Dave Ramsey -
Financial Peace University
History of the Congregation
Blessed Sacrament was founded in October 1956. One charter member remains, as well as a good number of members from the earliest years. In those days, much of the surrounding area was orange groves, and the city of Placentia was only beginning to expand northward from its city center a mile or two to the south of the site of the church.The founding priest, Father Ernest Scully, built a healthy congregation in a short time. Under his leadership, the people built the church, offices, and a small parish hall. Father Scully retired in 1969 and died in 1983. His successor, Father Tony Rasch, continued to draw people to the parish. In 1976, the larger parish hall and expanded kitchen were built. Father Rasch resigned early in 1978. During turmoil in the national Episcopal Church at this time, the congregation dwindled to merely 100 people. Father Baumann arrived in October 1978, and in subsequent years, the congregation was restored to full size.
Father Richard and Marge Avery joined Blessed Sacrament in 1994, adding to the pastoral ministries of the parish family. Beginning in 2000, the parish began to experience significant growth, energized by an influx of college students, most of whom came from Biola University. The previous year, the vestry adopted a Faith Budget approach to parish financial practices, with immediate positive results. A building program entered high gear in 2001, with completion of an education building in the summer of 2004.
The Chilren's Learning Center opened its doors in September 1998, and has proven to be the most successful ministry in the history of the parish, providing high quality teaching and formation to preschool children. Several hundred families in the community have benefitted from its ministry in the ten years of its operation.
In February 2000 the first of what became a large and continuing incursion of "Generation Xers" came to the parish. The young people, drawn by traditional beliefs, the call to Christian virtue, and a beautiful liturgy with evangelical preaching, have chosen Blessed Sacrament as their home parish.
Father Michael Eldred began to attend Blessed Sacrament in the fall of 2001, and became a member of the clerical staff in August 2003.
In October 2003, Blessed Sacrament celebrated Father Baumann's twenty-fifth anniversary as Rector, and at the Annual Meeting of the parish in January 2004, Diocesan Bishop Jon Bruno announced that he was making Father Baumann an honorary canon of the Cathedral as a recognition of exemplary ministry in the diocese.
In 2003, Father Charles Rwakatare and his family moved into the parish.
On October 7, 2006, the parish celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. Now well into its fifty-fourth year, the parish continues to hold its commitment to traditional theology, warm fellowship, and evangelical faith. It continues to attract young people in good numbers, and nourish a large number of vocations to ordination.
In December 2009, Blessed Sacrament established an Anglican congregation under the jurisdiction of the Anglican Bishop of San Joaquin, and nearly fifty members joined. The Anglican congregation provides a home for any member of Blessed Sacrament or anyone else, apart from the Episcopal Church but still connected with the unique Episcopal/Anglican community in Placentia.
