History
Immanuel Episcopal Parish, located on Glencoe Road in central North Baltimore County, is a history still in the making. From its earliest inception, this parish has shown a willingness to grow and expand with the community and its needs. Prior to 1871, worship was held at St. James' Episcopal Church in My Lady's Manor for any and all parishioners (particularly the staff and students of Oldfields School) living in the Sparks-Glencoe area part of the "metes and bounds" of St. James' parish.
This journey by horse, carriage or on foot in all weather was a trek not to be considered lightly. Today's Glencoe Road was then an unpaved lane from York Turnpike (York Road). It crossed the Gunpowder River by an iron truss bridge, then over the tracks of the Northern Central Railroad, where a lone signalman (with flag) controlled "traffic". It ended at Clynmalira, the 5,000-acre estate of Henry Carroll.
So the stage was set for a small church within the community to serve God's people. Through the generous gifts of land from the Mowells, Edward Austen and the McCullohs, the donation of stone from a local quarry, and the offer of hauling the stone to the church site, the community resources were committed to building the church, on a site opposite Oldfields School. A New York Architect drew plans and a local work force was assembled, many volunteering. Work commenced and with the walls erected the cornerstone was laid on the afternoon of August 8, 1871, with the Rev. Richard Randolph Mason (then Rector of St. James' Church) officiating and the Rev. John Hoff assisting. Mr. Mason's words are recorded as "Immanuel, God with us, and may He in His infinite mercy grant it will indeed be 'God with us'." At this time, the unpaved road (Glencoe Road) had been widened to allow two carriages to pass in some places and people could look up and see the walls of Immanuel rising on the hilltop.
Consecration of Immanuel took place on June 19, 1873, by the Bishop of Maryland, the Rt. Rev. William Pinckney, assisted by the Bishop of Virginia, the Rt. Rev. John Johns (father-in-law of the Rev. Randolph Mason). The Baptismal Font in the church is a memorial to the Rt. Rev. John Johns given by his daughters in 1876.
In 1881 a small parish house was built, again with local stone, largely through the efforts of the Rev. Mason. It immediately began to serve as Sunday School (no longer would students meet in the Oldfields dining room). Outreach efforts to help needy families were headquartered here. Later activities include a Boy Scout troop, 4-H involvement, meetings, luncheons,and suppers. The building became a center for get-togethers for all denominations in need of a meeting place.
In the year 1886, land was given by the Mowells, Mr. Austen, and Anna Austen McCulloh to establish a cemetery. The cemetery was to be . . . "non-sectarian, with no regard to race, religion or the circumstances of death. All will be given 'safe lodging and holy rest' including any person taking his/her own life." Henry Perky, inventor of shredded wheat and founder of the ill-fated Oread School project, while residing at Filston, drowned in his bathtub, probably accidently but rumored to be a suicide. He was interred at Immanuel in 1906. Legend has it that he reappears on warm summer evenings sitting on a seat carved in his headstone, smoking a mild cheroot and obviously at ease.
The Parish House and cemetery in time outgrew their bounds. However, any further additions on the hilltop were not contemplated during the Depression years, when Immanuel struggled through a trying and difficult financial period. During this time the church was without a permanent rector, but Mr. Roberts of Trinity Church in Towson gave regular Sunday Services. He was sometimes assisted by Dr. George Merrill, a Deacon in the Church and a devout supporter all his life.
At the conclusion of World War II gifts of land from the Sharps and the Mowells assured the expansion of the cemetery. A fund-raising drive to expand the Parish House began. The basements of the church and Parish House were dirt floors with mostly unfinished walls, no kitchen facilities, and no running water!
The congregation must have decided this was the time to not only raise the necessary funds, but also to get some exercise through helping with the labor.
A pre-school was opened and money was raised through a number of parish sponsored activities including the horse and pony shows. When it became time to tap into an available water supply, the men were ready for their "labor". Working in late evening hours, they dug the ditches for water pipes to the Parish House and the church. And with the money raised, the new addition was completed in 1958.
A word about the ditch digging exploits: it is recorded that a lady member of Immanuel rewarded the male ditch diggers with generous measures of bourbon as they put away their shovels for the last time!
The needs of Immanuel would again require an addition to the parish house in 1988. This included a new major kitchen, conference room, classrooms and church offices.
Immanuel has been fortunate in the distinguished line of rectors who have served here: Richard Randolph Mason,who left St. James' Church, Monkton, to become the first rector, Duncan McCulloch, Sr., second permanent rector and co-head of Oldfields School, Andrew Mayer, George Packard, Paul Zeller, Carl Edwards, Beverly Braine, and Megan Stewart-Sicking.
In 1999 the congregation adopted our "Welcoming Statement" printed on all parish communications, and it remains our welcoming statement today.
Family names which were instrumental in the creation and continuation of Immanuel include: McCulloch, Mowell, McMurran, Carroll, Worrall, Mayo, Lynch, Horner, Houck, Turnbull, Virdin, Bland, Sharp, and many others too numerous to mention.
