Three women, who raised money by sewing carpet rags, founded Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church in 1879. It took Elizabeth Whiting, Belle Jones and Bessie Gattrell seven years to collect enough money to turn those rags into the riches of a sacred space where 21^st century worshipers still gather today.

            It was common at that time for women to take the lead in providing civilized aspects of community life, such as schools and churches. But in this case, they were completely in charge. They chose the plans, signed the contracts, oversaw the construction, paid the bills and gave the note for the deferred payment.

            Needing land to build, they approached William B. Howard, the founder of Lee’s Summit. Howard realized that churches played a crucial role in growing a community. They provided a semblance of civilization and a place to secure the values and lifestyles that many people had left behind in the East.  Howard, who donated land for many area churches, provided the site for Saint Paul’s on July 16, 1884, where Green and Grand streets merge with Fifth Street. Lee’s Summit already was growing, largely because of the nearby Southern Pacific Railroad tracks.

            The Reverend Frederick B. Scheetz, a former railroad surveyor, designed the church and donated the plans.  He also donated plans for the Episcopal churches in Butler, Saint James and Monroe City, Missouri.  The Missouri clergyman’s designs were simple, functional, manageable in execution and yet sufficiently “church-like” to fulfill the spiritual needs for a house of worship.

            Fellow townspeople of all denominations contributed toward construction, as did friends and relatives from near and far.

            A news article of the day reported:

“Four years ago five (sic) ladies began by forming a sewing society, and each gave five cents.  This was the starting point of the church fund.  Since then it has steadily increased.  The ladies held festivals when they could, took in sewing and when there was none to be had, they sewed carpet rags and sold them.  Some called it the carpet rag church.  It seemed impossible that they should build; and yet, now they have the handsomest church in town, and have great pride and comfort in it…The contractor was an honest man, and his work was constantly supervised by the ladies.  The consequence is a strongly built, neat and tasteful building.”

            The August 15, 1884, edition of Church News described the building this way:

 “They have let the contract for the erection of a frame   church in Lee’s Summit, 40 x 24 feet and a vestibule 8 x 10 feet, 12 foot sides and 28 feet to the apex of the roof, with a belfry over the vestibule.  It is to be ceiled inside, and have stained glass windows.  The lot was given on which it is built.  The cost of the building is to be $1,060.  The business of collecting the money, making the contract and superintending the construction is in the hands of some very energetic and capable ladies.”

            Spiritual leadership for building Saint Paul’s came from the Reverend. J. W. Dunn, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in nearby Independence.

            The church’s entrance area, called the narthex, was part of the original building.  The walls, originally painted white, have been paneled.  The rope hanging by the right side of the door is attached to the original bell in the tower.  After years of silence, the bell once again rings to announce the start and end of services.

            The stained glass window over the entrance door bears a symbol of Saint Paul, the sword and Spiritus Gladius, which come from Saint Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, “the word of God which is the sword of the Spirit.”  The Alpha and the Omega are the beginning and the end of the Greek alphabet and remind us that Jesus is called “the beginning and the end” in the Book of Revelation.

            Inside the nave, or main worship space, you can envision the original church building if you picture the window behind the altar being on a wall across the front of the nave where the steps to the chancel are now.  The current altar stood in front of the window. A pump organ sat where the choir stalls are now.  The stained glass windows on the sides of the nave are original.

            The paneling on the nave’s walls and ceiling came from the sides of railroad boxcars used in the Civil War.  Frosted lamps lined both side walls, where there are now green-globed sconces.  The lamps were removed when the current overhead lights were installed.

            The original altar cross stood on a base behind the altar with two matching candlesticks standing on the altar.  Sometime in the 1930s, someone took the candlesticks but left the cross.  Matching candlesticks were unavailable, so the base of the cross was removed, and it has been used as a processional cross.  During the service, it hangs on the wall to the right of the altar rail.

            In the 1950s, the original floor was replaced. Sometime after that, the original pews, which were of an upright style with high backs, were donated to Saint George’s Episcopal Church in Camdenton and the current pews were purchased.

            The two lighted windows on the rear wall were donated in the 1970s as memorials. The symbols in them represent the Holy Spirit given at Baptism (the Dove); and Holy Communion (wheat for bread and grapes for wine), two sacraments we believe are necessary for salvation.  Originally, a baptism stand with baptismal bowl, called font, stood under the Dove window.  This area was enclosed to form a baptistery.  Against the back wall can be seen two pieces of 2x4’s that formed part of the enclosure. Today, the baptismal font sits in that same area.

            Before the church was expanded, children played in a field beyond the altar window.  Rocks and balls frequently broke the window. The clear glass is replacement glass.  The designed glass is original.

            The first expansion took place in 1905 with the addition of the chancel, where the pulpit now stands, and the sanctuary, the area where the altar now sits.  Since boxcar siding was unavailable, the wood used over the altar area to cover the ceiling and walls was chosen to blend with the original boxcar siding in the rest of the building.

            Between 1905 and today, more additions were made to the building. They include the first kitchen and eating area with restrooms (1950s) Parish Hall (1960s), the education wing (1980s) and Disciples’ Hall (1990s).

            Saint Paul’s was placed on the National Historic Register in 1985 and is a stop on a Lee’s Summit historic holiday house tour.