History of the
Episcopal Church of the Holy Apostles
1964 -2002

A Mission Congregation
The Episcopal Church of the Holy Apostles, Fort Worth, Texas , had its first organizational meeting on March 15, 1964, and was duly established as a mission church on June 12, 1964, by the Right Reverend C. Avery Mason, Bishop of the Diocese of Dallas. It began with a membership of thirteen families and was aided in its development by All Saints' Church, Fort Worth. The first vicar was the Rev. James P. DeWolfe, Jr., then Rector of All Saints' Church, who was assisted by the Rev. Paul B. Clayton, a missionary curate on his staff, who would later become the mission's full-time vicar.

On Sunday, June 14, two days after being established as a mission church, a meeting was held to elect the congregation's first vestry which promptly met to work on finances, Sunday school, and arrangements for the first service.

On June 21, one week after the mission's formative meeting, the first Holy Eucharist was celebrated in a store front building in the Western Hills shopping center on Highway 80. Two twenty-foot by forty-foot units were rented with one unit serving as the nave and the other as the Sunday school. Early growth of the mission led to the rental of a larger forty-foot by forty-foot store unit to use as the nave.

A search was made to find a permanent building site, and a five acre tract of land located at 9100 Chapin Road, near the western edge of Fort Worth, was purchased on December 31, 1964. A building program was initiated by the vestry in September 1965. However, owing to the meager financial status of the new mission, approvals to build were not obtained from the necessary diocesan committees. In 1967, a successful building fund pledge campaign at Holy Apostles', plus a capital funds drive by All Saints' to assist in payment of the land mortgage, allowed the building program to proceed. Construction was begun in the spring of 1968, and the first celebration of the Holy Eucharist in the new building was held in September, 1968. The building structure erected was planned as the first unit of a master plan that, when completed, would see the existing nave converted into the parish hall.

Parish Status Achieved
The mission steadily grew as the west side of Fort Worth developed. At the diocesan convention of October 1979, Holy Apostles was admitted to parish status under the leadership of the Rev. W. Harrison Beste, who was promptly elected as the first rector of the parish.

The much beloved Fr. Beste retired in 1981 and the Rev. John Gremmels was selected as the new rector. The accelerating growth of membership during the years after becoming a parish made it apparent that more building space was needed, both for worship and for Sunday school. A building expansion program was begun in 1984 with the establishment of a new building committee which began the planning process and selection of an architect. At the time that the expansion program was being initiated, it became evident that the property on which the church was situated had appreciated significantly. This was due primarily to the completion of a major belt line highway, Loop 820, a quarter of a mile to the west of the church property, and the accompanying growth that was brought to the area. What once was open pasture land twenty years ago was now a bustling neighborhood of homes, schools, apartments, and businesses. After considerable prayerful evaluation of the situation, it was unanimously decided by the vestry that a relocation of the church would be to the best over-all advantage to the congregation. Much more building area was what was greatly needed, and the proceeds of the sale of the existing property could be used to purchase a new site plus provide a major portion of the funds needed to build the larger facility. The plan to relocate was approved by the diocesan standing committee in June of 1985.

Relocation
In the midst of the excitement of the initiation of the building program, the members were greatly surprised by the resignation in July 1985 by Father Gremmels to accept a call to become rector of St. Mark's, Arlington, Texas. The vestry, with support of the membership of the church, decided to press on with the building program. An attractive 3.9 acre site along Mary's Creek was purchased in August of 1985. This new location, at 3900 Longvue Avenue, approximately 1.3miles west of the original church site, was felt to be close enough to serve the same neighborhood community. With the resignation of Father Gremmels, the Bishop of Fort Worth, the Rt. Rev. Clarence Pope, recommended consideration of the Rev. M. L. McCauley as the new Rector. The vestry concurred and Father McCauley began as rector in October 1985.

The key elements for the church relocation plan were successfully accomplished when the sale of the original church property was completed in March of 1986 at a sale price of $600,000. The new property had been acquired for $100,000 and the mortgage balance on the former property was quite small, so approximately $500,000 was immediately available for building construction. This, coupled with the $132,000 willed estate of two long time members of the parish, Jack and Vi Steel, and a highly successful building capital funds drive, cleared the way for completing the design and construction of a new building complex at the new site. The ground breaking ceremony was held on October 12, 1986. The Rev. Canon James DeWolfe, Holy Apostles' first vicar, who had also officiated at the ground breaking for the original church site eighteen years previous, was the officiant.

The building complex was completed in August of 1987 at a total cost of $1,158,000, including the cost of the property. It provided the things that were needed for the parish to continue to grow: a spacious sanctuary and nave, parish hall, and kitchen, offices, Sunday school class rooms and adequate parking. Pews, furniture, altar and furnishings from the old site were moved to the new site and additional pews furniture and furnishings were added. After the congregation moved into the new, spacious and attractive building site, the membership of the parish rose dramatically. Many of the new members, not having participated in the original building program, began to participate in the building beautification by the addition of stained glass windows and other memorial items. As of this time, the remaining mortgage principal balance on the church is only $20,000.

Internal Strife
In the mid eighties, the Diocese of Fort Worth began to experience a great deal of turmoil concerning the leadership of the national church and, in 1989, the Bishop of Fort Worth was instrumental in establishing the Episcopal Synod of America and became its president. In the next several years, Father McCauley's discontent with the Episcopal Church grew and, as he became more vocal in his discontent, he was successful in convincing a large number of parishioners, including the vestry, that they should leave the Episcopal Church. On October 2, 1992, the vestry voted to secede from the Episcopal Church and decreed that, henceforth, the church would be a parish of the Antiochian Orthodox faith. A law suit was immediately presented by the Bishop and the Corporation of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth to recover the church property. While the legal proceedings were taking place, the loyal Episcopalians of the Church of the Holy Apostles became a church in exile.

Arrangements were made to conduct Sunday services at the All Saints' school chapel. Father Brian Koehler served as interim rector for several months and was succeeded by Father Jim DeWolfe SSC who, at that time, had retired from All Saints' Church. Although still in exile, the Church of the Holy Apostles' celebrated the its 30th anniversary in June 1994, with a gala celebration at the Ridglea Country Club. Many previous members who had moved away, returned to Fort Worth to help celebrate, including Father Paul Clayton, the church's vicar of 30 years ago, who spoke at the banquet.

A Settlement
The legal proceedings to recover the church property were quite lengthy and the presiding judge pressed for both sides to arrive at a mediated settlement. Finally, in June 1995, a settlement agreement was reached whereby the Orthodox agreed to vacate the Holy Apostles' church site on December 31, 1995, and to return an amount of $25,000. The keys to the buildings were received at 4:00 p. m. on December 31st and the current Bishop of Fort Worth, the Rt. Rev. Jack Iker, celebrated the Eucharist on the morning of January lst, 1996.

Father Christopher T. Cantrell SSC, then rector of Saint John's Church, Brownwood, Texas was called to be rector in the Fall of 1996. The Cantrells moved to Fort Worth All Saints' Day. Father Cantrell began his ministry with us on November 8,1996. He was instituted as rector on January 25th, 1997 by Bishop Iker. His father, the Rev. Richard A. Cantrell, SSC was the guest preacher at that service.

Since regaining the church property, the congregation of the Episcopal Church of the Holy Apostles is currently rebuilding an Episcopal presence on the far west side of Fort Worth. Steady growth has been re-established.

In the 38 years since the Church of the Holy Apostles was formed, many of its members have seen its development from a young mission to a significant Episcopal parish and have persisted through its various trials and tribulations. There is always rejoicing as new members join and experience the love for each other shown by the members of Holy Apostles' congregation.

As from its beginning, the Church of the Holy Apostles will continue to be a place where we can worship Almighty God, be spiritually strengthened, and where we can bring others to learn of the Father's love for us through His Son Jesus Christ.