30/01/2018
A Brief History of St. Thomas Episcopal Church
By
Dr. A.E. Nyema Jones, former Senior Warden, Warden Emeritus
(Contributions made by Fr. Wilson and Fr. Sellee)
The establishment of St. Thomas Episcopal Church began in 1897 by a group of church workers from Trinity Memorial Church when the Rev. Dr. Paulus Moort was Priest-in-charge. The outreach efforts were initially made by Mr. E.A. Cline Ogoo, assisted by Mr. W.O. Davis Bright on a Sunday afternoon that year. Messrs Ogoo and Bright were both members of Trinity Memorial Church, and the group they gathered that Sunday consisted of six persons from Krutown namely: B.J. Davies, David D. Freeman, J.B. Sancho, K. Nimley Pyne, James Kpanneh Doe and John J. Walker.
About a year later their number was approximately twenty when a few members of the Women Auxiliary of Trinity Church joined the group. They included Elm Grimes, Mrs. Clara A. Cassell, Mrs. E.E. Finch, Mrs. E.A. Snetter, and Mrs. Elizabeth Ferguson, wife of Bishop S.D. Ferguson. Some of the women from Krutown with whom they worked diligently during the embryonic stage of St. Thomas Parish were Mary K. Davies, Mrs. Annie McCritty Freeman, Mrs. Sarah P. Sancho, Old lady Chea Worwree, Old lady Korlowron and Old lady Kortee. This group was subsequently joined by Sisters Weah Parleh, Teah Worboe and Teah Deboe.
The interest and increasing number of the Kru converts made it necessary for a permanent place of worship to be sought. This need was supplied by Mrs. Nancy Minor, who although not an Episcopalian, offered the use of a small house which she owned at a location near Krutown just below the hill where the first church edifice was later built.
The congregation continued its rapid growth under the pastoral care of the Rev. Dr. Paulus Moort, and the Rev. Fr. N.H.B. Cassell who took over the work on January 6, 1901 when Dr. Moort became ill. By the year 1903 it has progressed so rapidly that the Rt. Rev. Samuel. D. Ferguson, Bishop, launched the er****on of a suitable building near Krutown to accommodate the congregation. Mrs. Nancy Minor again offered to assist, and donated the land on which the first edifice of St. Thomas Church was built. Construction was completed after two years, and on April 2, 1905 the building was consecrated and named “Trinity Kru Chapel.”
On January 30, 1909, the Rev. Fr. Edward Wade Mckrae who was transferred from Grace Church, Clay-Ashland, took over the pastoral work from the Rev. Fr. N.H.B. Cassell. During his incumbency the congregation reached parish level, and on August 27, 1915 it was officially made a parish with the title: “St. Thomas Episcopal Church.”
The Rev. Fr. John G. Coleman became Rector in 1916 and was succeeded in 1923 by the Rev. Fr. James Aladubi Johnson. The progress made during the tenure of Father Coleman continued with the same momentum under Father Johnson for about six years. In 1929, the Rev. Fr. Simon B. Yudusie, an erudite theologian, became Rector. During seventeen years under his leadership, St. Thomas continued to have an evangelizing influence within the Kru community and parts adjacent.
St. Thomas Parish Day School became one of the most popular educational centers in the Missionary District of Liberia, presently known as the Episcopal Diocese of Liberia. It was in this elementary school that the Rev. Fr. J. Dwalu Kimber, the 8th Spiritual Leader of St. Thomas Church, received his early education after his baptism by Father Yudusie upon arrival from the interior of Liberia.
In 1948 the Rev. Fr. J.D. Kwee Baker, a renounced spiritual leader, was transferred from St. John’s Irving Memorial Church, Robertsport, and Grand Cape Mount County, to succeed the Rev. Fr. S.B. Yudusie as Rector of St. Thomas Church. Pending his arrival in Monrovia, the Rev Joshua S.L. Pratt who served under Father Yudusie as Curate, was then Priest-in-charge at St. Thomas. A few years after Father Baker took over the rectorship, the congregation dispersed when the community of Krutown was removed to a new site on Bushrod Island, due to construction of the Free Port of Monrovia in connection with the development program of the nation.
With the demolition of the Community of Krutown, most of the members of St. Thomas moved to a distant area of Monrovia which made it difficult to attend Worship Services without adequate transportation. This situation necessitated the er****on of a new Church edifice in that part of the City of Monrovia where greater number of the displaced members resided. The Camp Johnson Road area was found to be the most suitable, for which reason Father Baker later referred to the newly constructed Church edifice as “St. Thomas on the Road.” In order to select and negotiate purchase of the parcel of land on which the present structure exists, he appointed a committee under the chairmanship of Bro. J.D. Mensah, a former Senior Warden.
During the early part of 1951, the cornerstone of the Church was laid by the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons under the gavel of its most Worshipful Grand Master, Dr. William VS Tubman, who at that time was also president of the Republic of Liberia. Thereafter the Parish under the leadership of Father Baker assisted by the Senior Warden, Bro. Alfred W. Nyanforh and the Junior Warden, Bro. N.N.Y. Nyekan, together with members of the Vestry and Parishioners, embarked upon a vigorous building project. As a result, two years later on Easter Day, April 5, 1953, The Rt. Rev. Bravid W. Harris, and Bishop of the Missionary District of Liberia opened the doors of the New Church declaring it a place for public worship, and later consecrated it on April 17, 1955. Its membership increased continuously to the extent that by 1980 there were over fifteen hundred parishioners.
As a musician and composer in addition to his role as a clergy-man, the Rev. Fr. J.D.K. Baker was able to identify Episcopalians with talent in music, who could assist the organist, Sister Viola McKrae Gray, in improving the quality of instrumental and choral music at St. Thomas Parish. In 1959 Bro David Kwee Bedell was appointed Choirmaster and Bro. Emmanuel Collins, Assistant Organist, to reorganize and train the only existing choir at that time which is presently known as the St. Thomas Senior Choir. Other musicians subsequently appointed by Father Baker to play the church organ at St. Thomas were Bro. D. Franklin Neal, Dr. Augustus F. Caine, Bro. Alfred M.W. Collins Sr., Cecelia Russell Mooney and Bro Stephen D. Clarke Sr. in 1962 when a modern Electronic Hammond Church Organ was donated to St. Thomas Church by the Liberian Mining Company through the instrumentality of the Junior Warden, Bro. A. Momolu Massaquoi, Father Baker appointed Dr. AE Nyema Jones who had just returned from studies in the U.S.A., as the Parish Organist. Thos organ was used until 1974 when it was replaced by a new electronic church organ donated by the Senior Warden, Bro. George A. Padmore.
In 1965, this Choral Group became the St. Thomas Junior Choir, and Father Baker transferred Dr. Abeodu B. Jones from her position of Superintendent of Sunday School to serve as Director. St. Thomas Church continued its outreach activities under the Spiritual leadership of the Rev. J.D.K. Baker. As a result, St. Stephen’s Church, Sinkor, St. Thomas Chapel at New Krutown, Bushrod Island, the J.W. Pearson Endeavor School, Johnsonville, and St. Mark’s Mission in Dubli Island Road, B**g County (now the J.D.K. Baker Episcopal School) came into existence. Having reached the age of 72 years, the Rev. Fr. J.D.K. Baker retired on June 17, 1965 from an active ministry which lasted for nearly forty (40) years.
The Rev. Fr. Joshua Dwalu Kimber, a graduate of the new Cuttington College & Divinity School, was unanimously elected by the Vestry on May 18, 1965 to succeed the Rev. Fr. J.D.K. Baker upon his retirement. Father Kimber was officially instituted as Rector of St. Thomas on August 15, 1965 by the late Bishop Dillard H. Brown. He has previously served at St. Thomas as Curate (Assistant Rector) under Fr. Baker since January of 1961, when he was transferred from St. John’s Irving Memorial Church, Cape Mount, by the late Bishop Bravid W. Harris.
Under Fr. Kimber’s leadership, there were significant achievements. The church edifice on Camp Johnson Road was renovated and expanded to about twice its capacity in 1972, when St. Thomas Parish hosted the 49th Diocesan Convention of the Episcopal Church, at which time Bro George A. Padmore served as Senior Warden and Bro. A. Momolu Massaaquoi as Junior Warden. A Parish Hall christened “Baker's Hall” was constructed as an annex for the purpose of meetings and entertainment, also classroom for Sunday school and Confirmation students.
The campus of St. Mark’s Mission established by Father Baker in 1959 was expanded with change of name from St. Mark’s Mission to “J.D.K. Baker Episcopal School.” A parcel of four hundred acres of mission land was re-surveyed, and Father Kimber encouraged the students, Supervisors and Principles on Campus, including Bro. Joseph Russell, Sis. Fannie P. Shannon, Mr. Kofi K. Adams, Mr. Francis H. Wilson and Bro. Rolland W. Campbell to cultivate the soil and engage in agriculture. He also constructed a multi-purpose court on campus named after Bro. J. Wah-Doe Bedell, President of the J.D.K. Baker School Board, for vocational training. Regular radio broadcast of the forenoon worship service on Sundays was introduced in 1972 as an outreach activity of St. Thomas Parish, especially to benefit those who are sick, shut-in and distant.
In 1968, Father Kimber encouraged the Junior Warden, Bro A. Momolu Massaquoi, to organize a choir consisting of men and boys which became active within the Parish Co-workers for discipline and general training of this group known as the “St. Thomas Boys Choir” were Brothers Henry McBorrough, Morris Massaquoi, and James H.R. Cooper, Jr. Two professional musicians, Bro. J. Godfrey Mills and Bro. Daniel Budu Hodge were invited by the Senior Warden, Bro. George A. Padmore, to give training in music and serve as Choir Directors. Due to the difficulty in recruiting boys to replace choristers whose voices had changed when they grew older, it was necessary to admit girls into the choir in 1978 and change its name to the St. Thomas Choral Group. In order to coordinate activities of the three parish choirs (Senior Choir, Junior Choir and Choral Group), father Kimber appointed Dr. A.E. Nyema Jones as Director of the Parish Music and Organist, with Alfred Toomey, Sis Ethel Gibson and Bro. B.T. Collins as assistant Organists. He also appointed Dr. Abeodu B. Jones as Director of Parish Choirs and Bro. D. Magnus Richards as Assistant Choir Director.
The Sunday school which was organized to hold sessions during the Sunday Morning worship hours rather than in the afternoon continues to be an integral part of the spiritual life of St. Thomas Parish. Here the young baptized members receive their first instruction preparatory to becoming confirmed members of the parish. The various superintendents of the Sunday school since St. Thomas parish was transferred to Camp Johnson Road in 1955 include Sis. Abeodu B. Jones, Sis Maude Johns, Sis. Daniette Sherif and Bro. Robert Coleman.
Accountability and record of parish funds improved significantly over the years, and as a result the vestry was able to present a balanced budget to the parish. The financial experts who have served as Treasurer and/or Financing Secretary since 1955 when the parish was transferred included Sis. Wilhelmina B. Dukuly, Sis Wede S. Jones, Bro. Nathaniel G. Kumeh, Sis Alliette Jones, Sis Kula Benjamin, Sis Josephine Eastman, and Sis Anna B. Neal.
The member of St. Thomas Parish and its pastoral, evangelical and educational activities continued to increase so rapidly that in 1981 it was necessary for the Vestry to search for a suitable clergyman to be elected to the new position as Assistant Rector. After consultation with the Rector, the Rev. Fr. J. Dwalu Kimber, the Senior Warden Bro. Edward J. Wesley and the Junior Warden, Bro. A.E. Nyema Jones, met with the Bishop, the Rt. Rev. George D. Browne, to request his assistance in suggesting available and suitable clergymen of our Diocese from among whom an Assistant Rector would be elected to serve St. Thomas Parish.
The Bishop was very cooperative, and the Rev. Fr. David Z. Howard, then serving as Priest at Trinity Cathedral, was among several suitable clergymen he recommended for interview by the Vestry Committee appointed by the Rector. Chairman of this committee was the Junior Warden, Bro. A.E. Nyema Jones, with Brothers Michael J. Doe, A. Dashward Wilson, Jr., and Harrison M.S. Woart as members. After Father Howard had expressed his willingness to serve at St. Thomas Parish, he was elected by the Vestry as Assistant Rector on September 20, 1981, and instituted by the Rt. Rev. George D. Browne, Diocesan Bishop on June 13, 1982.
Under the leadership of the Rev. Fr. J. Dwalu Kimber as Rector and the Rev. Fr. David Z. Howard as Assistant Rector, St. Thomas Parish continued its rapid development to the extent that there were approximately 2,000 parishioners and a proliferation of the following sixteen organizations within the parish: Episcopal Churchwomen, Episcopal Churchmen, Sunday School, Altar Guild, Senior Ushers Guild, Junior Ushers Guild, Senior Choir, Junior Choir, Choral Group, Girls Acolytes, Boys Acolyte, Girls Friendly Society, Prayer & Visiting Sisters and the Christian Youth Fellowship. In addition, a male Ushers Guild was organized in 1988 by Bro. T. Siafa Sherman, and two very active committees are the stewardship and Theological Educational Fund Committees. It’s our prayer that Almighty God will help St. Thomas to continue going forward in the coming years.
The Rev. James Nyebe Wilson, II served his diaconate from April 8, 1989 to May 8, 1990 at St. Thomas parish under the pastoral leadership of Frs. Kimber and Howard, Rector and Assistant Rector with missional focus at St. Thomas Chapel, Bushrod Island, New Krutown. In 1989, the missional life of St. Thomas shifted due to two tragedies: the passing of its well-respected pastor and rector The Rev. Fr. J. Dwalu Kimber and the Liberian civil insurrection which devastated the country. Prior to those tragedies, in 1989, Fr. David Z. Howard, Assistant Rector, was granted a study leave by the Diocese and St. Thomas parish to study in the United States. Shortly thereafter, in 1989, Fr. J. Dwalu Kimber, Rector, passed and the Liberian civil war began. The devastation of the civil war impacted St. Thomas church in that the church lost some of its outstanding members, church furniture, and sacramental vessels. On May 8, 1990, Rev. Wilson was advanced to the priesthood and appointed priest-in-charge for both St. Thomas parish and St. Thomas Chapel in New Krutown by Bishop George D. Browne. Due to the civil war, the church was closed down and worship services were suspended. Throughout the civil war, Fr. Wilson maintained a pastoral relationship with parishioners and members of St. Thomas Chapel until he was forced to seek refuge in the Ivory Coast with family. Fr. Wilson returned to Monrovia and resumed worship services. Fr. Wilson served as priest-in-charge from May 1990 to March 1992. In April 1993, Fr. Wilson was elected by the vestry and instituted as the ninth Rector of St. Thomas Parish and Priest-in-Charge for St. Thomas Chapel. Fr. Wilson served as Rector from 1993 to August 1997 when he was granted scholarship to continue his theological education at the Virginia Theological Seminary, Alexandria, VA, USA. The parish chanceries choir was organized at the time Fr. Wilson was serving as Rector. The Rev. Josephine Davies served with Fr. Wilson and succeeded him.
PARISH UNDER A FEMALE RECTOR, REV. JOSEPHINE H. DAVIES
The Rev. Josephine H. Davies was ordained 1996 by Bishop Edward W. Neufville, II, and was immediately assigned to St. Thomas, where she served her diaconate under Fr. James N. Wilson. In 1997 she was elected the first female rector of St. Thomas and the Episcopal Church of Liberia. Rev. Davies played a crucial role, in collaboration with dedicated parishioners, in renovating the holy edifice after the infamous April 6, 1996 war (which damaged the structure) in Monrovia and made it suitable for worship once again.
During a visit to the US she raised funds to replace furniture and linens at St. Thomas and for the reconstruction of the J.D. K. Baker mission School in Nyennyen in B**g Mines and through it St. Thomas was once again able to provide quality education to the children of the B**g Mines area. Unfortunately all of the mission buildings were destroyed by fire during a phase of the civil war.
Rev. Davies organized a chapel in Wilson Corner, Brewerville, one of the large internally displaced camps of Liberia where Episcopalians from Lofa and other counties worshipped. Through her instrumentality a piece of land was purchased for the purpose of building a school and establishing an Episcopal Church there. Her successor, Fr. Sellee, furthered her dream by constructing the J. Dwalu Kimber Episcopal School that is now in full operation and a chapel is open there where regular Sunday worship Services are held for some of the students and adult community dwellers. Rev. Davies honorable retired July 18, 2004, as rector of St. Thomas but has since continued to serve the Diocese in other capacities.
The current rector of St. Thomas, Fr. James Bombo Sellee, was elected unopposed in August of 2011, and inducted on September 12 of the same year, thus succeeding Rev. Josephine H. Davies. Prior to his election as rector of St. Thomas, Fr. Sellee worked with Rev. Davies from November 2003, to her retirement on July 18, 2004. Before coming to St. Thomas Fr. Sellee served his diaconate and curacy at Trinity Cathedral from 1987-1991, a missionary priest in the Anglican Diocese of Gambia 1991-1995. St. Stephens Episcopal Church, Sinkor10th Street as Priest- in-Charge, 1997-1999. Fr. Sellee has two BA’s, one MA and a PhD, all in theology.
During Fr. Sellee’s administration, the church opened the J. Dwalu Kimber Episcopal School in 2010, a project that was initiated by Rev. Josephine Davis prior to her retirement. The objective of the school project is two-fold; provide quality education, and serve as a means of evangelism. St. Andrew’s Church, Mount Pleasant, SC. is a major contributing partner to this project.
Fr. Sellee has undertaken several new initiatives, including a scholarship program launched to provide assistance to needy youths in the parish. Fr. Sellee resumed the regular Bible studies and prayer meetings at the church. Fr. Sellee also writes a religious column on different religious, political, socio-economic issues from a biblical and theological perspective.
Current Vestry:
Bro. Charles Clarke Senior Warden
Sis. Loris M. Shannon Junior Warden
Bro. Rufus s. Berry II Member
Sis. Agnes W. Perkins Member
Sis. Sue W. Thompson Member
Bro. William Bryant Member
Bro. Thomas Jallah Member
Bro. Abrahim B. Sillah Member
Bro. William N. Dargbeh
Past and Present Rectors of St. Thomas
The Rev. Fr. Paulus Moort, N.D.* 1897 - 1901
The Rev. Fr. N. H. B. Cassell* 1901 - 1909
The Rev. Fr. Edward W. McKrae* 1909 - 1915
The Rev. Fr. John G. Coleman* 1915 - 1923
The Rev. Fr. J. Aladubi Johnson* 1923 - 1929
The Rev. Fr. Simon B. Yudusie* 1929 - 1946
The Rev. Fr. J. D. Kwee Baker* 1946 - 1965
The Rev. Fr. J. Dwalu Kimber* 1965 - 1989
The Rev. Fr. James N. Wilson 1989 - 1997
The Rev. Mother Josephine Davis 1997 - 2004
The Rev. Dr. James B. Sellee 2004 - 2017 The Rev. Fr. Michael T. Sie 2017 -
_______________________________________________________
The Rev. Fr. Joshua S. L. Pratt* Curate and Priest-in-Charge 1946
The Rev. Fr. David Z. Howard Assistant Rector 1982
The Rev. Fr. James N. Wilson II Priest-in-Charg 1990 - 1992
*DECEASED
