Saint Matthias Information

Parish Mission Statement

Seeking to extend God’s healing love…
            We have received and are still receiving His wondrous gifts and we pass them on to others.

We proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ…
            We proclaim the gospel by glorifying and worshiping God.

 

In work and deed…
            We do so in all we say and do, whether inside or outside our parish community.

 

Recognizing and serving Him in all people.
            We recognize the image of Christ in everyone we meet and we serve all as God’s people.

Whittier traces its origins to 1887, when a group of Quakers formed the Pickering Land and Water Company and purchased 1,259 acres of land on the southern slopes of Puente Hills, located 20 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. The land was initially the property of Jacob Gerkens, a German immigrant who built a small cabin on the property which stands today as the Jonathan Bailey House. The site is located at 13421 Camilla Street. At the first meeting of the Pickering Land and Water Company, it was suggested that the town be named after fellow Quaker John Greenleaf Whittier, a famous poet, writer, and newspaper editor. He, however, never had the opportunity to visit the town that bears his name. Once the property was secured, the Pickering Land and Water Company subdivided a portion of the town site of Whittier into five and ten acre plots. The five-acre plots sold for $100 an acre, with the stipulation that at least $1,000 in improvements be made on the land. Many Quakers on the East Coast purchased lots in the new colony "sight unseen" and headed west. The town was established in the spirit of the Quakers, but all "fair minded people" were invited to settle there. Whittier soon became a Mecca for hundreds of Quakers and others.

Over the early years, Whittier became an important agricultural community, famous in particular for its citrus, known the world over as the "Quaker Brand." With its tree-lined streets and numerous parks, Whittier also earned the nickname "City of Trees." Harriet Russell was the first person in Whittier to plant walnuts and others soon followed her lead. Eventually, Whittier was known as the largest walnut growing area in the United States.

After the end of World War II, there was a steady influx of families and individuals to Whittier. Tracts of homes were built where orange groves once stood and the area began to grow like never before. By the 1970's, there was little open space left in Whittier for growth.

The Hispanic segment of the population of this community has steadily increased over the years. In the years between 1980 and 1990, the Hispanic population grew from sixteen thousand to over thirty thousand, a trend that is expected to continue.

In the 1970's, two fountains were dedicated to honor Whittier's two "First Ladies," Lou Henry Hoover and Patricia Ryan Nixon. Whittier is probably the only city in the country to have had two First Ladies as, residents.

The 1980's marked two major events, with both events occurring in the same year--1987. The first was our Centennial Celebration marking the 100 year period from 1887 to 1987. Many events and activities were held to celebrate the Centennial, including an "Extravaganza" which was staged by 100 men, women and children on the athletic field at Whittier College. It was a night that will always be remembered by those who attended, as well as by those who participated.

The downside of 1987, the second event, took place on Thursday, October 1st at 7:40 in the morning and again on Sunday, October 4th at about 4:00 in the early morning. Whittier was struck by two powerful earthquakes. The first, on Thursday, measured over 6 magnitude, with the following Sunday quake almost as strong. A great deal of damage and loss of buildings occurred throughout the original area of Whittier which contained the older buildings. Thankfully, no serious injuries or loss of life resulted from these quakes. The will of the people and a lot of hard work proved to be successful in overcoming the effects of these earthquakes, making Whittier a stronger city as we move into the 21st Century.

No longer a small colony of Quakers, Whittier today is home to over 80,000 people. Through the years Whittier has overcome numerous challenges and continues to grow and branch out, lending new meaning to the name "City of Trees."

The story of St. Matthias goes back to the January days of 1896 when The Rev. F. W. Adams came out from Los Angeles and gathered a small group of Episcopalians together in the Masonic Hall.

The new church took the name of Sf. Matthias in honor of the new Bishop, The Right Reverend Joseph Johnson, who was consecrated on St. Matthias Day. This was the first Mission organized under his episcopate.

The record of regular services begins on June 19, 1898 and shows that The Rev. George Robinson held two Sunday services each week. One was at 8:30am for boys from the State School, attendance averaging 20. The second service was 11:00am for the congregation and to which the girls from the State School came, about 15 of them. There were still less than twenty communicants. The weekly offering ranged from 90 cents to $2 or $3. The minister was paid $40 a month of which the parish raised $20 and the Diocese gave the rest. For years the raising of that $20 was a difficult task for the small congregation.

The Pickering Land and Water Company made the new church a generous gift of a fifty foot lot in the center of the first block of South Washington Avenue. Steps were taken to build on this gift of land. The building was finished in May 1899 and was dedicated May 13th with great ceremony and a large number in attendance. The total cost of the building was about $700.

The church grew steadily during the next twenty-one years with a Parish House being erected on the rear of the church lot, social activities expanded, a vested choir formed to add to the attractiveness of the services, and strong working chapters of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew and the Daughters of the King being organized.
With all this expansion of Church life, the Mission achieved the status of an independent and self-supporting parish in 1912, attaining recognition from the Diocese on May 22, 1912.

In the beginning of 1920, The Rev. Edwin T. Lewis became Rector of St. Matthias and served from 1920 to 1946. The progress of the parish continued. A new lot at the corner of Washington Avenue and College Street (College Street was later changed to Wardman Street) was acquired early in 1923, and in 1929 a new church was erected. The cornerstone was laid with ceremony by the Rt. Rev. Frank Theodore Woods, D. D., Bishop of Winchester, England, in October of 1929 and the building was occupied at Christmas time and continues to serve as our house of worship to this day.
The church building was erected by the Diocese Building Organization and, with the many memorial and other gifts, cost $30,000. All but some $4,000 was paid in three year pledges and the balance due was gradually reduced until it was finally paid in full during the summer of 1943. A pipe organ was purchased in 1933 for about $2,500, paid for over a period of eight years from special gifts and offerings. The church was consecrated by Bishop Stevens on November 7, 1943, with much ceremony and many visitors.

The second 50 years in the life of St. Matthias was ushered in with the arrival of the new Rector, The Rev. Albert E. Jenkins and his new bride Nancy. The Rev. Jenkins provided the high level of faith, dedication and leadership that was required to meet the challenges of growth, land acquisition and expansion that lay ahead. The great population push from the East and the resultant building of tract homes was beginning. St. Matthias, like all churches, experienced rapid growth and expansion. As we moved into the 50's, it was a common experience to have several new families appearing in Church every Sunday.

In 1946, Church facilities included our existing parish building, built in 1929, and the original wooden church up the street that had a seating capacity of about 40. Behind the original church stood an old board-and-batt Parish Hall, a remarkable structure with a small hall, stage, kitchen and adjoining living quarters. It was a beehive of activity with both church and community meetings. Richard and Pat Nixon met each other rehearsing a community play there.

To meet the rapid growth, the Vestry acquired property adjoining the existing church building for expansion. A commitment of $96,000 in pledges and cash resulted in the two story wrap-around building beside and behind the existing church structure. It was a happy day when the large addition was dedicated and named Lewis Hall, honoring The Rev. Edwin T. Lewis for his 27 years of service as Rector.
Realizing that the facilities could be outgrown, action was taken to establish two new Missions; one in Pico Rivera (Sf. Bartholomew’s) in 1953, and one in La Habra (St. Stephen's) in 1955.

More growth! A second L shaped parish building housing 20 classrooms and general purpose rooms, plus the Chase Room, was erected in 1963, at a cost of $195,000. In the process of preparing for this expansion, adjoining lots were acquired providing land for parking, the sexton's home, and a playground for the Church School children. Subsequently, the Oralingua School, a private school for children with impaired hearing, who needed classroom space, began to use part of this new facility for its important program and continues to occupy this space today.

All of the parish's buildings, furnishings and equipment are fully paid for and debt free. A restoration of restrooms (kitchen and other areas of the church buildings and equipment is currently in progress. Under a strict Vestry policy, this work, and any future work of this nature, will not be undertaken unless and until all funds necessary for its full completion are available. The current restoration projects are being paid for by funds obtained through a special fundraising campaign begun in July, 1994. The first restoration project was the acquisition of a new organ in July, 1995, with funds from the fundraising campaign.

After 28 years as Rector of St. Matthias, The Rev. Jenkins retired in 1973.

The Rev. Chester H. Howe" was called by the Vestry to succeed The Rev. Albert E. Jenkins. The Rev. Howe had served under The Rev. Jenkins at St. Matthias as a Curate some years before and became Rector-Elect in 1972. In 1973, The Rev. Howe became only the third rector of Sf. Matthias in 53 years. Thus, upon his retirement in 1996, St. Matthias has had only three rectors in the past 76 years! During his tenure as Rector, The Rev. Howe initiated and shepherded many outreach and inreach programs at St. Matthias. He was instrumental in establishing a climate of trust in the community that facilitated the beginning and continued effectiveness of the ongoing community outreach programs. St. Matthias parishioners took and continue to take a leadership role in these outreach programs.

In recounting the history of the outreach and inreach programs of St. Matthias during his tenure, The Rev. Howe noted the following:

In the fall of 1974, a wicker basket was introduced to the narthex and parishioners were invited to bring nonperishable food items when they came to church on Sunday morning. During the following year, three or four bags of food were given out weekly to those seeking such assistance. In the decade that followed, that number grew to 125 bags a day and gave birth to the Ecumenical Food Center.

In 1975, twenty five parishioners gathered in Lewis Hall to share their Thanksgiving Dinner in hopes that others in the city of Whittier would join them. The elderly, those without food to put on their own tables, and individuals living alone were especially invited to take part in this First Annual Thanksgiving Day Dinner. Under the leadership of two parishioners, this Thanksgiving Day experience grew year by year. Now, two decades later, up to 1000 meals are being served' on Thanksgiving Day by our Parish.
In the fall of 1985, clergy and staff gathered at the round table in Lewis Hall for soup and invited those seeking a hot meal to join them. Very quickly, this Soup Hour Ministry grew beyond clergy and staff, and teams of Soup Hour volunteers were needed. This ministry is now under the leadership and direction of parishioners, with the assistance of our Parish Administrator and our Sexton. Within a year, the Soup Hour was, and still is, providing hot meals, five days a week, to seventy-five guests and more.

Following a Soup Hour, on a cold rainy day in February of 1988, it was obvious that we could not send some of our guests, which included women and children, into the night without shelter. That night we gave shelter to the homeless in Lewis Hall and continued later to do so every night until other churches began to offer their parish houses to share in this ministry. Again, under' parishioner leadership and direction, the Cold Weather Overnight Shelter began.

Early in the 1990's, a clothing closet was established under the direction of another parishioner. This ministry was open three days a week during the Soup Hour to provide needed clothing. A food pantry ministry was also developed under the direction of other parishioner volunteers.

It is hard to remember a time when the parish community was not open to all sorts and conditions of people. Its ministry is inclusive regardless of race, gender, national origin, age or sexual orientation. In 1974, Nelle Hughes became the first woman to serve as a Eucharistic Minister and administer the chalice during the Sunday morning services. Shirley Rose joined the parish staff in 1979 .as our Director of Religious Education. In January of 1988, she was ordained to the priesthood. The Rev. Canon Shirley Rose was the first woman to serve this parish as an Assistant and an Associate Rector.
The living out of our baptismal vows was given additional meaning when Stephen Ministry was introduced to the parish community in 1991. Under the leadership of several parishioners, a training process was developed to equip lay ministers to respond to human need within the parish community.

The role of laity was further expanded in 1995 when a group of lay preachers was developed. Six of our parishioners are currently lay preachers.

In 1979 the new prayer book was adopted by the General Convention and brought changes in the way we worship. These changes were resisted by some and welcomed by others. In 1995, in light of the new prayer book, the restoration of the church brought the table closer to the worshipping congregation and placed the new organ at the east end of the church.

The Catechumenate Process was introduced to the parish community in 1988 and, under the direction and leadership of three parishioners, raised our theology of baptism and the implication of the ministry that follows baptism.

 

Our Interim Rector, Fr. James Sprague

Office Manager
Dottie Andersen

Organist/Choir Director
Don Brown

Sexton
Ben Gonzalez

Bookkeeper/Treasurer
Carol McCracken

Data Entry
J. Donovan Dean

Statements
Betty Vinoski

 

Saint Matthias Vestry

Senior Warden
Sandy Jamieson

Clerk
Scott McIntosh

Treasurer
Carol McCracken

Stewardship
Anne Huffington

Grant Coordinator
Robert Hooper

Kitty Coutts

Ginger Curran

Richard Phillips

Fred Torres

Kathy Bias

Bill Krenz

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Saint Matthias Vestry

Alternate Vestry Members

Jeff Dean