Lutheran and Anglican Ministries of the Bruce Peninsula
St. Andrews Memorial Anglican Church, Howdenvale
9 Church Lane, Howdenvale, Ontario
Early Beginnings – Christians Without a Building
As early as 1920, Belle Ashcroft set aside time and
provided space for Sunday Worship. Pauline Orchard, a waitress, often performed as
a soloist. A tribute to Mrs. Ashcroft was placed in St Andrews, for her name
appears in the earliest parish records. By 1927 regular financial records were
kept. Various people served as ministers and were sometimes given accommodation in
lieu of salary. From the beginning the community worshipped together regardless of
denominational ties at home. The little congregation struggled through the
30s and 40s, with an average of 6 services per summer. Collections were
taken to give to churches that were bombed during the war. By 1947, a church
building was needed. A year later Mr. Harry Hoogesteger organized fund raising with
all summer visitors. The Anglican Diocese of Huron was considering building a
church - efforts were pooled. On the Ashcroft's land sale, (lot 12, Con 5) acreage
was set aside for a church.
St. Andrews, Howdenvale
With over $2,500.00 (Andrew Jamieson Fund), and local donations, a white frame church was built by Wesley Richardson and his son, Howard. Gordon Hepburn built the altar, altar cross, pulpit and prayer desk. The leaded glass windows came from St. Thomas Church, Walkerton. In July 1950, the Rev. E.K.. Bissell conducted the first services and introduced the Book of Common Prayer to the congregation. The first Board of Management consisted of Sydney Glazier as Peoples Warden, and Treasurer, Howard Richardson as Rector's Warden and Mrs. Miller as Secretary. Mrs. Glazier, Mrs. Orchard, Miss Hunter and Mrs. Miller took responsibility for cleaning the church and altar duties.
St. Andrews Grows
The congregation held entertainments to raise money. They attempted to hold services in May and June, but these were never successful. As more people became aware of the church, it continued to grow. In 1959, a small cottage for the minister was built. The next year a branch of the Womens Auxiliary was organized by Mrs. Millman as president. The church is usually open from early June until Labour Day. For a number of years vacationing clergy, some from as far away as Latin America and Uganda stayed in the cottage and were responsible for the parish. In recent years, theology students from Huron College, University of Western Ontario, have looked after St. Andrews as their summer placement, under the direction of the Rector in Wiarton. The Rev Margaret (Peg) Wheeler, at first a cottager, then a permanent resident, carried out strong lay ministry in the 70s and 80s before being ordained a Deacon by the Anglican Bishop of Huron.
St. Andrews Serving Clergy and Students
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1950-52
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Rev. G.E.K. Bissell
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1953-55
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Rev. M.A. Stephens
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1956
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Rev. M.A. Stephens
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1957
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Rev. R.J. Crocker &
George Hamilton (Montreal)
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1958
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Rev. R. Scoon
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1959
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Rev. Chaplin Brooks
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1960
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Rev. H. Miller
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1961
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Rev. Keith Brett
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1962
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Rev. (Dr.) M. Parker
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1963
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Rev. Odendahl &
Rev. (Dr.) Dymond Dymond
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1964
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Rev. D. Gray
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1965
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Rev. D. Gray &
Handley R. Perkins
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1966
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Rev. P. Ganden
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1967
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Rev. Wright, W.J. Harkin & C.W. Roof
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1968
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Rev. D.G. Madge
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1969
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Rev. R. Gestwicki &
F. Tomkinson
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1970
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Rev. Roy Webb
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1971
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Rev. Roy Webb &
Allan AE Chovaz Barker
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1972
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Rev. R. Webb
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1973
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Rev. Scott, A. Gibson,
E.D. Jacques & C.E. Ladds
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1974
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Rev. Russell
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1975
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Rev. T. Handy &
Larry Reese
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1976
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Rev. Scott
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1977
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Rev. Ben Mutana
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1978
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Rev. R. Bennett
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1979
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Rev. Seagar, Tim Hill &
John Martin
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STUDENTS
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1980
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Howard Gorle
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1981
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Paul Wheeler
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1982
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Rob Davis
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1983
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Steve Harnadek
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1984
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Kuruvilla (Sam) Thomas
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1985
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Wayne Taylor
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1986
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Donald J Koyle
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1987
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Steve Emery
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1988
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Sylvia Doran
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1989
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Robert Skelding
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1990
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John ODell
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1991
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Patricia Dobbs
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1992
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Mark Loyal & Dave Hewitt
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1993
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Nancy Northgrave
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1994
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Lynda Kealey
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1995
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Thelma Kudelka
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1996
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Gary Alcock
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1997
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Sue McCullough
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1998
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Don Alcock
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1999
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Christine Crawford
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2000
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Dwayne Bos
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2001
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Kendall Reimer
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2002
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Maggie Meyers
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2003
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Mairi Anderson
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2004
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Loretta Zimmerman
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2005
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Daniel Bowyer
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2006
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Andrea Brennan
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2007
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Karine Farmer
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2008
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Chantal Blackshaw
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2009
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Chris Travers
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2010
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Margaret Walker
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2011 |
Michael DeKay
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2012
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Elise Chambers
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2013
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Shaun Eaton
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2014 |
Bradley Johnson
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2015
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Matt Kieswetter
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2016
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Clare Stewart
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Biography of St. Andrew – Patron St. of the Church
Feastday: November 30
Patron of Fisherman
St. Andrew, whose feast day is November 30th, is the patron saint for fishermen. Andrew, like his brother, Simon Peter, was a fisherman. He became a disciple of the great St. John the Baptist, but when John pointed to Jesus and said, Behold the Lamb of God! Andrew understood that Jesus was greater. At once he left John to follow the Divine Master. Jesus knew that Andrew was walking behind him, and turning back, he asked, what do you seek? When Andrew answered that he would like to know where Jesus lived, Our Lord replied, Come and see. Andrew had been only a little time with Jesus when he realized that this was truly the Messiah. From then on, he decided to follow Jesus. Andrew was thus the first disciple of Christ. Next, Andrew brought his brother Simon (St. Peter) to Jesus and Jesus received him, too, as His disciple. At first the two brothers continued to carry on their fishing trade and family affairs, but later, the Lord called them to stay with Him all the time. He promised to make them fishers of men, and this time, they left their nets for good. It is believed that after Our Lord ascended into Heaven, St. Andrew went to Greece to preach the gospel. He is said to have been put to death on a cross, to which he was tied, not nailed. He lived two days in that state of suffering, still preaching to the people who gathered around their beloved Apostle. Two countries have chosen St. Andrew as their patron - Russia and Scotland.
The Cross of St. Andrew
St. Andrews Cross resembles the letter X in the English alphabet and is also referred to as the saltier or Crux Decussata. According to tradition Andrew, the brother of Peter, was crucified on a cross of this shape. Andrew did not feel worthy enough to die on the same style of cross that Christ had died and requested a cross of another shape. His request was granted and he was crucified upside down on a cross which now bears his name. Rather than using nails to secure his limbs to the cross, Andrew was bound to the cross with ropes. His suffering was thus prolonged.
St. Andrews Cross came into wide use during the Medieval Period and became the national cross of Scotland, since St. Andrew was the patron saint of Scotland.
Biblical References to St. Andrew
Mark 1:16-20, 29 etc, 13:3ff
John 1:35-42, 6:8ff
Matthew 4:18-20