St.
Jude’s parish in Monroe City owes its existence primarily to the
dedication and efforts of one man, Mr. (later Rev.) Frederick B.
Scheetz, a farmer and onetime civil engineer for the old Hannibal
& St. Joseph Railroad, who lived near the community of
Sharpsburg, Mo., around the middle of the 19th century. After he
had lived in this area for awhile, Mr. Scheetz became aware that
there were other Episcopalians living on farms near him, so he
gathered these people together to worship in services using the
Book of Common Prayer, which services Mr. Scheetz conducted
himself. This small group grew and so on St. Simon’s and St.
Jude’s Day, Oct. 28, 1855, three of the Episcopalian men met in
Mr. Scheetz’ home to organize a parish, called “St.
Jude’s” from the day on which they met. The first service was
held on Christmas Day of 1855, and was conducted by the Rev. G. P.
Comings of St. Paul’s College, Paimyra, Missouri.
Mr.
Scheetz was ordained deacon around the time of the parish’s
founding and served as minister-in-charge until the vestry of St.
Jude’s called as its first Rector the Rev. George Sheets,
Frederick’s father (Frederick was the first to change the
spelling of the family name), and although in his 80’s and
retired from the active ministry, the Rev. Sheets accepted the
call and fulfilled his duties during the first years of St.
Jude’s life, but his son, Frederick, did the major work of ministering
to the parish, helping his father in the capacity of assistant
minister.
When
the Rev. Mr. Sheets died in 1867 in his 90’s, Frederick Sheetz
was called as Rector, and was ordained Priest in 1868 at the
dedication of the new church building in Monroe City. Although his
father showed an almost heroic devotion to his ministerial calling
in coming all the way from the East Coast to be Rector of St.
Jude’s when he was in his 80’s, because of infirmities of age,
Frederick had to perform many parochial duties for his father. And
so it is that to this day Frederick B. Scheetz is considered as
the real “first” Rector of St. Jude’s parish.
When
it became evident that Sharpsburg was not to be the leading
community in the area, St. Jude’s decided to move into Monroe
City. In 1866, the parish bought its present site and began
construction of a church building. Again, Frederick Scheetz was
the leading light, designing the present building himself and
aiding in its construction. It was completed in the summer of
1867, and St. Jude’s moved from its original “home” in an
outbuilding on the Scheetz farm to its new place in Monroe City.
Mr. Scheetz was ordained Priest in 1868 at the time the church
building was dedicated.
The
original building, finished in 1867, stands today in excellent
condition, having had the bell-tower added in the early
1900’s. Not only is it the oldest church building, but St.
Jude’s parish also has the distinction of being the first
organized Christian fellowship in Monroe City.
St.
Jude’s church of early medieval architecture is as lovely an
example of rural English church architecture as can be found
anywhere. The stone is native Missouri limestone quarried near
Monroe City. The church was built by the early parishioners themselves,
being designed entirely by Frederick B. Scheetz, St. Jude’s
founder.
Originally
the interior walls were unplastered, giving them an unusual rough
effect since the stone inside had not been finished and smoothed
down it protruded at odd distances. The interior plaster was done
in fairly recent years. It is said that because of the unfinished
nature of the stone, the plaster in some places is an inch or so
thick, while others it is a foot or more.
The
altar end of the church faces east the traditional direction in
which all of the earliest churches were built. The auditorium
inside the church where the congregation sits is the nave. The
choir sits in the section between the nave and the altar rail.
They face each other in the Episcopal St. Jude Episcopal Church
stands at the corner of Main and church. In the choir area also
are the pulpit, where the minister preaches, and the lectern,
where he reads the Bible to the people.
The
interior section between the altar rain and east wall is the
sanctuary. This area encloses the central feature of the church,
the altar, and is entered during services only by ordained clergy
and certain trained lay assistants, acolytes and servers, who help
the clergy with certain aspects of the ritual. During any
Episcopal service, the closest the lay-people get to the altar is
up to the altar rail. The two large candles on the altar are lit
only when Holy Communion is celebrated. The small credence on the
north side of the altar in St. Jude’s church is the original one
made by Frederick B. Sheetz, its founder.
The
visitor to St. Jude’s may note many items of historical interest
in the church itself and in the collection in the south wing of
the building, that bears on the founding of the parish; a
baptismal font at the rear of the church carved from native
limestone by three of the original parishioners; the font cover
was carved by Mr. Scheetz, as well as a “credence” carved by
him hanging on the front wall between the altar and the
hymn-board; a bronze plaque over the pulpit dedicated to F. B.
Scheetz, telling of his accomplishments relating to St. Jude’s;
pictures of F. B. Scheetz, Dr. Moses McClintic, and Bishop Hawks
of Missouri (Bishop when St. Jude’s was founded); the original
offering-plates used in the parish; an original railing and
kneeling-bench from the interior furniture of the first church
building on the Scheetz farm; an old “pulpit Bible” used in
the parish; prayer books and hymnals in use at the time of St.
Jude’s founding; and receipt No. I of St. Jude’s cemetery.
During
the past few years, the Church has had a good house cleaning. St.
Jude’s priceless stained glass windows have been cleaned and releaded,
the exterior has been sand blasted and tuck pointed, and a new
walk has been poured.
Inside
the church, there have also been changes. The congregation, which
averages 20 and is growing, now enjoys organ music, thanks to a
faithful friend, and acolytes for the first time in many years.
During the past months, a wedding, 3 confirmations and a baptism
have been celebrated. The baptism was of Robert Lewis Hawkins IV,
the fifth generation of the Hawkins family to be baptised in St.
Jude.
St.
Jude is affiliated with the River Area Parishes. Father Maurice
Kaser, from Louisiana, provides service to his five parishes -
Louisiana, Eolia, Clarksville, Palinyra and Monroe City. The
Convocation of the Northeastern Quarter is trying to provide
full-time ministry to our area. Services are held every Sunday at
11:30.
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