Mr. McGann planned three missions within the last few years, a healing mission conducted by James Moore Hickson, in 1919, and a preaching mission conducted by Mr. McGann's personal friend, the Rev. Dr. George Craig Stewart, in 1920. In 1925 came the third missioner, from Albany, "Bishop Oldharn, forceful and alert now a commanding figure in the Church, our ambassador last year to the pulpits of the great cathedrals of England, the author of the poster "America First" which hangs today in almost every village in the land, whose mission in Christ Church, Springfield will long be remembered."
In the spring of 1926, Mr. McGann arranged for an occasion unprecedented in the history of the parish and of the city. We give the account of it published in The Pastoral Staff in January, 1927.
"On Advent Sunday, November 28th, at 11 A. M., all the Churches in and about Springfield, Massachusetts, combined in a most impressive service at the Springfield Municipal Auditorium, at which the Presiding Bishop of the Church, the Rt. Rev. John Gardner Murray, D. D., was the preacher. . . .
The day was formally opened by early celebrations of the Holy Communion in every Church. Thereafter each Church was conspicuously locked, and notices posted on the doors advising any who might come to go to the Auditorium.
All the arrangements of the stage, the temporary pulpit, the beautiful altar with its office lights and profusion of flowers, the seats of the choir arranged on either side, facing the congregation, were designed and executed by a noted architect of the city, Mr. Edwin J. Parlett.
Nine vested choirs with their crucifers and acolytes headed an impressive procession of 150. Clergy and Bishops, with crucifers and acolytes followed. Processional hymns were exultingly sung while all found their places on the stage.
The service itself was an evangelical modification of Morning Prayer .... The number present was estimated at 4000."
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