How did a simple land donation transform a small community? Welcome to St Anne’s In-The-Fields Episcopal Church. Right here before us stands a testament to faith community and generosity.
In 1873 Howard Snelling a Bostonian who had moved to Lincoln donated land for a new Episcopal church. This wasn’t just any donation. Snelling along with four members of Boston’s Trinity Church actively fundraised. The church construction was completed by late fall of 1873. The first service in St Anne’s In-The-Fields was held on Easter Sunday 1874. It wasn’t established as a mission but was immediately dedicated as a parish. The original parish roster included fourteen Lincoln families plus families from nearby Wayland and Weston.
Early on professors and students from the Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge often served St Anne’s In-The-Fields. They served as part-time clergy. This was due to the parish’s limited funds. Sometimes St Anne’s In-The-Fields shared clergy with nearby parishes in Concord and Weston. This collaboration reflects the close-knit nature of the early Episcopal communities.
The Reverend Morris Robinson served St Anne’s In-The-Fields from 1945 to 1970. He was the first resident full-time rector. It was during his tenure that the distinctive “in-the-Fields” was added to the church’s name. This detail reflects the church’s rural setting.
Since then St Anne’s In-The-Fields has had six more rectors. Each one contributed to its growth. Today St Anne’s In-The-Fields remains a vibrant community. It draws over 300 families from Lincoln and many surrounding towns. This reflects its enduring appeal and its role as a community hub. St Anne’s In-The-Fields Episcopal Church isn’t just a building. It’s a living legacy of faith and community. It’s a story written in stone and lived in the hearts of its members.