St Bede's Episcopal Church, Santa Fe, New Mexico

from
THE SOUTHWEST CHURCHMAN
January 1964

GROUND BREAKING FOR SAINT BEDE’S

“For as much as devout and faithful people have taken in hand to build on this ground now marked with
the symbol of Christ, a House to be dedicated to the glory of God, to be known as St. Bede’s, wherein
the Gospel shall be truly preached, the Sacraments duly administered, and the service of Prayer and
Praise offered in this and coming generations: Therefore I break ground for this church; in the name of
the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.”

With these words Bishop Kinsolving turned the first shovelful of earth for the breaking of the ground for
St. Bede’s, the youngest of the diocesan missions, on Sunday afternoon, October 27, 1964, at Santa Fe.

The establishment of the mission had been a long-time dream of the Church of the Holy Faith in Santa Fe. With this
project in view, the church bought a plot of five acres in southern Santa Fe, in 1956. On July 2, 1962, a nucleus
congregation, the Vestry of Holy Faith, and interested parishioners gathered to hear The Rev. Henry Seaman, Holy
Faith’s Rector, Mr. William Gilbert, Mr. Albert Warner, The Rev. William Crews, then Assistant at Holy Faith, and Bishop
Kinsolving lay out the whys, hows and hopes of the new mission.

The first service was held on July 15, 1962. The name chosen for the new Mission was St. Bede's; the meeting place the
Odd Fellows’ Hall; the Vicar, the Rev. William E. Crews. Starting with some forty families, within a year the congregation
had grown to 100 families and the need of permanent quarters became apparent. Construction started immediately after
the groundbreaking and the first building was dedicated in October 1965.

Vicars and Rectors of Saint Bede’s

The Rev. William E. Crews
1962 – 1967
The Rev. John Miner
1967 – 1969
The Rev. John Kinsolving
1969 – 1977
The Rev. Dr. Norman Alexandre
1978 – 1985
The Rev. C. Robbins Clark
1986 – 1993
The Rev. Michael Milligan
1994 – 1995
The Rev. Michael Moore
1995 – 1997
The Rev. Dr. Richard W. Murphy
1997 –