281_Churches-of-Ganges.mp3

otter.ai

19.04.2023

no

Speaker 1 0:00
Good afternoon. Today we will share with you the history of the churches of Ganges and their contribution to the growth of the community on Salt Spring. It's obviously not all about mortar and bricks, but the buildings of the church do provide us with an insight into the growth of Saltspring churches built in the late 1800s. And going on into later in the 20th century. How we proceeded an invitation was extended to all the churches of Ganges to participate in the presentation. Today we will feature the Anglican Church presented by Ken strike. The community Gospel Church by Jackie Severn Brian atherley will speak on the United Church and I will speak on the Catholic Church. Following the presentations we will give you an opportunity for questions. We'll start with reading a history that was submitted by the Jehovah Witnesses of Saltspring island. It was submitted by Hans Goldner on behalf of the congregation. There are no good records of the early days of the Jehovah Witnesses on Saltspring Island. However, the following is known. Among some of the earliest witnesses on this island were descendants of Sylvia Stark, who came to Salt Spring to escape enslavement of the black people in the United States. Stark road is named after her family which included her daughter Marie Wallace, and your granddaughter, Ethel Claiborne, both of whom became witnesses of Jehovah God in the late 1949 or early 1950s. Ethel Claiborne died here about 15 years ago at the age of 92. Their property at 430 Stark road is still in owned by the three great granddaughters of Sylvia Stark through their granddaughter, Apple Claiborne's. In the early 1940s and 50s. The witnesses had their meetings in private homes, including the home of Harvey and Alice Hamilton, at the end of Orchard Road, where there is now a four unit rental place. It appears that a small group of the witnesses and some interested persons were formally organized into a congregation in 1968. From the late 1950s to 1970 meetings were held in the side room of man Paul, and the little group soon needed a place of its own to hold this regular meetings of Bible study. About 1971 member of the group David Angrist, donated a piece of land on Rainbow Road. Number 551 and volunteers using donated funds erected the first small Kingdom Hall on that site. It was formally dedicated in September of 1973. Its capacity of a modest 15 seats was found to be insufficient shortly after its completion and a search for another site began. They found it on the Ganges hill, where our present Kingdom Hall is located now at 276 Fulford Ganges road, the property was donated to the witnesses by Delbert Lena, and then volunteers built the hall which was dedicated in 1974. About four years after the one on Rainbow Road was built, the property on Rainbow Road was sold. The congregation continued to grow throughout that time. Average meeting attendance were 11 to 12 in 1970, when they still met in the original location than 26 in 1976, and 52 in 1960. The Kingdom Hall and Ganges Hill has a seating capacity of 84 plus overflow seating. Six years ago, in 2009, a major renovation was performed to that kingdom, mainly to bring it up to modern standards with more floor space, but no major change was made to the seating capacity. This modernization was again performed and financed by the local congregation, with some help from specialized construction workers from neighboring con neighboring congregations on Vancouver Island. Since that renovation here in 2009, there have been changes to how future building projects and major renovations are financed WorldPride the finances for all the 150,000 congregations worldwide in over 235 countries have been centralized to me standards more uniform, and to thereby help those in underdeveloped countries. But the volunteer work is still done mainly in the local congregation, with the help of neighboring congregations. Presently, due to lack of employment opportunities, we lost members of our congregation so that we are presently 26 active members. You asked us not only to give a history of Jehovah witnesses on Saltspring, but also about their contribution to island life. Well, in the following Jesus example, we concentrate on spiritual matters rather than physical things, such as building schools and hospitals. Although we do recognize their value. We concentrate on bringing the good news of worldwide peace through God's kingdom by His Son Jesus Christ, to the residents of salt spring as well as main island. Therefore, all our meetings at the Kingdom Hall are used exclusively for Bible education, and training as ministers of the good news of God's Kingdom at all our meetings are open to the public. However, we have contacted Mrs. Elizabeth Sook, the coordinator for coordinator for emergency preparedness, to say that our kingdom would be available as a place for gathering and emergency treatment in crisis such need. We have also a written agreement with the neighboring community services society, that they can use the majority of our parking spots at no cost. So I'd like to thank hands for contributing back to us. I'm now going to turn it over. Just do this. I'm going to turn it over to Ken striker who will do the presentation from church.

Speaker 2 7:03
Is a great profession enough to like the written word. You've heard that too. Okay, good. You've heard my name is Ken striker. And I think I was asked to do this presentation. Well, because I do have a loud voice normally and talk a lot the church. Someone over there can vouch for that if necessary. But anyway, I'm also pleased to have the opportunity. It says, churches again, Jesus, I hope that's not gonna be taking too literally because our churches are spread around the island a little bit. Now then, if I press that when I get into the photograph, so I do St. Mark's Church, so we're going to start with St. Mark's Church. But first of all, I assume with all other churches here in the early settlement years of the island, the resident missionaries to collagen that is served the island when the three principal settlements were the Soviets vain, Bexhill and we're going to ask in a newcomer, we are an Earth was Bakersville I was told it's firmly so our church didn't start anywhere near Ganges as it happened. It was in Vesuvius Bay for undergoing the kind of overlook that and carry out our first building was suboxone said known as the church on the hill. Before that, the individual settlers the woman, the largest log house, or the smallest family, or the larger dining room, entertain the visit, and missionaries are visited missionaries to college, and they performed our health services there. But construction commenced in 1989. On those 1889 Right, and it was concentrated finally on May the 15th 1892. So, as I said, prior to that time, they've been the continuing ministry. I remember one, I don't remember. But I remember from the notes that I read that in 1840, the first sermon by an Anglican bishop was preached on the island and what do you know he didn't have a church so that was fine. He had a building somewhere to go to so I don't know quite there are more people is called here qualified to talk about the history and a lot of my notes come from worked on by Sue when we were Celebrating one of the church's centenary 120/5 and the building of All Saints. And there's a lot of history then brought up for the information to Paris and it was a good time to get the record straight. So thank you sue for that. The first missionary priest appointed to the island was the Reverend JB president, who had been ordained in the same year that construction started on St. Mark's, so it's fitting that he went there anyways. And services were held in St. Mark's continuously until the early 1990s. When upon inspection, the foundations were found to be unsound. And being Saltspring, an Anglican Church discussion followed, with a final decision to hold the restoration, fundraising drive and conduct repairs with the proviso that whole work would be done. Until will be started even until the necessary funds were in the bank. I mean, maintain that. I don't take personal responsibility, but I was the chairman of the fundraising committee. But don't get me committee. We even had an enforcer that went around to people who pledged and I hadn't seen the results yet. A great friendship camaraderie. Over the last couple of decades, yes, more discussions been held on the desirability of relocating that church because it's awkward for access, particularly for persons with any kind of age related problems, then we're afraid most of our congregations are a buddy of those to the myself. And also, it's on that very dangerous bend in the road. So much. So in spite of the desirability of really relocating, and we haven't done it yet, but I think I've heard that discussion has come up again. So we'll push it a little harder. We got a better site for it now. But I'm not getting my hand on that yet. The first guy that makes a suggestion that suggestion usually gets turned down because someone has a better one they think, right? So we still hold services year round, but it's according to whether because of the accessing

Unknown Speaker 12:41
any of these we got here, you've done a great job right? Are they gonna automatically or am I breathing too hard?

Speaker 2 12:50
I'm doing another muscle puffing right anyway, there's lots more smears church. Oh, we don't say March. Hold on. I'm not there yet. Right. There we go. Now we will just get married. That was an excellent St. Mary's at Fulford. Construction there started in 1894. And that one was built in three months. were consecrated on the third of June. But apparently the land for the cemetery have been donated by a farmer and Sue can answer any questions on that, whose son had died during a hunting as a result of 100 accident. And he did not want his son leaving forward. Right. Anyway, we started with the cemetery and then I got to build a church. So the energetic rebel has purchased the lumber and been lying on the beach. But in 1894, the new incumbent, Reverend Wilson, called another word be and the lumber was hauled to the site in the same day all By four o'clock or 430 or 16 men and five teams in those days there was not or at that time, there was no engine. So no sound in spite of the exhaust. For but if she was in Marysville familiar with it, you go passive and you go to the third.

Unknown Speaker 14:20
But it has changed. As you can see. That's the more familiar view now. I've only been on the on in, what 2526 years. That's the one view I know.

Speaker 2 14:38
So that church also we hold services there throughout the period, but with breaks or essential repairs. And finally winter services were halted due to the high cost of heating the church for a diminishing congregation there. And no services are held regularly in the summer. And once a month, wherever possible in winter to comply with tax regulations and so on. I should lead the congregation on that don't just come every month or whenever there's a service there. They do come to all saints doors in March. So we haven't lost the personnel, the congregation, which is the church in effect, we just have to limit ourselves by the limitations of the building. Next came St. Paul's at Ganges. I hope. And that burnt down before I even got here. But I'm sure some of you will remember the event, or the discussion around the dining table when your parents and family were discussing the events of the cause of the fire at the church never seem to been satisfactory result. On my note says it was built in 1913 and burned down in suspicious circumstances in 1937. There's not too much in the record about some polls. But if you had memories or more knowledge, and perhaps at Question time, that can be brought forward. Then we have St. George's at Ganges or sit at some polls. Now this was situated at the just a little ways that yes, was not too far from the Jehovah's Witness place. But do you know? Now we come to St. George's Church, which is the first one

Unknown Speaker 16:54
that I attended when we came to campus. And this was built in 1914 worshiped in continuously. And it was sighted across the road from the corridor seats. And my note is very brief, because the major part of St. George's Church,

Speaker 2 17:18
we still worship in it because it became incorporated into all saints, which is a neat touch. I'm not sure if it's saved very much money by the time we got it ready to go across the road and erected it and all that stuff, but most of us thought it was worth it. So that counts for something. And as we were raising money to pay for all that if they thought it was worth it, then they probably got an extra dollar or two. So we're still worshiping in St. George's, even though it's not in the same situation. I got a lot of members of St. George's including the guy who said Ron, his trap line was overrun with mice at one time. And so he used to go in, gotten his domain name now don't get these age related problems. There was a running strapline, too. Can you remember? Dorothy and Dorothy and

Unknown Speaker 18:27
somebody showed me like you don't know. Doesn't make me feel so bad. The one thing, many things one thing I remember we contributed.

Speaker 2 18:40
I got involved with CK was on billing after I got on the island. And the lines Yes, the lines. You said do hamburgers and hot dogs in the park for the refreshments. But I'm more of a dessert person. And there was never any pie around or dessert. So the Anglican Church women were looking for ways to raise funds. I suggested to my wife who was a member again along with Sue and a few of you are here. Why don't you have a pie stall and sell pies as she gave her and it took off in those days everybody baked. Good Old Days. Cookies. So they had pies and pints and pies and pies. And we were storing them not overnight because of the mice in St. George's. We'll be restoring them in St. George's in the kitchen area which was cramped and eventually, messager came down so we can't take any more pies but we can't take any more but so we went to the realtors century 21 Yeah. And they secured you can store price here, but they didn't know what you're in for that pie it on the counter. They have pies eventually going on their stairs. But they hit on a novel way of helping if anyone expressed an interest in being shown a house by one of the realtors, they're going to die after they've been shown. So it suited them suited us the money people were coming by and fines and all that anymore. It was great. It was a great success. So there are ways and means that different times we might get into reminisces later on what can I tell you about it? Well, if you go to All Saints eventually, I guess there's not much less than government but the Soviets the next one, there's some difference of opinion about the church at the zoo is the only thing here that looks something like that. That was important. What's gonna come next slide. Goodwill. Oh, this is moving St. George's over to all saints. It was quite a quite an operation. And that's the more familiar view now. One thing that's left or not literally hanging one thing has been left hanging to be done. And unfortunately not hanging is the bell from St George's. That now resides in a garden on the island we know where it is. But we can't find anywhere to put it. We thought we put it out starts in March and then some March poppin off became a rendezvous for people that want to after hours drinking and we thought we know what's gonna happen here they're gonna swing on the bell and it'll certainly ring and then we thought well anywhere we put it that's likely to happen because we had to it at all scenes, we've had to put the rope to the bell up in the canister with a padlock. But otherwise it gets a casual check every time somebody goes past it's feeling in the mood so rain or shine people like John and so on go out there and ringing the bell so we're still trying to find a home that bell as I said the church at the CVS is a bit of a mystery there's a building there that looks very much like a church on the right hand side as you go down. And if we got anything over here Do we have anything in here Frank for it's coming okay, this is some of the duties of the church is that what we're looking for? Good and we can't find any record of of being consecrated and the the record show that services were held in the early days in the school room there so I don't know whether the schoolroom was later called a church but this has a cross on the building. So and I'm willing to learn because I really don't know too much about that one and is no longer there. And I can't find anybody who worshiped in the private residence no

Unknown Speaker 23:25
would you know it around like

Unknown Speaker 23:33
I said Okay,

Unknown Speaker 23:36
anyways, that's that one quick one I think I'm gonna hit all saints that's not all saints next one coming as community gospel chapel so that's not all saints you kidding

Speaker 2 24:05
this source rain Island log church was located on the Gardiner property in the cranberry near the main road. It's believed to be used in a school from January the 19th 1911 until July 19. A Miss Newton is pictured in front of Russia does anyone know what became of the church bell

Speaker 2 24:36
Blue Bell anyway, seeing the top of the log picture courtesy of Roger's family and submitted by God before it became with the fellas who tweeted

Unknown Speaker 24:51
Yes, still here.

Unknown Speaker 24:52
That's still here. There's other ones that went to St. George's and then that the garden or is there another garden

Speaker 3 25:00
Well, there's been a lot there. I know it's hard to tell which one it is. Okay?

Speaker 2 25:12
Yes, yes, it is. But we were hoping it would be St. George's. And we had to. We were going to send it off Island. We didn't know the history of it, where it was made and so on and stuff. Okay. They don't know. All thanks. As mentioned earlier, in the early 1990s, there was a need to expand the capacity of St. George's. But there's no rule on the site. So you saw what happened when corporated it? And it was, it was moving literally in the rest, build onto it or around it. But it was

Speaker 2 25:58
funds? Oh, yes. Again, we said no work to be completed until we had the funds in the bank. It was a great idea. But unfortunately, there were so many winning volunteers, that it proved to be impractical. Because the number of voluntary experts working on the project are different priorities soon spent the money when the work hadn't been completed. But it was done and paid for. And the building completed and most feathers were back in place. So and it's still going strong. And I don't really have any more to say about all saints as a thriving part of the community. And it's extremely well used by the public in a variety of interest groups, in addition to regular worshippers. And because of that, you probably all know something about it, whether you dance, going to music, in months, concerts, whatever. I'm probably going on. But anyway, that's the bricks and mortar, the history of the anti comparison salts. But obviously, I said, the history is far more than bricks and mortar. And just as in the early days, there were no churches are beginning to realize that we can still worship without a building in which to congregate. It's just so much easier and convenient to do that, and have that place. And but at all saints, we tried to make it more than just a church for services, to embrace as many interests in the community as we can accommodate, and which fit in with the overall aims of our Christian church. And I think we've only had to be huge about a couple of people I wanted to do groups of one and use it because we delved a little we found that perhaps it wasn't quite in compliance or in union with monopolies. So thank you very much.

Speaker 4 28:23
Hi, I'm Jackie seventh from community gospel chapel. And this picture is our present building on the city's Bay Road. To go back to the beginning, we start in the fall of 19 isn't up yet? Oh, it isn't. Oh, I'm sorry. Okay, I guess you can hit me up. We go back to 1960. When Reverend Shepard and his wife Greta came over from Vancouver to visit relatives. And while they were here, they realized that there was no Evangelical Church on the island. So he contacted his church in Vancouver and asked if they would give his permission for him to hold some meetings on the island and see who came. So the first meetings were held in the old Rex theatre. And at that meeting, there were probably about eight people who came and showed an interest in getting a new church started Gospel Church. My mom was one of the members of that church and GMP and DEP of liberal with some of the others. And I should mention that while we were doing some cleaning up in the church a couple of weeks ago, we went through some boxes that were in the attic, and I found a binder that my mom had written, detailing the first few years of the church, who was there, how many people were there, what they did who spoke and so they gave me a lot of information about that history that I hadn't known.

Speaker 4 29:50
evangelistic tabernacle offered to oversee the group when they wanted to start the new church and they also offered to support them with money, which was a good thing. And it was officially started in January of 1961. With nine people in attendance. I came back to the island in 1962 with my husband and son and joined the church. During the next few years, we had a succession of pastors who stayed anywhere from three months to two years. At first we met in people's homes and then like the Anglican Church, we also met in the boardroom of man Hall at a rental cost of $1.50 a service. In 1962, we began looking for property to have our own building, just a random set property and great road which had been used for a sawmill which incidentally, my father operated and it had a machine shop on it. He had it for sale for $1,500. And so the church in Vancouver invents the money to pay for the property, and we had someplace to start. The next few months were busy with volunteers, renovating the old machine shop, and a dedication service was held in November 1962. Under Frank Miller, he left in 1963 and Ron V. Sama and his wife came until 1966. Melbourne, either Gilpin started their service in 1960. But this time the congregation has grown and dance remade to erect a new church building and to use the former building as a fellowship hall. The materials for the building repurchase from Lindell cedar, their buildings were all made of pre cut lumber which was numbered so that you kind of put it together like a like a puzzle. We had a lot of help from our own members as well as volunteers from on and off the island. And the church was completed in June of 1968. This picture shows the building of the church at that time. The next one is looking from the road to where the new building is. Next one is a close up of the building. And then the fellowship hall. Pastor guilt Oh, yeah. tastic dopamine try to not consider the two because it still helps. And in the next six years, we had a number of pastors until September 1978, when secret Hildebrand and his wife Shirley, came and served until 1988. Oh, I'm sorry, I missed a picture. This one is the dedication service of the new church building. And then this is Pastor secret Hildebrand and his wife, Shirley, they celebrated their 40th anniversary while they were at the church. And Kristen Martin comment came the church was growing. And in 1986, we just didn't have enough room in our building, it was cramped, and we needed more space. So we tried to decide what what we would do with the building. And we had plans that maybe lifting the building and putting another floor underneath or expanding it. And then of course, that ran into problems with making sure we had enough parking space because depending on the size of your building, you'd have to have some parking for people. And the lock was not that big. So in the meantime, we started meeting in the high school multipurpose room. This meant transporting all the necessary equipment, setting it up in a multipurpose room and taking it down each Sunday. This shows our musical group and the instruments that had to be carried back and forth. Fortunately, my son Randy had a one time moving ban, and that was used to bring everything back and forth to the church. While we were still debating on what we would do with the great bow property. In June 1997, it was set on fire by an arsonist and it destroyed the fellowship hall. And although the church building looks not too bad, the inside of it was completely gutted because it was all cedar wood and laminated beams and they weren't safe got fired. They just went very very quickly. So that finished the church there. Fortunately, we were still able to keep meeting at multiple at the multi purpose room so we still had a place to go although a lot of our equipment was burned up. The fires at first seemed like a real tragedy and what were we going to do, but God bought good out of it. Because with the insurance money and the sale of the property and a large donation we were able to purchase land on the service bay road. We broke ground in March 1999. And here is Pastor Chris making the first became the first little bit of the property. The construction was given up to the contractor hands hastened boom and we decided on st The old frame building, which we thought was less likely to burn than the one we had before. Much of the interior work was done by volunteers from the church. And here a group of people discussing what needed to be done next, and who was going to do what the we've held our first services in August of 2000. And we were very thankful to be able to have our own building and not have to truck materials back and forth, save a lot of time and a lot of work and energy. In 2001, January 2001, we celebrated our 40th anniversary of the church. And in this picture, you see Chris and Marlene Cormac, who are pastors, and greet at night shepherd who were the founders of the church. 10 years later, we celebrated the 50th anniversary, and in this picture

Speaker 4 36:06
this is Greta Shepherd, her husband had died in the meantime. And then Ron vehcile. Meyer and Joyce topper, who are two of our early pastors, Chris Cormac and his wife, Marlene, and then Steven Severn and his wife Katie should be beside him. But they were the youth pastors at the church. And then here is my mom, who was the only surviving member of the original church that started in 1961.

Speaker 4 36:40
During the years children and youth ministry said in priority for us, in the early days, Sunday school classes were held in members homes, and when the new church was built in Greek road, we use the fellowship hall as our Sunday School highlights of the year where you ski trips, send to school picnics at Drummond Park, and here's a group of people during the sack race. And then late here at the Carmax back yard. We also had elaborate Christmas programs directed by morning, Cormac, who is very musical, and very creative, misquote. The first one is at Drake road, and then this other one enter the church. And at that time, when we when the saints go first started, we had about 19 children. And then by this time in the early 2000s, we had between 60 and 70 children attending Sunday school. As a Community Church, we've been involved in many activities. I'm sorry. We we along with the baptist church for years have hosted a group of youth from Delta, who come over to do community service. And they're willing to do anything that people need to have done such as raking leaves, painting, washing windows, and just anything that people would like to have done. And it's all volunteer, and no charges made. So people really appreciate that. And even before the before their time to come in July, we all get phone calls at the church asking When are they coming and can I sign up for it. So it's been a very useful thing. We've helped with the feeding of the needy on Sunday afternoons and have opened the church for Kinder Jam, which was a program for preschoolers and their parents. We've also been a part of the Navy mental services, and also our working with the emergency preparedness group to use our church as one of the buildings to be used during an emergency of any kind. Now to bring us up to date, Pastor Cormac resigned in June 2012, to take a position as Deputy Fire Chief at big white. And in August of 2014. Jerry and Scott gardener agreed to take over the past strip. And so I'd like Jerry to stand up. So those of you who don't know her face to name. And we're very happy to have them they got us brought up the church back into unity, which was a little bit fragmented as a Christian after with two years without a pastor, things were getting pretty difficult. So it was good to have some leadership again. And one of the innovations that Pastor dari has brought is providing a peer counseling for anyone who would like that. And so that's available for anyone who just wants to go to church and ask to have some counseling. She's available for that. So I think that's about all for my part. Thank you

Speaker 5 40:00
I have two presentations. The full one and the reduced one. I think I'll work with the reduced one. I'm Brian atherley. Present. I'm in charge of the property maintenance committee at Saltspring. Island United Church. Thank you for this opportunity to speak to you about the history of our church. The picture here is the Reverend Dr. Ebenezer Robson. Have a discussion with Ken after about 1840 but Reverend Robson was a Methodist missionary from Ontario. And he arrived in BC in 1858. He first came to Saltspring as a circuit missionary from Nanaimo in 1860 am of a loud thanks and, and was the first recorded minister to preach on Saltspring Avenue in the home of black settlers at the north end on February 21 1861. Now we've had a variety of circuit ministers and and missionaries. They have served the island for first from Nanaimo and then out of maple faith. Our first full time Minister, the Reverend William Allen came in 1929. And I believe Clark Yes, the Reverend Jay Clark Saunders, our present ministers here present now.

Speaker 5 41:54
The United Church of Canada has two churches on Saltspring Island, Saltspring. Island, united on Hereford Street, and the Burgoyne United Church on the Fulford, Ganges rope. And that's down in the Burgoyne valley now, we're one church. We have two buildings, but we're one church. And if you want to find out a lot more about both of them, this will be on the Archives website, along with the photos I would take. And I think it's worth reading. I've read it several times myself, so Reverend Robson, he was a bit of a person who liked education. And he had encouraged the settlers to build a school that central and they built this log building just to the north of the central hall here. And then later on, they built a newer building. And that's the one that's

Speaker 5 43:21
this is the what I'm gonna call the new school building, that central hall. And as you can see, it has four windows on each side, which is probably the same building we're in. And then that little building over there is shown on ribbon and Wilson's map, but not identified. It's the jail.

Speaker 5 43:47
The church met in the school building at that time and did so up until 1905. Now, in 1900, it was decided that the church, a church building was required. At a one acre site on the northeast corner of what is now called Rock Park over here, was obtained from the provincial government. And it was part of 100 acre parcel that was set aside in 1864. for community use.

Speaker 5 44:22
Jane Morgan, who is or was Tom Toynbee, his grandmother appears to have been the major thrust behind this project. The reports indicate that she drove her horse and buggy from one end of the island to the other, visiting parishioners and obtaining funds from them. She raised a total of $650 which was what was needed for the construction and they built our little church now On the color plate we had at the beginning when we were sitting just looking at the wall this little church is down in the lower right hand corner and I want you to take note of the woodwork up on the top of the gable there and the little extension here switch say something later on the

Speaker 5 45:29
desert the church at Central was moved in 1926 to a lot at 120 Hereford okay I'm sorry these these pictures here are of our getting our bird going church and they're all covered in in my full write up

Speaker 5 45:59
lot the church has moved over to a lot at 120 Hereford and that building is now the yoga studio. And it was donated by again Jane Moen. The property was a contract was awarded on March 16 1926 to Arthur Betancourt for $495 to take the church apart and move it board by board into Ganges and he enlarged it as well. And the work was completed in September 1926. On December 20 1928 a small house and lot were purchased that 112 Hereford and that's presently playing in Perl from a Mr Rankin's for $800. Plans for Parsons were prepared and the contract was awarded in 1929 to JH Betancourt to incorporate the little house into a full scale parsonage. In 1951, a decision was made to build a new church the building at 120 Hereford or Level One was put up for sale and the Canadian Legion made an offer to swap two lots they owned on the south side of Hereford plus $800 for the church and lot and if you look at this picture go back to my comment earlier about the little building and the framework up in the gable and the little entry that says what the building really looked like when it was on Hereford.

Speaker 5 47:46
The offer from the Legion was accepted and the construction on on our existing church was started and we built a this structure it to me it looks like it's got asbestos siding on it. I'm not sure about that but hundreds of homes in British Columbia have asbestos siding nobody knows that but there's is there. All of the wartime houses have asbestos siding. The building was completed on October 24 1952. And then in 1960 it was decided that the old Manse was no longer suitable and shouldn't be sold. This is the sprint back this is the original entrance into our building it's the west side by the parking lot if you wonder why I'm confused I have two pictures on the screen and I'm really not too sure sometimes. It's like you got to picture that you're what you're looking at so the buyers house this is a family that lived on Hereford was up for sale and the House and the two lots adjacent the church property and to the west was purchased. So we now have 460 foot lots 240 feet of Hereford which we have today. The bass was vacated in 1974. And in 1985, the building had deteriorated to the point where it was of no value to us anymore. And it was sold for $500 and then move to another site. I'm not sure but looking at some of Frank's pictures the other day. I have a feeling it became the barber shop on Nick Phillips, the building that was torn down for the library site. I have to go to the archives and look at that one again. But I'm pretty sure sure that that's the building over the years of Sigmar Harishon over the years a changes have been made to our existing church in 1983 84 a new entry. As I showed you, the entry was on the east side, a new entry via the West ports was constructed. The original entry was on the side where the library is now situated. The church was shingled and stained Brown, and then a tea in 1986. The outsides theory was enclosed, the new washrooms added in 1994 it was painted black and white. You may remember that and in our one, it was painted black and white. Our Celtic cross was also added. You'd see it there in the picture, and

Speaker 5 51:05
an eight and 2006 it was repainted green, which is the color it is today are red churches adorned with a quote a collection of stained glass windows, most of which were created by Jack Clements, lives on the island. His presently attends our church and the feature window at the front of the church. The Good Shepherd came from the original church that was here in central and that was dedicated in 1911. Our church today is a very active church we have a 20 plus voice choir. We do book studies we have croakers men's breakfast group, but you see W organization Social Justice Committee, pastoral care committee, knitting group, several fundraising events each year, and we do the Gary's Christmas dinner on Christmas Day at religion. Our building is shared with many community groups, including a Sunday dropping dinner for street people. Jackie, I think you people use start kitchen facilities for your your dinner soon as well. Our Meadow is well maintained, and it's used by the community to like a park and I think most of you are familiar with that. We're blessed church with caring, outstanding leadership and a growing affirming congregation. We welcome all and have strong hopes for the future. Thank.

Unknown Speaker 52:59
you the last one.

Speaker 1 53:05
I must actually begin with an admission that we've not done a terribly good job of documenting our early history. And many people have assisted me with this presentation. And I'm really grateful for the help they gave me. The history of the Catholic Church on Saltspring Island has a lot to do with its roads or lack thereof. St Paul's was built in Fulford harbor because in the 1880s most Catholics had settled in the south end to bribe private chapels offered services in the other remote areas, one in the Soviet space and one in Blackburn road. record show that father Don Kaley, the missionary priest who oversaw the building of St. Paul's Church set the first mass on Saltspring in 1878. In the private chapel on the second floor of Mr. Bitton courthouse in Vesuvius Bay. About 10 years later, Mr. Betancourt built the ark, which housed the chapel. The building is still standing today near the Vesuvius Bay parking lot. It's a private home, but that Bale is still in place. In His Will Mr. Betancourt left a piece of land for the construction of a Catholic Church and an annual income of $600 for its administration. It was a very generous offer in the early 18 1900s. But it was very clear by then that Ganges was going to be the more central place of the island, and not really suitable for building a church in the Soviet space. The second private chapel was built in the home of Alan Blackburn. Now the Salt Springs center for yoga on Blackburn road. The Sydney review has increased a father sheelane saying mass there on a number of locations most of the time On the Saturday before or the Monday after the week they the Sunday Mass at Fulford harbour The house has an interesting history in its own right, and I hate to say it, but I think it would make a great presentation. Now onto Ganges, a good starting point, which is the story written in 2005 by Dorothy Dodds, and Dorothy is on the site it's a story of how the Catholic Church was acquired. Dorothy's family the jives were very good friends of father sheelane and so it is quite likely that they did actually have this story told them. There are a few inconsistencies but I wanted to repeat the story, as Dorothy recorded it in 2005. Father shaylen lived in the priests residence next to St. Paul's Church in Fulford harbor. So the sheelane was looking for a property for a Catholic Church in Ganges he foresaw that there would come a time when the church population would become too much for St. Paul's, and a church was needed in Ganges. He contacted Gavin Mola, the school board representative, and asked him how much he wanted for the old Ganges Elementary School House and surrounding grounds. Gavin mode, answered $500 But I have to have the cash by 5pm today. Father shaylen Hurry in his old Ford hurried to Fulford harbour to catch the launch transporting salt Springer's to Sydney. He barely caught it. After arriving at the Sydney dock he then caught a bus to Victoria. On his arrival he contacted the secretary of the Knights of Columbus. After explaining his mission and asking if he could borrow the $500 to purchase the former school. The Secretary explained that he did not have the authority to grandfather's wish, but he said I'll tell you what I'll do. I will loan you the $500 father accepted and began his return journey to Salt Spring. He arrived at the meeting place with Gavin moment a few minutes before the deadline. Much to Gavin's surprise father sheelane handed him the required $500 Gavin hadn't expected father to raise the money in so short a time but he had to keep his word. As Dorothy said God was on father Shimon side. South springers we're very grateful to father for his all his efforts, and they went nuts Salt Spring Ganges school became the church they named it St. Edward's church after father sheelane father Morris Lariviere arrived on Salt Spring in 1943. And he did much of the carpentry work on the old schoolhouse. To convert it into the church. He converted the classrooms on the main floor into the church and divided two small rooms into a dressing room and a small sitting room. St. Hans Academy passed on the Stations of the Cross and some of the pews come from St. Anne's chapel. And that is the story told by Dorothy dots. In looking for some evidence to corroborate with Dorothy story, our diocesan archivist assured me that the talented father sheelane was no stranger to acquiring buildings, his list of acquisitions including a building on Cooper Harbor, Cooper island in 1913. And in 1929, he scored a school building from the Indian department for Saanich. I think we can safely say that he probably did get the Ganges schoolhouse, as Dorothy testified, and the $500 in the general ledger dated 1916 to 1943. A credit of $700 is noted. And then in 1942, there's a transfer of $400. These are the only two three digit transfers in the 27 years that the church records were kept. So it's safe to assume that they were for the purchase of the property. The Add on building by Father Shilling and the renovation of the building by father in law Revere. The church was opened and blessed on August 3 1941, with the name Our Lady of the Rosary. But since another church in the Victoria diocese already had that name. The church came to be known as Our Lady of Grace. In less than three years the church had three different names. This photograph is actually taken a little later, but it does give you an idea of What the church looked like after the initial renovation. The first photograph we have of Our Lady of Grace was taken in the early 1950s. by Roger Kerr from we see in addition across the back of the building that was used as a parish hall for meetings. Apparently this is the old building that was added to the back of the schoolhouse that Dorothy referred to in your comments about a small dressing room and a small sitting room. The addition was large enough to accommodate a large meeting room for the building stays as a school we're not over. In 1949 1950, the consolidated elementary school was undergoing an expansion, and the meeting room was leased to accommodate 25 grade three students during the construction when I suggested that it might have been rather lonesome to be the only class in the whole place, Gary K was quick to add on No, there was no playground so that children extended their lunch hours and played on the mountain side behind the school. That's the class of 25. What appears as an outhouse and an early photograph, was actually functioning toilets with running cold water. There was no heat in the building so that when the pipes froze, school was canceled. It must have been a particularly cold winter that year because Malcolm bomb tells us that there were only eight days of classes in February. If you look carefully at the curriculum photo, you would have seen a sister of the Immaculate Heart of Mary standing in the doorway. They and the Sisters of St. Anne used to come to teach catechism to the children in the summer. The priest moved out of the rectory and Fulford and the sisters moved in. Dorothy eight Kremen recalls father Lariviere, driving the children from Fulford to Ganges for the classes. Apparently he was a heavy smoker, and the children were crammed into his car while he smoked and sang songs all the way to and from Ganges each day. However, everyone enjoyed the sisters visits. They were strict, but they have fun playing games.

Speaker 1 1:02:27
When you start out with an old building, constructed around 1916 and add another old building to it, you're setting yourself up for years of renovation and construction. And this is the history of Our Lady of Grace. sometime in the late 50s. The church basement was dug out and the foundation because the foundation was rotting. John Phillips recalls working with Alex and Bob Marquardt and art Reid, who dug out the basement using an owl Alice charmers kept Dave Phillips was save Paulo was the electrician. It was a major undertaking and all the labor was volunteer. In the 60s and 70s. Bingo was the great Catholic institution and the Saltspring church was no exception. While leafing through the driftwood, I didn't know what you call that when you did it online. But I came across a number of ads for bingo. And there was actually great excitement when the bingo prize the jackpot went from 15 to $25. The funds raised at the bingo were contributed to various Island facilities. One the new playground in Centennial Park, another Pioneer Village. In the mid 90s, the parish explored the possibility of constructing a new church. The decision was made to renovate the existing building, and the addition at the back was expanded. At that time, major structural work had to be undertaken. It was apparently it was discovered that the building was standing on faith alone. Walter Hooser and Phil Hume were the key players in this denture. Two other buildings stand on the property. A mobile home that was added with the intention of upgrading the priests living accommodations, because at that point he was still living in these rooms added up on the old addition. However, the mobile proved very difficult to heat and unsuitable for residents. Today it provides office space, a meeting room and the classroom. The current rectory was built on the site in 2000. And finally our pastor had a comfortable place to call home. Michael and Lois Hobbs were the key volunteers behind this project. In 2004, there was another A major renovation, the church was essentially gutted, insulated, rewired, and a further addition added, giving us the building we have today, including two windows by Val Erickson. Again, the project was volunteer driven, this time by Peter McCartney and David Girard. Over the years father sheelane, and Father Lariviere were followed by 17 other priests who have contributed to the growth of the Catholic community and life on some Salt Spring Island. Many of these priests are fondly remembered for their dedication to the community. And although much of our history has been about construction and renovation, it all comes down to the people whose lived their lives of faith contributing to the enhancement of life on Saltspring Island. And in closing, I just like to say that a few of you who got up today to speak also mentioned about gaps in your history. So if anybody here has any stories that can add they're always really appreciated because I think documenting our history helps us build the bar for our future. So what I'd like to do is invite the people who made the presentation today to come back up and we will try to answer any questions you might have

Unknown Speaker 1:06:38
any corrections may be as what I should say you didn't ring true

Unknown Speaker 1:06:53
for years

Unknown Speaker 1:06:57
it was Father bourbon.

Unknown Speaker 1:07:13
First thing on the library

Speaker 1 1:07:22
Oh, and I did hear that and apparently there's a framed Psalm at the library and we need to find that so that we can add that to our collection. Thank you.

Unknown Speaker 1:07:35
Any other questions?

Speaker 1 1:07:40
It's like church you've been sitting on a long time and you're ready to go

Unknown Speaker 1:07:50
I'd like to thank the four speakers just

Unknown Speaker 1:08:01
went in St. Barts church what's so pleased to be in Hartford and the windows were the foreign aid was or the width and the church is a great story is

Unknown Speaker 1:09:03
up what is car

Speaker 6 1:09:15
oh it's first. What? Just thanks.

Speaker 7 1:09:32
This is addressed to Kim striker Anglican Church of Vesuvius. Two people can add information there Marshall Hankey played in the basement and as he started to believe attendance.

Speaker 2 1:09:46
Oh, great. I'll get the name strong. afterwards. Thank you again.

Unknown Speaker 1:09:53
I just I noticed that a

Speaker 3 1:09:56
large part of the early churches find you skip through your Like because you were on fire when you show us on

Unknown Speaker 1:10:11
how do we get back to to our sites? That was 1997 Bob

Unknown Speaker 1:10:23
did I turn it off? There we go

Unknown Speaker 1:10:37
sorry technically that's the end of our presentation what do I do?

Speaker 5 1:11:05
Do know that that window in St. Mark's is a beautiful window it's very old though because Jesus is about 20 years old if I remember

Speaker 2 1:11:27
at the other end of the scale we have the two windows and some marks are done by me here my job

Unknown Speaker 1:11:36
I don't think there's

Unknown Speaker 1:11:43
a whole lot

Speaker 5 1:12:00
tell it tell it and I'll find the photos. Well, actually, there's something in the photo that you should see. And that is the firemen going into the building. Now, the fire this is 9097 The same year the community gospel had the fire and I believe it was at the same time and the firemen from Fulford were on their way up towards Lee's Hill, going to fight a fire at the Catholic Church. Now, I'm not sure but St. Mary's may have had a fire that day to the same guy who set fire to three different churches.

Speaker 1 1:12:39
Actually what happened was there was something going on at the at Fulford Hall. And so the arsonist didn't stop in the St. Mary's School continued on

Speaker 5 1:12:50
Okay, so anyway, the story goes that the firemen were on their way to fight a fire at the Catholic Church. And as they would pass our little church, one of them saw the smoke coming out of the building. And of course, not knowing what a Catholic church was, they figured this was the place to be. So they stopped and fought our fire. And I'm not sure what happened at the Catholic Church or may well have been the community gospel, which was across the street from the Catholic Church of Proxima b. And that may have been where they were headed because that was 1997 as well.

Unknown Speaker 1:13:26
That was actually a fire at St. Paul's and Fulford Okay.

Speaker 8 1:13:32
I'd like to add one thing to that particular fire. Because it's so ironic. The fireworks lit under the Oregon as the United Church of poetry. And over the altar. Under the altar at the Catholic Church, both buildings were insured for replacement, which is why insurance companies pay. I don't know what you what the church is back in original shape, where you can imagine costs with the wainscotting. Finding a Bible of the same vintage getting the pipework or a pump organ, cherry wood and having it all restored. That was a huge, huge expense very. Finding the arsonist was never charged because the driftwood rented his picture before he was charged to court

Unknown Speaker 1:14:42
where it said false was attended by the Fulcher people

Unknown Speaker 1:14:52
work together

Unknown Speaker 1:14:58
to try and remember

Speaker 5 1:15:05
But I think I think at church they just bust one of the windows and stuck the hose inside and just let her go

Unknown Speaker 1:15:16
yeah

Speaker 5 1:15:20
but we just sharing just ended up a team that repainted the our local church and it's, it's looking pretty spiffy right now

Speaker 3 1:15:34
one other thing people might find interesting as a result of that fire old let him know smart smoke damage. And years later we checked all those Bibles and we took the pages out and we created little hymnbook angels Christmas

Speaker 5 1:16:04
those are the ones where you said you could Holy Smoke

Unknown Speaker 1:16:13
everybody

Speaker 3 1:16:18
just a personal piece of information many people will remember and my father was Reverend Allen was the minister of salt grew up across the United Church, I don't know how many people believe that my life growing up

Speaker 5 1:16:47
and and told me a story she has set in front of me in church and she told me a story one day about building the church and 52 She and her brother would sleep in the new building overnight because people were stealing the Building Material

Speaker 7 1:17:06
thanks very much. thank the speakers and Emily for the idea.