June 16, 2013

2641 Chesterfield Avenue/north side of lot

(1955 Photo)

Posthumous

North Lonsdale Presbyterian/St. Stephen's Presbyterian/St. Andrew's and St. Stephen's Presbyterian Church

North Vancouver, B.C. Canada

The second Presbyterian Home Mission started in 1910.  Their first services  held services in the Exhibition Hall/Exhibition Hall at East 23rd and Lonsdale Avenue.  "This mission was known as "North Lonsdale Presbyterian Church"... (REF 1.)

1908 Horticultural Building/Exhibition Hall-NVArchives

 In that same year "Alexander Philip and Robert Fowler presented the congregation with the deeds for three lots...This is the site, at the southwest corner of (West) 27th Street and Chesterfield Avenue, which our present church buildings occupy... The plans, drawn up by architect Alexander Law, specified the dimensions of the building as 24 feet by 24 feet.  It was built by carpenter W.J. Campbell for about $1138.00.... In November of 1910,...the congregation walked from the Exhibition Hall up to the church one evening carrying lanterns to light the way." (REF.)  In 1915 the name of the church was changed to "St. Stephen's Presbyterian Church". (REF 1.)  The church site was on the north side  of the three donated lots-adjacent to 27th Street-where the church hall now sits.  

"When the vote on Church Union was taken (1925) at St. Stephen's Presbyterian Church the members reject it with a 75% majority,  thus they were able to retain their church building and all its property....in 1952 St. Andrew's and St. Stephen's joined together to give our church the name it bears today....In 1955 the former  St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church on East 12th Street was sold....the congregation of St. Andrew' and St. Stephen's approved plans for a new sanctuary that would seat 250 people...the estimated cost was $29,500....At this time there were 204 members and 211 Sunday School pupils.  the new sanctuary is the same one we use today." (REF 1.)  This building sits on the south side of the three lots donated in 1910, adjacent to the lane.

1961 Church Hall on right-2013

(Site of the 1910 church.)

"In 1961 it was decided that a Christian Education Building was needed at an estimated cost of $60,000....the labour for this new building was provided by the men of the congregation.  They tore down the "old church" which had stood on the site for 50 years, and on November 7th of that year the new building was dedicated too the glory of God." (REF 1.) 

The organ that provided music for Sunday worship services in the "old church " (191o to 1961) was sold for $50 to Herb Shopp of St. Mark's Lutheran Church in the City of North Vancouver. (See Blog Post March 18, 2012.)  

For more information on St. Andrew's and St. Stephen's Presbyterian 

                 Church see Blog Post 3/3/13.

Reference 1: History of St. Andrew's and St. Stephen's Presbyterian Church, 

                 pages 1-15 out of 23, given to SW January 2013 by Angela Edmonds.

Reference 2: City of North Vancouver Heritage Inventory 1994.

Thank you: To Church Administrator Angela Edmonds for a tour and history

                 of the church.

Photos: Top photo-copy of photo on wall of church, taken in 
                 2013 by SW.
                 Center photo from North Vancouver Archives Bu P392.1.
                 Bottom photo taken in January 2013 by SW.
Link: http://www.sasspc.bc.ca/ 

Prayer

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