St. John’s Ida 200th Anniversary Celebrations Coming Next Month

Photo Karen Graham.
The congregation at St. John’s Anglican Church in Ida–also known as the Church on the Hill–look forward to a series of events next month to celebrate 200 years of service.

St. John’s Church in Ida, first established by Rev. Joseph Thompson in 1819, is celebrating its 200th year of worship and ministry in Cavan-Monaghan Township.

As a community church in the Anglican tradition, we have from the very beginning, welcomed people from very diverse backgrounds.   Our first two pioneering ministers, Rev. Thompson and Rev. Samuel Armour, between 1819 and 1853, faithfully shepherded St. John’s from being an isolated log cabin outpost to being a large frame church with an attached cemetery, both of which served people from many denominations for miles around.  Given the many hardships and obstacles to survival in such a rugged environment, we acknowledge the great debt we owe to these early Cavan settlers and to God Almighty for His faithfulness.  As a rural church, in an era when so many are being forced to close their doors, we are so thankful for this 2019 year of celebration.

We have already had a wonderful beginning.  In January, a special service of thanksgiving was led by Area Bishop Ryscilla Shaw.  This was followed by a congregational breakfast and historical presentation put on by the Men`s Breakfast group.  In March, we hosted the annual World Day of Prayer service. More recently we invited the community to a Quiet Day organized by the Women`s Bible Study.  A special trio of banners was hung on our church wall thanks to the Quilters for Cancer who meet in the hall.  Also we have a beautiful outdoor banner hanging over our hall entrance and a new sign in the parking lot.  Many more projects and events are planned; however, our busiest month will be in June.

June 2nd, 9:30 will be our usual outdoor Rogation Service calling to mind God`s gift of our earth and its resources.  There will be a special blessing of the seeds, animals, soil and water.  That afternoon at 3:00 will be a celebration in music, with our choir and special guests, 4 Heaven’s Sake, a barber-shop style, Gospel Quartet.  This is a free admittance event with a free will offering collected for Outreach support.  On June 9th at 10:00 the Right Reverend Fred Hiltz, the Primate of the Anglican Church in Canada, will join us in a special service of celebration and thanksgiving.   That afternoon at 3:00 will be our Cemetery Service or Decoration Service.  Finally, on June 23rd, at 10:00 there will be a special Homecoming Service when we hope to see former members of our church family, along with former ministers and other friends of St. John’s.  A history display will be available at all these events and light refreshments will be served.  Please feel most welcome to join us for any or all these events.  As St. John’s remembers its past, it is most excited to go forward with Jesus into this next century.

By Phil Winslow

 

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