History

On May 1st, 1980, seven people met in a room at Huntington Bank in Franklin to discuss the possibility of establishing an Episcopal presence between Middletown and Dayton. The bank allowed the meeting, but would not allow any form of worship to take place within the building. The assistant priest at Church of the Ascension in Middletown, the Rev. Dr. Jon Shuler, was present and would lead the newly forming Fellowship throughout its first year or so by meeting on Wednesday or Saturday evenings for Holy Eucharistic. Also present was Steve Muncie, newly graduated from Vanderbilt Divinity School, but not yet ordained.

These seven people were the beginning of St Francis Episcopal Church. From a Fellowship, the group was then designated a Mission church with Steve as Vicar once he had been ordained to the diaconate and then priested.

Throughout the years, the group voted on a name, and met in several diverse locations: the Community Center in Chautauqua (which happened to be a converted stable), the basement of the Presbyterian Church in Franklin, the old Grange Hall in Springboro, the Clearcreek Elementary School gym, and the first building that St Francis didn't have to tear down and set-up every week was an old farm house in Springboro which is now Anderson Funeral Home.  There were also two office spaces rented during those years - a room in the office building of Dr. Tschanz, DDS, on S. Main Street, then right across the street in the realtor's office building.

At the 1988 Convention of the Diocese of Southern Ohio, St Francis was recognized to have gained the means to be self-supporting and received full parish status. The Rev. Steve Muncie became the first Rector of St Francis Episcopal Church.

But so much led to that moment of joy, thankfulness, and praise. From a group of seven, St Francis continued to grow and make their presence known in the area through numerous bake sales, area craft shows, potluck dinners, having a booth at the River Days celebration in Franklin, Christmas caroling in neighborhoods and nursing facilities, every spring choosing a neighborhood and delivering a marigold planting and church leaflet to each house, car washes, choosing parking lots to place our leaflets on windshields inviting people to come worship with us, making up and delivering Thanksgiving baskets to needy families, Bible studies, Vacation Bible schools, and celebrating St Francis Day with a WHATCHAMACALLIT - an auction, dinner, and a variety show put on by the choir dressed in brown monk robes and nun habits which was a big fund-raiser for the parish, and so many other ways to get our name out in the community and fulfill our mission of spreading God's Word and love to all.

On a snowy April 4, 1987, Bishop William Black and the people of St Francis, led by incense and the processional cross, walked the bounds of the newly purchased plot of land that would become our permanent home here in Springboro. Phase 1 was consecrated by Bishop Black in June 1988, and was already too small for our congregation on the day we moved in! Ground was broken for Phase 2, the new church, in June 1991 and consecrated by Bishop Thompson in May 1992. In 1995, Phrase 3 - the offices, choir room, Sunday School rooms, and library - began construction in the spring, and was completed in 1996.

Since that time, faces have changed. Fr. Steve moved on to work at the diocese. In a search that took two years during which time various clergy served the parish, the Rev. Joe Redmond was called as the second Rector of the parish from 2002-2010. For the past ten years we have been blessed by many clergy friends of St Francis who have come to celebrate the Eucharist on Sundays.

Parishioners, friends, and loved ones have also come and gone over the past 40 years. But with all the changes, St Francis has continued to strive to remain faithful to God's will for us as a parish family: to spread love through His Word, and be a place of faith, peace, and welcome for all people.

We have sought to live by the joyful words of our patron saint, Francis of Assisi, who wrote, "Lord, make us instruments of your peace."

We are thankful for God's goodness, blessings, and grace to us, His people in this place. May we, and all future generations here, serve Him well.