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"Those who walk with God, always reach their destination"
– Henry Ford
The organizational meeting was held on January 17, 1979. Services were held at the NE YMCA and then at the Valley Forge Club House.
On May 8, 1979, at Special Council in San Antonio held for the Consecration of the late Stanley F. Hauser as Bishop Suffragan, we were named a mission. Bishop Scott Field Bailey named the new mission in honor of St. Margaret, Queen of Scotland and wife of King Malcolm, during the closing years of 1000 AD (1066-1093). The 1980 Parochial Report shows the following statistics for 1979
30 families + 10 individuals; 44 communicants
2 baptisms and 10 confirmations
First Bishop’s Warden: Sigmund (Alex) Alexander
On October 1, 1979, The Rev. A Russel Matthews was named as Vicar. The Diocese acquired our property (5.3 acres) in the fall of 1979. Services were moved to
Stahl Elementary School on the first Sunday in Advent 1979.
The first building, currently the Parish Hall (second story of a Lackland AFB barracks), was moved onto our property in September 1980. The first service was held in our new building on November 2, 1980. Since the new building still did not have utilities installed, Thanksgiving services were held at the home of Marty and Don Swartwout with 40 persons in attendance. Bishop Bailey dedicated the first building on December 17, 1980. Bishop Hauser participated in groundbreaking for our second building to be used as our church on August 8, 1981. Bishop Bailey dedicated that building on November 22, 1981. The Rectory was built in the spring of 1983 and blessed by Bishop Bailey on August 9, 1983.
The Rev. Russ Matthews left in September 1984 to work full time on the Diocesan staff. On October 1, 1984, The Rev. William J. Cavanaugh was assigned as Vicar. He served until 1989 when he was called to St. Bartholomew’s, Corpus Christi.
The classroom building, our fourth building (not including the storage shed) was planned during spring 1984, approved by the Diocese in August 1984, built during Fall 1984, and was dedicated on December 13, 1984, by retired Diocesan Bishop Harold Gosnell.
At the 83rd Annual Council at St. Mark’s, San Marcos, on February 12, 1987, St. Margaret’s was granted Parish status. The Rev. William Cavanaugh was called as our first rector. The Parochial Report showed the following statistics for the year preceding Council:
160 families and 9 individuals; 217 communicants
17 baptisms, 21 confirmations and 3 receptions
The Rev. Brice Cox was assigned as Interim Rector in January 1990 and in July 1990, was replaced by the Rev. Logan Taylor.
The Rev. Walter L. (Chip) Prehn, III, was called in July 1990 to serve as our second Rector. He served until August of 1996 when he left to become the Chaplain at Texas Military Institute. The Rev. John Cannell was appointed by Bishop Folts to serve as the Interim Rector. The Rev. Ronald Longero was called in November 1996 to serve as our third rector. He served until the later part of 2002. The Rev. Canon C. Don Baugh was appointed by Bishop James Folts to serve as Interim Rector from March 1, 2003 until May 2005 during which time St. Margaret’s had to revert to mission status. Bishop Folts appointed the Rev. Dr. Robert DeWolfe as Vicar in 2005. On December 28, 2005 we had a fire that severely damaged the church and it was necessary to completely rebuild. For two years we worshipped in the parish hall.
We broke ground for a new church building on October 6, 2007 and the new building was dedicated on October 19, 2008. Father DeWolfe served until Christmas 2009.
The Rev. Philip Cunningham was appointed as Vicar by Bishop Gary Lillibridge and began his ministry here on May 1, 2010. At Diocesan Council in February 2011, St. Margaret’s was able to once again attain parish status. He served until August 18, 2013 when he accepted a call to serve as Associate Dean at Nashotah House Theological Seminary in Wisconsin.
The Rev. John Hill came to our church on November 10, 2013. His Service of Institution to St. Margaret’s was performed by Bishop David Reed on December 11, 2013. He joined our family with his wife Holly and two children Haddie and Emory. He accepted a new ministry at St. Philip and St. James in Denver Colorado with his last day being November 11, 2018.
The Rev. Eric Holloway came to our church on April 23, 2019 from his previous commission at UT Austin. Father Eric’s Service of Institution as our new rector was performed by Bishop David Reed on July 11, 2019. He joined our family with his wife, Rev. Alex Easley Holloway who has blessed us by leading our youth group . They welcomed their baby girl, Elizabeth, this spring.
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THANK YOU AND MANY BLESSINGS!
To serve God, we the people of St. Margaret’s Church, empowered by the Holy Spirit, come together to reach out in faith and love to all people with the Good News of God’s reconciling Grace in Jesus Christ. We do this through our worship, nurture, and outreach.
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