St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church, Tulsa

ST. DUNSTAN'S CHURCH IN THE CITY OF TULSA

The Parish of St. Dunstan's began on the Feast of the Epiphany, January 6, 1963 when ninety people gathered in the Memorial High School cafeteria for the first service. St. John's Episcopal Church provided a priest, startup funds and most of the original congregation. St. John's later acquired and donated the five and three-quarter acre site which is the present location of St. Dunstan's.

Dunstan was the 25th Archbishop of Canterbury. The Right Reverend Chilton Powell, then Bishop of Oklahoma, had requested that the mission be named for an Anglican saint not already in use in the Diocese. Dunstan was a musician, scholar and silversmith. He left a comfortable life and became a monk before being selected Archbishop. Legend has it that Dunstan was working late one night when he saw the devil lurking nearby. Dunstan snatched red-hot tongs from the fireplace, pinched the devil on the nose and sent him howling into the night. The story explains why the parish newsletter's name is Chalice and Tongs.

The parish led a nomadic existence until August of 1965 when it moved into the first building in the present complex. Before that time, storage facilities were not available at Memorial High School so parishioners stored the church accouterments during the week and hosted weekday services in their homes.

In 1968 the church bought a wooden prefabricated building for use as a children's center and named it St. Nicholas House. After a tornado and a fire destroyed St. Nicholas House in 1974, the church added the parish hall and education wing. The present St. Dunstan's complex was completed in 1984 with the construction of additional classrooms, a completely remodeled kitchen and consolidated offices. The Memorial Garden, final resting place for the cremated remains of parish members, families and friends, was completed in 1983. The parish built the All Saints Tower and installed the Great Dunstan church bell in 1992.

The different methods used to finance the building programs illustrate the healthy evolution of the parish. Funds for the first structure were borrowed from a bank. The second phase was financed by bonds sold to church members. The third program paid off those bonds and raised additional funds through donations from church members.

The Reverend Canon Richard W. Daniels was the Vicar of the mission and Rector of the parish until his retirement in December of 1993. Under Father Daniels' leadership the church functioned as an incubator for a parade of curates fresh out of seminary. The curates served for various periods before moving onto other parishes. Additional clergy support has been provided on a part-time basis by priests and deacons with other obligations in the community.

Clergy serving at St. Dunstan's for various periods of time prior to the retirement of Father Daniels included: the Reverend Don Jackson, the Reverend Jim Steen, the Reverend Rick Brewer, the Reverend Stuart Hoke, the Reverend Bob Cain, the Reverend Bev Barge, the Reverend Max Berry, the Reverend Harry Robinson, the Reverend Bill Holly, and the Reverend Edie Bird. Steen, Brewer, Hoke, Barge, Holly and Bird were ordained at St. Dunstan's. The Reverend Lois Gatchell, the Venerable Eleanor Hill, the Reverend Mart Schemel, the Reverend Sam Gordin and the Reverend Joe King were ordained deacons while serving St. Dunstan's. Reverend's Schemel and Hill are deceased. The Reverend Gatchell is retired and continues to serve the parish. The Reverend Gordin has served several parishes in the diocese. The Reverend King now lives in Arizona, and the Reverend Hoke is currently serving the parish of Trinity Church, Wall Street.

The Reverend Sheila Fellhauer became Associate Rector in 1991, departing in 1994. The Reverend Veronica Knapick was selected Interim Rector in June of 1994, resigning later the same year. The Reverend Dr. Raymond Potter was called to be the second full time rector in June of 1995 and held the post from October of 1995 until his resignation in September of 1999. The Reverend Cynthia McKenna came to St. Dunstan's in 1996 as Curate, was ordained and served as Assistant Rector until 1998. The Reverend Dr. Arlen Fowler served as Interim Rector while a search for a new rector was taking place. The Reverend DeWitt Boyce aided Father Fowler on a part-time basis. On February 1, 2001, the parish welcomed the Reverend Noel Doherty as its third Rector. Under his leadership, the church continued to grow and change.

On January 27, 2008, it was announced that the Rev. Mary Anny Hill was called to be this parish's fourth Rector.

The parish's history is filled with pioneering activities including the first female chalice bearers and acolytes, first female senior warden, and perhaps the first female vestry member. It revived the custom of parishioners serving as oblationers - bringing the eucharistic elements to the altar. The altar is placed so that the priest faces the congregation during the communion service. The parish secured permission to accept children for communion prior to confirmation three years before the move was adopted by the Episcopal Church, and Lay preachers licensed by the Bishop deliver periodic sermons.

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