1/25/15

420 Seymour River Place

(Kenneth Gordon School)

St. Simon's Anglican Church/Anglican Coalition in Canada
North Vancouver, B.C. Canada

"The first group of Anglicans met in 1940 in the back of a grocery store on Gallant Avenue." (Reference.)  This store later became the Bike Shop and most recently Deep Cove Outdoors. The property is now being proposed for development.  "This evening service consisted of 12 people, seven of them belonging to the Rawlings family.  When the community hall was built in 1940, the congregation moved there... Mr. Naughton, a real estate agent in the Cove, donated the property on Deep Cove Rd. (1384) for St. Simon's Anglican Church... The congregation members literally got out and dug the foundations for their building.  This consisted of one floor... But the building was too small, so the congregation once again got busy and dug out a basement so a lower floor could be added." (Reference.) 

"Based on the first kept records of Sunday attendance,  we date the official beginning of St. Simon's from October  1945.  As such we are celebrating  our 70th Anniversary this coming Harvest Thanksgiving 2015." (Rev. Ed Hird) 

The people of Deep Cove worshiped in the Deep Cove Anglican Church named St. Simon's until the year 2004.

1384 Deep Cove Road

"The parish was formerly named St. Simon’s Deep Cove. Its priest and several members of the congregation left the Anglican Church of Canada in 2004 over the issue of same sex blessings. The next year they turned the building over to diocesan officials and have set up shop in a school outside the Deep Cove neighbourhood. However they kept the name “St. Simon’s,” which caused a great deal of confusion in the local community." (REF Blog Post 1.)  The name of the little blue church was changed to St. Clara-in-the-Cove Anglican Church.  

In January of 2014 St. Clara-in-the-Cove Anglican Church was sold to "The Bridge", the Baptist church which originally met in Delbrook in North Vancouver. (REF Blog Post 2.) The little blue church is now serving as their office building.  Their Sunday worship service is held in the theater at Capilano University.

St. Simon's Church sign at 420 Seymour Place

(2014)

For the last 10 years (2004-2014) the congregation of St. Simon's under the leadership of Rev. Ed Hird has met in the gym at Maplewood/Kenneth Gordon School for Sunday worship services.  Bible study, the young adult group, the worship project, women's group, and men's group meet in alternate venues.

Church Greeting Display at
420 Seymour Place 
(2014)

To get ready for each Sunday's worship service the Kenneth Gordon School gym is transformed into the Sanctuary of St. Simon's Anglican Church.  The gym floor is covered in a tarp; the cross from the Deep Cove church is erected;

the altar is centered; electronics are installed for music; a red carpet sets off the chancel; and chairs are set for the congregation.  

Sanctuary in school gym

(2014)

To prepare for Christmas celebrations a Christmas banner stitched by congregation members is hung in front of the alter.  The purchased Biblical scene was enhanced with stitching, wool, beads, and even straw by congregation members by Genevieve Tobin, Donna Hoffman, and Megan Allsopp.

Christmas Banner in Sanctuary

(2014)

The backlit wooden Cross that now hangs in the Sanctuary during Sunday worship originally hung in the Sanctuary in the Deep Cove church.  When The Bridge Church purchased the Deep Cove church on early 2014 they returned it to the St. Simon's congregation.  They also returned the offertory plate, music, and communion items including the chalice, altar cloths.  The music for choir anthems was used for the 2014 Christmas Cantata.

Original Sanctuary Cross

originally at church on Deep Cove Rd. 

now at church meeting at Seymour River Place

Rev. Dr. Ed Hird is an author and recently published the book Restoring Health, Body, Mind and Spirit.

Photos: Taken on Christmas day 2014 by SW.
Link 1: http://www.stsimonschurch.ca/
Reference Blog Post 1: 4/3/11 regarding St. Clara-in-the-Cove/St. Simon's 
                Anglican Church.
Reference Blog Post 2: 11/2/14 regarding The Bridge.
Link 3: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglican_Mission_in_the_Americas
Link 4: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglican_Coalition_in_Canada

Prayer

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