Initial Organizational Meeting - January 17, 1979. Canon David Veal, the Rev. John Roen with approximately ten families represented met at the Valencia Home Owner's Club House (20 persons at the first service). Familiar names of attendees still on our roster: Murguia and Vorndam.
- Services held during part of February 1979 at NE YMCA.
- Services moved to Valley Forge Club House at end of February 1979.
- Granted Mission status at Special Council in San Antonio for Consecration of late Bishop Stanley Hauser as Suffragan on May 8,1979. Mission was named St Margaret's by Bishop Bailey in honor of St. Margaret, Queen of Scotland and wife of King Malcolm, during the closing years of 1000 AD (1066-1093). The petition for mission status hangs in the entryway of the church. The 1980 Parochial Report shows statistics for 1979:
- 30 families + 10 individuals; 44 communicants
- 2 baptisms and 10 confirmations
- First Bishop's Warden: Sigmund (Alex) Alexander
- In June 1979 David Veal relinquished his acting vicarship. A delegation from St. Margaret's met with Diocesan Bishop Scott Field Bailey to seek a full time Vicar.
- The Rev. A Russel Matthews, Rector, Holy Trinity, Carrizo Springs, was assigned and came effective October 1, 1979. He was to serve both St. Margaret's and St. Francis by the Lake, Canyon Lake. The Diocese acquired our current property (5.3 acres) in October-November 1979. Services were moved to Stahl Elementary School adjacent to our newly acquired property on the first Sunday in Advent 1979.
- The first building, currently the Parish Hall (second story of a Lackland AFB barracks), was bought and moved on our property in September 1980. The first service was held in our new building on November 2, 1980. Since the new building still did not have utilities installed, Thanksgiving services were held in a parishioner's home (Swartwout's) with 40 persons in attendance. Bishop Bailey dedicated the first building on December 17, 1980. Around September 1981, Russ Matthews dropped responsibility for St. Francis and assumed duties as Investment Officer of the Diocese, devoting two days a week to that function and the balance of his time to St. Margaret's.
- Bishop Hauser participated in ground breaking for our second building to be used as our church on August 8, 1981. That building was dedicated by Bishop Bailey on November 22, 1981.
- The Rectory was built in the Spring of 1983. Bishop Bailey presided at a house blessing for it on August 9, 1983.
- The Rev. Russ Matthews left St. Margaret’s to become a full time canon on the Diocesan staff in September 1984.
- The Rev. William J. Cavanaugh, an assistant at St. Mark’s, San Antonio, was assigned as vicar commencing on October 1, 1984. He was called to St. Bartholomew’s, Corpus Christi, leaving St. Margaret’s in December 1989.
- The classroom building, our fourth building (not including the storage shed) was planned during Spring 1984, approved by the Diocesan Architectural Committee in August 1984, built during Fall 1984, and dedicated on December 13, 1984, by retired Diocesan Bishop Gosnell.
- St. Margaret’s was admitted as a Parish of the Diocese at the 83rd Annual Council at St. Mark’s, San Marcos, on February 12, 1987. The Rev. William Cavanaugh, erstwhile vicar, was called as our first rector. The petition for Parish status hangs in the entryway of the church. The Parochial Report showed the following statistics for the year preceding Council:
- 160 families and 9 individuals; 217 communicants
- 17 baptisms, 21 confirmations and 3 receptions
- The Rev. Brice Cox, nonparochial priest, was assigned in January 1990 as interim rector during the early months of the search for a permanent rector. Brice accepted assignment as Vicar of St. Francis by the Lake and St. Michael and All Angels, Blanco, in July 1990, and was replaced by the Rev. Logan Taylor, a retired priest of the Diocese.
- The Rev. Walter L. (Chip) Prehn, III, was called in July 1990 from an assistantship in Rosemont, PA., joining St. Margaret’s as our second rector on August 14, 1990. Father Prehn resigned on June 1, 1996 to become the Chaplain at Texas Military Institute. The Rev. John Cannell was appointed by Bishop Folts to be the interim rector until the search to find a successor was realized.
- The Rev. Ronald Longero was called in November 1996 from Alice, Texas, joining St. Margaret’s as its third rector on January 1, 1997.
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