St. Francis & Clare Charismatic Episcopal Church: Part Two

The historic Hatton Chapel is full of stories and those stories continue with the St. Francis & Clare Episcopal Church and Father John Prenger's journey to that location.

The front entrance to the St. Francis & Clare Episcopal Church located at the old Hatton Chapel:

The front door of chapel open and looking inside:

John sitting outside of the front entrance to his church:

John with his daughter Maranatha outside of the church at the back entrance:

John's journey to this small, rustic, church has been a long one. Trained, educated, and ordained as a Roman Catholic priest right here in Missouri John served 20 years in that tradition. That included time at the Newman Center located at Truman State University in Kirksville, and at the Newman center here in Columbia. His life took a change when he met and feel in love with his wife Sharon and they continue to enjoy a successful marriage that has produced four children. John's marriage was the beginning of a distancing between him and the Roman Catholic Church. When that distancing was complete John was left searching for a spiritual home. His journey continued when a friend discovered the International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church and introduced John to it. John soon found himself involved with a new faith community.

In 1998 a small group of worshipers were holding services in the Prenger's home. Shortly afterwards members of the group had a vision that God was leading them to a new church building. They all agreed the building was located in the country with trees nearby, and the building had white siding. When they shared that vision with colleagues at a local fellowship gathering one of them told them about the Hatton Chapel, and that is where the church now meets.

The country location envisioned by the congregation:

In many ways John's story is a series of continuing love affairs. His love of God and call to the ministry was the first one. Then his love of his wife and subsequently their children is the second one. Unfortunately John had to find ways to reconcile the two when the policies of the Roman Catholic Church prohibited him from fulfilling his call to serve with it after he married. Facing the censorship of the Roman Church he was forced to go another direction that eventually led him to this small church building.

John is also currently the president of the Columbia Interfaith Group which actively seeks to bring persons from diverse religious backgrounds together for fellowship and understanding. A video of an Interfaith Thanksgiving celebration (in November 2007) held at Congregation Beth Shalom, here in Columbia, is available on YouTube.