Deeply rooted in the history of northwest Ohio, St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Maumee has reached out to people in need since the 1800s.

Members in 1860 donated $2.25 for Kansas famine sufferers, in 1862 gave $3.50 for tracts and books for soldiers, and in 1906 gave $12.79 for earthquake victims in California.

Last week, among other St. Paul's programs that assist people in need, the church opened its doors to house and feed the homeless.

"Outreach to the community is the DNA of our congregation," the Rev. J. Paul Board, the church's rector, said.

Marilyn Wendler, church member and historian, describes various outreach efforts in her book, A Beacon in the Wilderness, A History of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Maumee, Ohio, 1836-2009.

And she details the church's rich local history, telling the story of a small group of people who petitioned for a religious outpost in the wilderness and of succeeding generations who continued the struggle to keep the church doors open.

The book, which took Mrs. Wendler five years to research and write, was published to coincide with special activities this year as St. Paul's Episcopal Church celebrates 175 years of continuous service as the oldest Episcopal Church in the Maumee Valley, she said.

On Sunday, church members, who hail from Wood and Lucas counties and beyond, will gather for an old-fashioned picnic, complete with burlap-sack races and other period-appropriate games, on the grounds of the Wolcott House Museum Complex in Maumee, on the site where the church began.

Anniversary celebration events include a special dinner Oct. 14 at Carranor Hunt and Polo Club in Perrysburg.

St. Paul's Episcopal Church is closely connected to the Wolcotts. The church's first log chapel was built in the 1830s on the grounds of the Wolcott House by James and Mary Wells Wolcott; she was the granddaughter of Miami Chief Little Turtle.

Mrs. Wolcott was a "dedicated Episcopalian" according to her son James M., who later confirmed "Ma built herself a church," according to Mrs. Wendler, curator of the Maumee Valley Historical Society.

The Wolcotts were contributors to the building that now houses St. Paul's, at 310 Elizabeth St. Constructed in 1841, the church has been designated a historic landmark, she said.

It is one of the few remaining Gothic Revival structures in the area, she said, and it has undergone only a few structural changes through the years. Otherwise, it remains much the same as it was 175 years ago.

Some interior changes were made in 1960 when termite damage was discovered, Mrs. Wendler said.

The Wolcott connection continued for years, and Rill Hull, the last Wolcott descendant to live in the family home, left her house and property to St. Paul's for use as a museum. The Wolcott House Museum is now operated by the Maumee Valley Historical Society.

As she paused near the church's memorabilia display case recently, Mrs. Wendler pointed out photographs of the Rev. Mark Jukes and his wife, Harriet, who lost their lives (and left their six children orphaned) while caring for others in the cholera epidemic of the 1850s. "They are our heroes," said Mrs. Wendler, adding the Jukeses' sacrifice is a primary reason behind St. Paul's outreach efforts today.

The Jukeses continue to inspire members "to do everything possible to help people in crisis," Father Board said.

The Jukeses also are remembered for their efforts to raise money to pay the mortgage, a move that kept the church open. In her book, Mrs. Wendler writes about the many times the church nearly closed its doors. "It happened many times, but when it did, the church always seemed to rally."

During the Great Depression, "St. Paul's was the only church in the area with a gym, and the church opened it up to the unemployed so they could come in and read or play ball. The church has always been very community oriented."

And, she said, "What is outstanding about this church is its wonderful tradition of outreach," Mrs. Wendler said. She and her husband, Peter, have been members of the church since 1959, when they moved to Maumee.

Residents of Maumee, Perrysburg, Rossford, Waterville, Toledo, and Bowling Green are among those who attend the church.

St. Paul's members "come from all walks of life," Mrs. Wendler said, but there is a common thread running through the church: "Its members are committed to the church and the community. It keeps us strong."

St. Paul's, which has 600 active members, is involved in many outreach efforts, including a food pantry, a respite care center, and a preschool.

"This church has a heritage," Father Board said. "We try to honor that and remember those who came before us and that inspires us to do more."

First Published August 17, 2011, 4:15 a.m.