Fledgling Episcopal church fills gap in denominations

OZARK, Mo. -- Kehaulani Gerhard held back her tears as seven adults and children were baptized and three adults were confirmed at the Riverview Chapel of the Episcopal Congregation in Ozark on a recent Sunday.

The little storefront church was filled when Bishop Barry Howe poured water over 3-month-old Lilyan Rose Wilson's head and anointed her forehead with oil, and placed his hands on Billy Wayne Bunch's head, asking God to give Bunch strength from the Holy Spirit.

"That just chokes me up," said Gerhard, a member of the new Episcopal community in Christian County.

Riverview Chapel is the newest church in Ozark. The city has 19 other churches listed in the Greater Ozark Area Church Directory, but Riverview is the only Episcopal congregation in the county.

Above national average

With a population of nearly 10,000, Ozark has more churches per capita than the average in the country or even in the South, where the average is 15.4 churches per 10,000 residents.

Like most communities in the South, there are plenty of churches in Ozark but few choices of denominations. Two denominations missing have been Episcopal and Lutheran.

"Christian County is the fastest-growing in the state," said the Rev. Barry Howe, bishop of the West Missouri Episcopal Diocese. "It seems imperative to me to have a congregation here."

A Lutheran congregation had started in 1998, but the new congregation closed its doors about 18 months ago.

Ken Wachner attended the Ozark congregation because it was close to his home between Ozark and Nixa. Now he is back at Messiah Lutheran in Springfield.

"The nice thing about having it in your own community is ... you can organize programs around the needs of the city," said Wachner, 67.

Being able to attend a church in one's own community may be critical, said the Rev. Kan Chamberlain, president of the Ozark Area Ministerial Alliance and pastor of the Ozark Church of the Nazarene. "Most of the people who go to our church live in this area," he said. "Their friends and relatives go here."

Being in a church with friends and family is a thrill for Bill and Judy McKnabb of Ozark, who watched granddaughter Lilyan Rose become the youngest member of the Episcopal community there.

The McKnabbs were the impetus for the new church, an outreach of St. James Episcopal in Springfield. A native of Ozark, Bill McKnabb grew up attending St. James, but when he returned to Christian County after 18 years living in other states, he wanted to go to church in his own community.

With four Ozark families from St. James, the new group began meeting in homes in September 2001. They attended church in Springfield on Sunday mornings and in Ozark in the afternoon, with the Rev. Ross Stuckey officiating.

35 people per service

A year later, they rented the storefront in the Riverview Plaza and started having 10 a.m. services.

The Rev. Gerald Mbogo, a native of Kenya, now leads their services.

Since starting the morning services, the Ozark church has grown to an average attendance of 35.

Although McKnabb admits that is was "kind of bittersweet" to leave his home parish of St. James, his new church home has already become a family.

"It's exciting to be involved in this new beginning in Ozark," he said.

"When we had the baptisms it was most exciting. You're creating new Christians. To do that here in Christian County ... it's just a tremendous feeling."

Gerhard, 43, grew up in Selmore, traveling to Branson with her parents to Shepherd of the Hills Episcopal Church.

"I went to church with Branson kids," she recalled. "I didn't realize the value a church can have on a family."