November 27, 2011

3400 Institute Road

St. Clements Anglican Church

Lynn Valley, North Vancouver, B.C.

"Our Roots in "The Valley"

March 16, 1899 the first Anglican Service was held on the north shore and the following year St. John the Evangelist, the first church was opened. It can be readily understood why Anglicans in Lynn Valley desired a "Chapel-at-ease", as a Mission Church was known as in the olden days. Attending Divine Service at St. John's necessitated walking the long distance on a plank road, skid-road and forest trail in the days of yesteryear - with women wearing long dresses and button-up shoes on a hot summer day. The only horse and buggy was that belonging to the postmistress in the "Valley" and of course it could only travel on the plank road, with seating accommodation for two.

"On May 6, 1908, "the Reverend J.H. Hooper, Vicar of St. Johns Parish, North Vancouver, visited the Valley calling upon sundry church people and spoke to them concerning the expediency of starting Church of England services in the valley." So reads the opening chapter of the history of this parish. From these humble beginnings grew our parish church. The next day the first service was held in the old school house, which became the community hall known as "Institute Hall".

                                         Original church on Church St. (REF. 1)

"The new parishioners purchased a lot for $150, and built the new church on the road subsequently named "Church Street" which remains so today. At the official opening, Easter, April 18, 1909, 100 people crowded into the newly built small church.

                                    Location of church on west side of Church St.
                                                                    (REF. 2.)
"In May of 1927 the Church was rolled from the site on Church Street to the present location on Institute Road and was known as "Saint Clement-by-the-brook".

Anchor and peaked roof of the Chapel/1909 Sanctuary

                                                           Chapel/1909 Sanctuary
                                                  (Note 1912 Memorial Window)

                                            WWI Plaque on Rear Wall of Chapel


"In May of 1927 the Church was rolled from the site on Church Street to the present location on Institute Road and was known as "Saint Clement-by-the-brook".

"In the '40's and early '50's additions were added either side of the original 1909 Church, which today are the offices, upper room and St. Mary's Room. The rear section of the original church is now our Chapel. The front section with a vestibule, where the Memorial Garden is now, was deemed unsafe and demolished in the late '60's.

"In 1959 the present Panabode church was built for $35,000 with devoted labor and donations from parishioners. Projects over the years have added; the Bell Tower (1970); finishing the basement (1975); the wheelchair ramp into the church (1984), the Memorial Garden (1985); the Church Office downstairs (1987); the wheelchair ramp to the lower hall (1995); and the handi-cap washroom (2002).

                                Present Sanctuary of the 1959 Panabode Church
(The hand carved wood triptych screen behind the altar (the reredos) was reclaimed from a Hope, B.C. church that was demolished at the time St. Clement's was being built. (JG)

"St. Clement's Church was served by many part time priests from 1909 - 1941 and since 1941 has had 7 full time priests whose portraits are located in the upper room, next to the Chapel:

Reverend Canon Hinchliffe.........1941 - 1952
Canon J. Leigh..............................1952 - 1955
Reverend T.D.B. Ragg.................1955 - 1957
Reverend John Lowe....................1957 - 1974
Reverend Ron Barnes..................1975 - 1989
Reverend Ron Hunt......................1990 - 1999
Reverend Sarah Tweedale...........1999 - 2008
Reverend Lynne McNaughton.....2008 to present

"Today The Church has made significant building upgrades over the past five years, with enhancements to the basement and the kitchen.  One thing that marks our Church is the lively social events and our nicely equipped kitchen is well suited and prepared to host many guests and cooks.

"St. Clement's AnchorThe Anchor, a relic of bygone sailing days was recovered from Burrard Inlet by Dillingham Corporation and donated to the church in 1977. The Anchor is a symbol of St. Clement, and a reminder of how he lived and died for Jesus with steadfast faith amidst persecution.

"St. Clement was the Bishop of Rome from about 85-96 AD. After a life of steadfast witness to the Truth of the Gospel, much of which is included in his first Epistle to the Corinthians, St. Clement was arrested and exiled by the government in 95AD.

"Even in the prison camp, he continued his ministry as a Bishop, resulting in his martyrdom. He was tied to an anchor, and thrown into the Black Sea. His victorious death is celebrated every November 23rd, "St. Clement's Day". (Link 1.)

St. Clement's-By-The-Brook was an appropriate name for the church when in 1927 it was moved from Church St. to its present site on Institute Rd.  The church was placed at the crook in Coleman Creek.  The creek skirts the north side of the church, then bends along the east side of the church before it bends again and flows diagonally across the property at 3401 Church Street and then under Church Street itself.

                                                Former manse at 3401 Church St.,
                               Church Street, with Coleman Creek in foreground (2011).

In the 1970's a 6 bedroom new St. Clement's  manse was built for Rev. Ron Barnes family of 6 children in the area of the old church on Church St.  (The old manse had been to the north of this property. JG)  The new house faced south and the creek, rather than Church Street to the east.  To facilitate the families walk to church, a bridge with cement abutments was built across the creek between the backyard and the church.  This bridge was rebuilt in 1985/86.  In the late 1990/s the manse was sold and the bridge removed, but the cement abutments remain.

                             Cement abutments on both sides of Coleman Creek
                                  with former manse in the background, 2011.

Each week at the beginning of the Sunday service the young people of the church ring the bell in the 1970's Bell Tower as a welcome to St. Clement's Anglican Church.  It witnesses that God as revealed by Jesus Christ is present in the community.

St. Clement's Anglican Church (2012)

Thank You: To congregation members Jack Griffiths (JG) and
                 Larry Terrace for information on the history of
                 St. Clement's Church, manse and bridge.
Photos: Taken in 2011 and 2012 by SW.
                 Black and White photos taken in 2004 by SW and on file at the
                 North Vancouver Archives.
Reference 1: "History of Lynn Valley", Draycott, page 15.
Reference 2: North Vancouver Archives Map #275.
Link 1: http://www.stclementschurch.ca/
Link 2: http://www.panabodeloghomes.com/faqs.htm

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Prayer

God, be with the persecuted Christians through out the world. Amen (SW.)

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church

Kaukauna, Wisconsin 

On April 15, 1877 Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized with 22 charter members in Kaukauna, Wisconsin. The minister was Rev. Reinhold Pieper of Wrightstown and the services were conducted in German. The next year they built the small wooden church with the single steeple that (shown in the photo below) on the 800 block of Grignon Street. In 1885 the Rev. William Hinnerthan was installed as the first official pastor and in 1889 a charter was granted to the church. In 1917 the Rev. Paul Oehlert became pastor and the following year a Sunday School was started. The present red brick church with the two square steeples was dedicated in 1915. Starting in 1920 services were conducted in English as well as German. In 1965 the Rev. John Mattek became pastor and in 1969 the new front entrance was built onto the 1915 church. (Link. )(See photo above.)

1878 Small Wooden Church on right (Link.)

It is interesting to note that the 1915 Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kaukauna, Wisconsin and the Emmanuel Lutheran Church (See March 21, 2010 blog post.) built in neighboring Seymour, Wisconsin in 1915 are of a similar style. Both are red brick and have two square steeples. The street that the Kaukauna church is on, Grignon Street, is named for Charles A. Grignon who obtained the first land deed in Wisconsin.

Sanctuary Altar (Link.)

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church was the home church of Marie Juergenmeyer when she, her husband Martin, and daughter Hazel lived on Taylor Street in Kaukauna in the late 1920's and early 1930's. The family then moved to Seymour where she attended the similarly styled Emmanuel Lutheran Church. Following Martin's death in the 1950's she returned to live in the Taylor Street house in Kaukauna and again attended Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church. Marie and Martin Juergenmeyer were the grandparents and Hazel the mother of Suzanne Wilson.

For more information on Kaukauna, Wisconsin see Blog Post from Demolition Mama, April 3, 2010. 

Thank you: To Irene Luehring and Bill Roerig of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran  

               Church, Kaukauna, Wisconsin, for the information and the memories.

Photos: Colored taken in 2006 by SW.

               B and W probably taken shortly after 1915. See Link.

Link: http://www.trinitykaukauna.com/index.php?pg=pages%2ftrinity_history.htm

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Prayer

God, be with the persecuted Christians through out the world. Amen (SW.)

                                                                                                                       November 13, 2011

Palm Springs Baptist Church and Nueva Vida Inglesia Bautista

Palm Springs Baptist Church
                      and
Nueva Vida Inglesia Bautista
Palm Springs, California

"Palm Springs Baptist Church is a member of the Conservative Baptist Association of Southern California. The Conservative Baptist Association of Southern California started in 1954 as an association of churches and ministries coming together to defend and promote the gospel of Jesus Christ. We continue to establish, encourage and strengthen churches throughout Southern California, Hawaii and Guam." (Link.)

The building complex at 1696 El Cielo Rd., at the corner of  El Cielo Rd. and  Escoba Dr., is also the home to the Neuva Vida Eglesia Bautista Church which offers an 11:30 am Sunday morning worship service in Spanish. This church was incorporated in the year 2002.  (Wikipedia) However, at the  Sunday School children from both church groups join and English and Spanish is spoken.

The campus of the two churches is made up of several semi attached buildings including: the Worship Center with the Sanctuary for Sunday morning services, the church office, and the social hall.  In large letters above the multi doored entrance to the Worship Center are the words "Send Out Thy Light and Thy Truth", Psalm 43:3.

Sanctuary of Worship Center

The large sanctuary is highlighted by a pointed roof giving the effect of a dome.  The  hanging rectangular electric candle lantern light fixtures enhance this traditional feeling of the room.

Photos: Taken in 2011 by SW.
Link:  http://palmspringsbaptist.org/

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Prayer

God, be with the persecuted Christians through out the world. Amen (SW.)

Veteran's Day/Remembrance Day
The Wall

This is a story of my family.  My grandmother, Marie,  was born on a farm in Petasky, Michigan.  She had 5 brothers and 4 sisters.  She moved to Wisconsin as a bride and died in 1952 at age 67 in Kaukauna, Wisconsin.  My mother kept in touch with several of her brothers and sisters.  One of these was her Uncle Charlie who had moved to Rapid City South Dakota. In 1956 when I graduated from high school and my brother graduated from grade school my mother took us by train and then bus to visit the Black Hills, Yellowstone Park, and her Uncle Charlie.

I had heard about her Uncle Charlie over the years.  He and his 1st wife Kate had never had children.  Then in his 60's they were divorced and he married his second wife, the young Kate.  Kate had been a nurse in the Korean War.  Her 1st husband had been a pilot who was killed in that war.  She had a son, Alan, from that marriage. Kate and Uncle Charlie also had a son, of course, named Charlie. Charlie had red hair and freckles, was rambunctious and looked like "What me worry?"  This great gift to Uncle Charlie so late in his life became his life.  Alan was 9 and Charlie was about 5 when my mother, brother, and I visited this family.

Many years after this visit I heard that Charlie, the great gift to my mother's Uncle Charlie, was killed in Vietnam.  My prayers went out to Uncle Charlie in his grief and Kate who had suffered such a loss in the Korean War.

When the Vietnam War Memorial was installed in Washington D. C. an accompanying "Moving Wall"  went on tour.  The replica was true to the original, a long rambling wall of black with the names of those that sacrificed their lives in the Vietnam War.  A soldier stood on guard with eyes on the wall. This "Moving Wall" came to Vancouver in 1988 and was mounted in Sunset Beach Park.  It was here that I visited the "Moving Wall".  I approached the soldier on guard who took me to the spot where "Charlie Reberg" was carved into the black surface.  I touched his name and thought of the little five year old with red hair and freckles and his parents who adored him.  And I prayed for them and all the other parents who had such a loss.

In 1998 the US Government offered rubbings of the names of those on the wall on request.  I gratefully received a copy of "Charlie Reberg" as it appears on "The Wall".  It can be seen in the photo below.

Each Remembrance Day, I remember.  I remember the sparkle in Uncle Charlie's eyes as he watched his five year old Charlie play in the front yard of their Rapid City home.  I remember that quietness of 9 year old Alan that seemed to reflect the death of his father in the Korean War. I think of the grief of young Kate and her double sacrifice.  And I pray for all the other families that have made this sacrifice.  Let us remember.

Photo: Taken of Suzanne Wilson's copy of "Charlie Reberg's" name on the Vietnam Memorial, "The Wall."
Link:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_Veterans_Memorial

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Prayer

God, be with the persecuted Christians through out the world. Amen (SW.)

                                                                                                                           November 6, 2011

1150 Mount Seymour Road

St. Pius X Catholic Church
North Vancouver, B.C.

St. Pius X Catholic church started as a mission of St. Edmund's Catholic Church (See Blog Post  6/26/11) in 1944.  It was started to serve the sizable Catholic population revealed in the census report of Deep Cove, the most western section of the District of North Vancouver.  The first mass was offered in a storage room, then across the street at the Deep Cove Community Hall.

"In 1960 six acres of land were purchased near the intersection of Mount Seymour Parkway and Mount Seymour Rd.," up the mountain and west of the community of Deep Cove.  "In 1961 a multi-purpose facility, including a pastor's residence (at the left end of the building in the photo below) and a hall seating six hundred, was built." (REF.) This building is now the gymnasium for the 1997 St. Pius X School. The caretaker's living quarters and the music room were added on to the front of the building. (Photo bottom photo.)

In 1981 part of the original property was sold and in 1984 a new church was built at 1150 Mt. Seymour Rd. (See top photo.) The sanctuary of the new church is partially lit by the banks of windows lining the sides of the wood grid ceiling and supported by simple grey concrete pillars. Outside the pillars are additional galleries of pews.The double arch of the apse is also sided by smaller matching pillars.  The acoustics of the sanctuary magnify even a single voice.  "A Sanctuary of the Holy Eucharist "including a relic of the cross and two life-size angel adoring the Eucharist" was blessed in 2001." (REF) It is placed to the left of the chancel.

Sanctuary

                   A Sanctuary of the Holy Eucharist "including a relic of the cross
                and two life-size angel adoring the Eucharist" was blessed in 2001."

The rear of the church is also inspiring. On the back wall of the balcony exposed organ pipes are centered under the red cross on a sunny yellow glass circular window. The cross in a circle is repeated in the clear glass of the doors between the nave and the foyer.  More light is let into the nave through the glass grid of the back wall.

Rear Wall of the Nave

As can be seen in the top photo a baptismal apse was built to the left of the foyer.  Light from the rectangular windows accents the angles of the walls and shines on the marble baptismal font placed in the center.

                                                                   Baptismal Font

In the year 2011 a Social Hall was added to the back of the hall between the rectory and the church.  The Social Hall includes a kitchen and meeting rooms.

"St. Pius X School began in 1996 in a trailer as an annex of Holly Trinity School; (Located on  Lonsdale Ave. in the City of North Vancouver.) it moved into a new building a year later." (REF) The Elementary School teaches students from Kindergarten to Grade 7.

                                                       St. Pius X Catholic School

                                      The original 1961 Multi-Purpose Building
                                                  (Now used as a gymnasium)
                (With living space and music room addition added to the front)

The St. Pius X Catholic Church complex now consists of the church, the rectory, the hall between with a social hall, the school, and gymnasium/music room/living quarters. 

Copied from the St. Pius X Parish October 2, 2011 Sunday Bulletin

(Rectory to the right, Social Hall between Rectory and

Church, Church on the left.) 

Photos: Taken in 2011 by SW.

                 Black and white year 2004 photos are available at the North 

                 Vancouver

                 Archives in the "Demolition and Construction" series by SW.

Reference:Traditions of Faith and Service, Archdiocese of

                      Vancouver 1908-2008.

Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Pius_X

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Prayer

God, be with the persecuted Christians through out the world. Amen (SW.)