with controversy (Alabama Bishop Carpenter declared excommunicated all local Episcopalians who took part). Three years later, Rev'd White resigned from St Stephen's.
The search committee soon found their most promising candidate close by. The Rev'd John Stuart Thornton, Rector of Christ Church, Sausalito from 1964-1969.
Social Concern for Others — The Rev'd John S. Thornton (1969-82)
Parishioners active during the John Thornton tenure often refer to his particular concern for the ill and needy. He started the practice of food gifts through Ritter House and was active in establishing Hospice of Marin. This was the second Hospice established in the country and the most prominent during the early years of the movement. Rev'd Thornton came back from England with the idea after meeting a nun who started and Hospice there. In the fall of 1975, Dr. William L. Lamers, a Marin psychiatrist, Rev'd John Thornton, parishioner Barbara Hill and Julie Bloomfield of the Babcock Memorial Endowment decided to "get on with it" and form the non-profit corporation. Rev'd Thornton was named president pro-tem. Today Hospice of Marin typically serves more than three hundred with a budget in the millions.10
St Stephen's with parishioner John Bolton also launched the Canal ministry in 1982. In addition to bilingual worship services, the effort offered community meals, classes in English and computers, a senior center and counseling.
Rev'd Thornton is also remembered as an innovative, out of the box thinker who rode a motorcycle to St Stephen's.11 Lay Leaders were very active, fully robed and lead regular Evensong services. They included Shep Jenkins and Ned Weed, both Annapolis graduates and Bob Kane, Commander of the Presidio and a West Point grad, so their military precision in worship was natural. For a time Rev'd Thornton also had members of the congregation deliver the sermon once and month to encourage lay leadership10 and experimented with an additional folk mass.13
Rev'd Thornton rearranged the worship space with addition of the central, communal hexagonal altar which has become an icon for the St Stephen's community of faith. The altar was one of many of the furnishings in the sanctuary carved from heavy California Walnut by artist David Foss, a local artist encouraged by Rev'd Thornton, and acquired from 1970 to 1998. With, These pieces include the hexagonal altar, candleholders, font (1972), lectern (1992) and memorial table (1998).12
During John Thornton's tenure as Rector, the Courtyard also blossomed with a plan developed by parishioner Michael Painter. Assisting Rev'd Thornton was James Harmon, a long time friend who became an official fulltime assistant after October 30, 1976. As Deacon he was helpful in all duties including remodeling the Courtyard and adding the Garden Room overlooking the Courtyard.
The Courtyard was funded through several generous gifts and the sale of markers for what became a Memorial Garden. This area was originally intended to be a columbarium14 but opposition to this use arose in the community. At one time Rev'd Thornton had eight urns of ashes in his office awaiting a change in the law to enable burial. This change did not occur but ashes alone have properly added to the fertility of our Memorial Garden.15
Rev'd Thornton seemed to actively focus on building relationships. He would often rise from his desk in the Garden Room and go outside to greet parishioners in the Courtyard as they approached the church.
This time marked the final phase of transition in the local neighborhood. The Belvedere Golf Club had long since closed yielding the land for the housing around St Stephen's. The arks that had once been vacation boats were now shops and boutiques. The cod processors had departed. Causeways closely connected Belvedere and Tiburon. The railroad through the peninsula completed its last run in 1972. It yielded its land to waterside parks and walkways transforming Tiburon with breathtaking views of the bay and San Francisco. The transition to a residentially focused suburb across the water from the heart of San Francisco moved to completion.
In 1982, after 13 years of serving St Stephen's, Rev'd Thornton moved to a Mission Church and Retreat Center near Salem Oregon and later became Bishop of Idaho. The Rev'd George A. Gilbert served well as interim for the ensuing nine months.
Riveting Sermons and Strategic Distinctiveness — The Rev'd Bill Rankin (1983-1992)
In May, 1983, Rev'd William W. "Bill" Rankin became the new Rector of St Stephens and assembled a solid staff. Rev'd Katherine M."Kitty" Lehman became associate Rector on August 15, 1984 as the first woman, full-time parish priest in the San Francisco area. Also important was Rev'd Alvin S. "Al" Haag, a retired college professor who was ordained in 1976.
Rev'd Rankin was known for his riveting sermons. Perhaps this is not surprising given his doctoral degree from Duke University in ethics and Masters degrees from Episcopal Divinity School and Duke's Sanford Institute of Policy Sciences and Public Affairs. It was said that while you might disagree, you never lost rapt attention. He focused on ministering to the congregation and stewardship and the creation and maintenance of a sturdy, and growing budget which exceeded 210 pledging units.8
Prior to the Rankin years moisture had caused prominent efflorescence on the beloved St Stephen's concrete and incense was used often to reduce the smell.13 This was addressed with maintenance and renovation and the ceiling was painted blue (with support from Nela Wattley).8
During the Rankin years St Stephen's remained heavily involved in ministry in the Canal area of San Rafael started earlier. Rev'd Rankin was Chairman of the Canal Board and during this time, Rev'd Charles P. Gibbs,5 a seminarian "clergy in training" at St Stephen's was chosen by Rev'd Rankin and took on the day-to-day work of this ministry as the first Executive Director of the Canal Ministry in September 1987. In addition to bilingual worship services, the effort offered community meals, classes in English and computers, a senior center and counseling. Later Rev'd Gibbs was called as a Rector in the Sunset and in 1995 Bishop Bill Swing put Charles in charge of his United Religions Initiative (URI) project where he remains today.15
The youth programs in those days were vibrant and some of the St Stephen's youth ministers from that time have gone on to be splendid parish priests. Rev'd Gibbs wife Debbie, was a brilliant leader of the church School (she also taught at, and then lead, Marin Country Day School). Also during this time Meeta King was the first organizer of the Mill Street feeding program.8
Rev'd Rankin later became the Dean of the Episcopal Divinity School, Cambridge, Massachusetts . When Rev'd Rankin returned to the Bay area after his time at the Episcopal Divinity School, Bishop Swing offered him a job at the United Religions Initiative where he reported to Rev'd Gibbs as a Vice President.15 He also co-founded the Global AIDS Interfaith Alliance in 2000 with former Tiburon resident Dr. Charles Wilson.16
After worshipping at St Stephen's, it is easy to believe St Stephen's has always had a strong music program, but this is not the case. In the early 1980's St Stephen's had a small volunteer choir usually numbering about ten that sang unison and some two part music; there was no children's choir.13 The second hand organ had been built by Murray Harris for the First Unitarian Church in Berkeley and was acquired after sixty years, enlarged and moved to St Stephen's inexpensively by John West in 1964.17 The organ was an odd amalgam13 and used Farmers Brothers coffee cans assembled end to end with duct tape for its principal wind artery.13 Maintenance was expensive and the organ was out of service for a period of time, so it is not surprising that Rev'd Rankin sought to improve the music program at Stephen's when he arrived in 1983. The visiting Bishop of California, Bill Swing is remembered to have said, "You need a new organ."9
An organ committee first formed in 1981, was resurrected in 1984. Acquisition of an electric organ was considered as a less expensive and broader range alternative to a traditional pipe organ. One was temporarily installed and used for services causing some to complain of building vibration from low bass notes.10 Placement of the new organ in the front chancel was considered as well.18
In December 1986, after much investigation and debate, the Vestry unanimously agreed that the appropriate acquisition for St Stephen's would be an affordable pipe organ (acquired without use of debt) and that placement of the instrument should be in the choir loft in at the rear of the church. This preserved the elegance of Rev'd Mohr's chancel design and the placement of the Christus Rex, the focus of St Stephen's worship.19
Rev'd Rankin thought strategically about making St Stephen's unique9 and sought a notable Organist and Music Director to capitalize on plans for a new organ.18 On tour with the choir from St John the Divine Cathedral in New York, Jonathan Dimmock visited St Stephen's and met Rev'd Rankin.8 He was subsequently hired to fill this position on August 1, 1987.20 Jonathan was a noted organist, having two Masters Degrees in Music and Organ from Yale and having been the first American Organ Scholar at Westminster Abbey.21
About this time Rev'd Haig asked Jonathan what it would take to put St Stephen's on the map. Jonathan's vision was: "Organ, recordings & world class ensemble."9
Jonathan began by inviting everyone to sing in the choir. Lack of musical skill became apparent. At times the choir became so lost it was necessary to start singing over from the beginning during services. Four paid section leaders were then added and the choir grew to thirty members. Jonathan's full time status supported expanded musical activity and the Children's choir began.9
After considering the acoustics and quality of the worship space, Jonathan specified a tracker organ in an adapted French classic tonal scheme and sourced it from Frobenius in Copenhagen Denmark.9 The organ required eleven thousand hours to build, was shipped through the Panama Canal from Denmark to California and includes 32 ranks, 26 stops and 1,676 pipes.
Well beyond initial committee estimates, the organ ultimately cost $350,000 and an additional $100,000 was spent enlarging the balcony to make room for the organ not just a choir.9 It was a major construction effort as organ parts filled the church and forced use of the Parish Hall for services.10
The balcony and its art are the work of James ("Jim") Bischoff, architect, who went on to sing in the choir for thirty years. The funding campaign was chaired by Bob Kane and Sandy Ogden and one hundred and eighty donors contributed. It was dedicated as a gift of love beyond expectations in October 1, 1989.22
Jonathan worked with associate and former classmate Jeffrey Thomas to found the American Bach Soloists ("ABS"). The first concerts were given at St Stephens in 1990 and Rev'd Rankin and Rev'd Haag served on the founding Board of Directors which also included parish members Sandy Ogden, Perrin Fay and Bob Kane. Now regarded by the Wall Street Journal as "The Best American specialists in early music,"23 ABS has recorded eighteen CDs and remain artists in residence at St Stephen's (as part of their subscription series in Berkeley, Davis and Grace Cathedral).
Many other artists have also chosen St Stephen's as a recording venue for its quiet and acoustical quality. Recordings have since been published by EMI, Philips and Harmonia Mundi, all have crediting St Stephen's and providing a modest source of income from recording fees from many famous artists including Simon and Garfunkel.10
Jonathan Dimmock took sabbatical at the time of Rector Bill Rankin's departure amid concerns among young families that a larger share of resources should be devoted to Sunday School and children versus a full time music director.
Ministering to Families — The Rev'd Jim Ward (1994-2010)
Rev'd James F. "Jim" Ward became the Rector of St Stephen's Church with a celebration October 28-30, 1994 including a music concert, storytelling extravaganza in the parish hall, Sunday morning commitment service and afternoon celebration with Bishop Swing. He joined St Stephen's from St Cuthbert's, Oakland, where he had served for thirteen years.
On Jim's arrival there weren't many young families at St Stephen's; some Sundays saw only a few young adults or children. Even elementary public schools in southern Marin had closed due to declining enrollment, but this generational fluctuation was starting to reverse. For Rev'd Ward and wife Janet, welcoming children and young families was an early priority. This included emphasizing a children's sermon in the form of a story into the formal EuchariSt Rev'd Ward would often appear with a stuffed animal as a prop or in costume. This was quite a change as the leaflet for this service instructed parents on keeping their children quiet so as not to disturb worship. This focus proved to be an effective growth strategy as families often move into the neighborhood seeking a place to raise their family, good schools and a church home. For a time St Stephen's was the fastest growing parish in the Diocese.
The music program was still strong but also needed attention. Ken Matthews had served for two years as interim following the departure of Jonathan Dimmock.24 Rev'd Ward hired John Karl Hirten as part-time music director on June 15, 1995; he remains at St Stephen's today.
John joined St Stephen's from Old St Mary's Cathedral in San Francisco where he was Director of Music and previously from Trinity Church, Wall Street . He has taught Organ as Adjunct Professor and has written numerous sacred works including commissions published by GIA, Augsburg, Morning Star, World Library Publications, Trinitas and Concordia.25
More importantly, John has preserved St Stephen's musical legacy, despite part-time status. St Stephen's musical gift to God remains highly distinctive among churches in the county and the entire suburban Northern California area. Music for children remains a focus with recent years including a children's choir, children's bell choir, Christmas pageant and Halloween organ concert.
Glorifying God through Music and Art seems to have flourished at St Stephen's since the time after World War II. The biennial Art Angels art and craft show began as an outreach to the community in 1997 as a way to introduce Rev'd Ward, the new Rector of St Stephen's to the community. Led by Jack and Virginia Doyle, this event became profitable in its first year and remains an important fund raising event. While artistic focus has shifted over the years and has included jewelry, painting, photography, quilting, crafts and writing. The event spans a weekend including a Gala Dinner, Live Music, and children's art programs. 26
Social community was also used for outreach. Barry Mineah, a music director at a local private school led musical theater productions with Gala dinners as fund raising and community building events for a decade. In time Barry passed away and John Hirten has carried on this tradition.
Rev'd Ward was an innovative leader, with a strong point of view, and willing to take risks and experiment. For example the need to improve our facilities had been apparent for some time. Offices for staff were makeshift and odor in the parish hall basement from mold, was significant enough that some families would not bring their children to Sunday School. With the solid growth of the youth program that began to fill these rooms to capacity and the desire to get staff out of makeshift offices, Rev'd Ward took on the challenge of raising capital.
Following an affirmative parish vote on February 27, 2000, the Second Century Campaign sought $3.3 million in preparation for the parish's centennial: $2.1 million for facility renovation and $0.7 for office and ministry space additions plus furnishings ($0.1 million), debt retirement ($0.1 million) and maintenance endowment ($0.3 million). Fifty eight worked on the Campaign Committee which was Co- Chaired by Ann Behrman, Martin Cannon, Jan Gullett and Dan King.15 With the assistance of Phil Dueker of Churchwise Consulting and the active involvement of Rev'd Jim Ward, $4.1 million was raised. Like any vigorous effort of this magnitude, some supporters were lost from disagreement. One was Martin Cannon, a relatively new Christian, who worked hard on the campaign and contributed in a major way.
The building committee Co-Chaired by Dan King and John Telischak selected Frank Goring of Goring & Straja of Oakland as Architects. The parish hall and educational wing was demolished in May, 2002. As construction proceeded temporary classrooms filled the Bayview and Golden Gate parking lot to preserve Sunday School in the interim while the wing was rebuilt from its foundations over seventeen months. This building yielded new offices for staff and meeting rooms (2,620 square feet) and replacement classrooms for Sunday School and youth (4,040 square feet) as well as the kitchen and parish hall (5,133 square feet). Improvements were made to the Sacristy and Sanctuary with enhanced lighting, heating and ventilation, voice microphone and wireless amplification and sound system and natural light from shutters to the narthex.
Additional funds were sought after costs increased after modification of plans to address concerns of neighbors and construction issues. But with perseverance, and leadership of Dan King in particular, funding was sufficient to cover the out of pocket construction costs of the $4.2 million project. An open house celebration on September 27, 2003 marked project completion, St Stephen's Centennial and also thanked the two hundred and seventy five family and individual donors.
A number of different individuals were part of the staff during Rev'd Ward's leadership including Archdeacon Dorothy Jones, Rev'd Carol Luther, Katherine Von Fischer, Rev'd Michael Carney, Rev'd Stephanie Green, Rev'd Sylvia Miller-Mutia, Rev'd Zoila Schoenbrun, Rev'd Charles Taylor, Rev'd Jeffrey Clawson and Rev'd Elaine Reichert. While each made important contributions, particularly to the growing youth and children's ministry, the one with the most lasting effect was perhaps Gail Greenwell. Gail originally became associated with St Stephen's as a seminarian, like others from the California Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley. After ordination she became the Associate Rector. In attempt to keep Rev'd Greenwell and give full berth to her ministry. Rev'd Ward took the innovative step of pursuing a Co-Rector partnership with her at St Stephen's. While this endeavor did not come to pass, possibly due to its unique nature and the financial implications, it is an example of the innovation and experimentation during Rev'd Ward's tenure.
Among many things, Rev'd Greenwell started a children's camp called Spirituality and the Arts (now Camp Create). It hires professional artists to teach St Stephen's children along with those from the Canal and Marin City. It seeks to avoid charity at a distance and build close relationships through interaction around an arts camp.27 Vacation Bible School led by Janet Ward (with Rev'd Ward's active support), also achieved effective outreach to young families in the community. Vacation Bible School is particularly popular with St Hilary's parishioners, for instance.
Rev'd Greenwelll also created a mid-morning family service that was designed for seekers and much more comfortable for children and families than the later Choral EuchariSt It was a paperless service, taught through narration and acting with a non-traditional Eucharistic prayer and reading led by children.27 This led to further blossoming in ministry to young families which had begun in earnest with Rev'd Ward's arrival. The new facility was effectively utilized with a separate sizeable Sunday school class for each age group. The combination of Rev'd Greenwell's work with Rev'd Ward would prove to be a high water mark for St Stephen's during Rev'd Ward's tenure.
Rev'd Greenwell accepted a call to a church in San Carlos in 2004 and then went to be Rector of St Michaels and All Angels in Mission, Kansas in 2008, a church of two thousand members, one of the largest Episcopal churches in the country.
While vitality of the mid morning service continued after Rev Greenwell's departure, it was later eliminated by combining elements with the later Choral Eucharist which had suffered with young families attending a separate service. Currently St Stephen's is experimenting with family services and potluck dinners once each month on Sunday evening. St Stephen's also hosts gatherings of the informal, casual Macrina community, a separate Episcopal ministry.
Another element of Rev'd Ward's effort was a focus on spiritual enrichment through small groups. These included discussion groups in the parish hall after services, Marin Cursillo, the Kairos Prison Ministry, Tres Dias for those in high school, Benedictine retreats, Work Camp for teens and a Sunday afternoon Bible Study in his home in Mill Valley.
Rev'd Ward maintained St Stephen's tradition of helping those less fortunate. St Stephen's efforts included participating in the community feeding programs at the Kol Shofar temple and retreats for the homeless in the parish hall (which were discontinued in face of community opposition).
Rev'd Ward retired September 24, 2010 and was followed by Interim Rev'd Robert "Rob" Gieselmann, supported by Rev'd Shari Young, Associate Rector for Youth and Family Ministries. Rob proved to be popular, and the search committee took the unusual step of ending its process early and recommended the Interim be selected as Rector. Support from the Vestry was unanimous. Rob was officially installed as St Stephen's VII Rector by Bishop Marc Andrus at a glorious celebration on September 28, 2011.
With continued support from Rev'd Shari Young and John Karl Hirten, St Stephen's entered a new period of vitality and growth under Rob's leadership.
Exhibit I
St Stephen's Vicars and Rectors
W. F. Venables, (Vicar) 1903-1908
Frank H. Church, (Vicar) 1908-1913
D. H. St George, (Vicar) 1913-1915
Harold St George Buttrum, (Vicar) 1915-1943
Reginald G. Rosson, (Rector) 1944-1945
Edward J. Mohr, (Rector) 1945-1961
Llewellyn A. White, (Rector) 1961-1968
John S. Thornton, (Rector) 1969-1982
William W. Rankin, (Rector) 1983-1992
James F. Ward, (Rector) 1994-2010
Robert Gieselmann, (Rector) 2011 - PresentReferences
1St Stephen's 85th Anniversary History --1988. April, 1988, written by Carl Mosher. Also St Stephen's 80th Anniversary History. 1983, written by Carl Mosher.
2Pictorial History of Tiburon, A California Railroad Town. Edited by James Heig. Louise Teather, Historian. Scottwall Associates, San Francisco, CA 1984. Sponsored by the Landmarks society of Tiburon and Belvedere.
3Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California. Chicago, Lewis Publ. Co., 1891.
4A Pictorial History of Belvedere 1890-1990, A California Island Town. The Landmarks Society Belvedere-Tiburon, CA 1990, edited by parishioner Beverly Wright Bastian and Barbara Britton Gnoss.
5Marin Journal, September 18, 1902.
6Church Bells (a small Sausalito paper), April 5, 1903.
7Church Plan from the St Stephen's Parish Building Fund Campaign Headquarters.
8Notes from Valerie Bishop, Vestrywoman, November 12, 2010.
9Interview November 5, 2010 with Sandy Ogden Vestrywoman and Co-Chair of the Organ Campaign.
10Robert "Bob" Kane, Senior Warden and Lay Leader, interview February 4, 2011.
11Jo Ann Haseltine, Acolyte Leader and parishioner, February 6, 2011.
12Maragret Jackson, parishioner, Altar Guild Leader and informal St Stephen's Docent. Interview, November 5, 2010 and Note on St Stephen's.
13James Tevenan, Organist & Music Director, preceding Layten Heckman and following John Klobucar.
14Marin Independent Journal, June 12, 1981.
15Dan King, Senior Warden, Co-chair of Capital Campaign, Chair of Building Committee and parishioner at St Stephen's (for forty years).
16Marin Independent Journal, December 27, 2008.
17Layten Heckman, Organist & Music Director, 1982-83. Correspondence.
18Proposal for a New Pipe Organ -- The Organ Committee, Vestry and Rector, St Stephen's. March, 1985
19William "Bill" Englebright, long time parishioner and Senior Warden during development and campaign for the Frobenius organ.
20Employment Offer Letter.
21www.jonathandimmock.com, November 5, 2010.
22Program for the Dedication of the Frobenius Organ, October 1, 1989.
23www.americanbach.org. November 5, 2010.
24John Karl Hirten, Music Director. Interview, November 4, 2010.
25www.hirten.com, November 14, 2010.
26Interview with Virginia "Ginny" Doyle, parishioner and Art Angels founder, November 8, 2010.
27Interview with Rev'd Greenwell, November 8, 2010,
28Annual Parish Report to the Diocese of California, Membership, Attendance and Services of the Reporting Congregation, 1997-2008.