St. Mark's Anglican Church, built in 1841 - gone!!

     On this sunny Saturday morning I decided to go over to St. Mark's Anglican Church in Rustico to take a few last photos and maybe some measurements of the exterior before they tear it down.  I was surprised to see it gone already!  All that was left was a filled-in hole and a few wide hemlock boards and a hand-hewn beam.  To think of the hard work that went into building it 175 years ago - there was no going to Kent or Home Depot for supplies - it all came with hard work and the skill of carpenters.

I meandered through the cemetery and took a few photos of some old stones.

    Here's a few photos I've taken over the years of St. Mark's.

St. Mark's Anglican Church, Rustico - pending demolition

     I could hardly believe what I was reading on the front page of the Northern Star today - St. Mark's Anglican Church on the Church Road in Rustico (South) was de-consecrated on October 16th and will be demolished!  Not another Island Church!!!!  This church is for 175 years, built in 1841 - amoung the oldest collection of churches left on the Island - few date back to the 1840's.

Here's a photo I took of St. Mark's Anglican Church taken on April 27, 2006

Here's the front page of Northern Star November 2016 issue.

Below is the text about the article.

     A historic landmark in the community of Rustico is no more.  During an emotional ceremony held at the church on October 16th, 2016, St. Mark's Anglican Church was de-consecrated by Bishop Ron Cutler, Bishop of the Diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.  The congregation, which has been steadily declining in recent years, will now amalgamate with the congregation of St. John's Anglican Church in Milton.

     St. Mark's Anglican Church was established in 1841.  Since that time parishioners have cared for, expanded and maintained their place of worship.  As the years passed, fewer and fewer families filled the pews during services.  Now, 175 years later, the church has closed its doors for the final time.

     "It is a sad day," admitted parishioner Joan Dalziel following the service.  "Our congregation has been declining over the past number of years and now we are at a point where there are only five to ten families supporting the church.  And, with the church needing repairs, there just weren't enough parishioners to bear the burden of that cost."

     While talk of closing had been going on for many months, the final decision to close St. Mark's Church was made at the congregation's annual meeting held in February of 2016.  It was noted at that time the church was in real need of repair and that the financial burden for those repairs was too great for those parishioners who remained. 

     "Even if we did manage to come up with the money to make the necessary repairs, there aren't enough young families left to take it over," said Dalziel.  "We, as a congregation, decided to close our church before we were forced to. It was a hard decision that was a year in the making.  But in the end, there was no push back and the decision to close was made by everyone.  It was just the right time for this closure to happen."

     The little church on the Church Road in Rustico was packed when Bishop Cutler performed the de-consecration service.  Amid the songs and readings, some of the elders in attendance seemed to be holding back tears as they perhaps remembered those gone before them who had kept their church as a vital part of their community, many of them buried just outside in the small cemetery which surrounds the church.  As the service concluded, parishioners were invited to remove some items of special significance which will be placed amoung the honoured items at St. John's Anglican Church in Milton.  Among those items were banners, religious icons and a Bible that had been presented to St. Mark's by the Colonial Church Society of England in 1841.  A stained glass window will be also removed and is hoped to be re-installed at St. John's.  Some of the other hallowed items will be going to a church in Ontario.

     "It's very gratifying to us to see that these special pieces of our church will live on, even if the church itself will not."

     Over the days following the de-consecration of St. Mark's parishioners were invited to take any items they wished from the church.  Following that a contractor had been given permission to remove all the woodwork for re-purposing.  Then another contractor was hired to come in and tear down the building itself.

     "Once the building is torn down and the land it stood on converted into a green space, our plan is to erect a monument to St. Mark's Church and to add benches for families who have loved ones buried  here to come and spend time reflecting and remembering their family members who have been laid to rest here," said Dalziel.  "We are left with many fond memories of our little church but we must and will move forward in a new relationship with St. John's."

Charming Churches Christmas Festival - brilliant!!

This article appeared on the Journal-Pioneer website today...

http://www.journalpioneer.com/News/Local/2015-11-06/article-4335000/Christmas-festival-breathes-new-life-into-P.E.I.-churches/1

Christmas festival breathes new life into P.E.I. churches

Desiree Anstey / Journal Pioneer / Published on November 06, 2015

© Google Street View / St. Mark's Anglican Church in Kensngton

Festival in Charming Churches is an all-new Christmas-themed storytelling and music event taking place in architecturally and acoustically remarkable churches over three weekends in late November and early December. “We intend to make this such a special event that we feel folks will travel from away to see and hear uplifting, as well as, poignant sights and sounds of the season,” said creator Ray Brow. “Shops, restaurants and accommodations on P.E.I. rarely get visitors in November but with the variety of shows and experimental events there should be something to draw persons of all ages...and the net benefit is an important cause.”  The not-for-profit fundraiser will feature 18 shows provincewide with the goal of contributing to the Syrian refugee crisis campaign, as well as, providing a measure of support for local churches.  “This is a way every Islander can do a small part in raising money for the Syrian refugees,” said Brow.  The idea was sparked from the award-winning Festival of Small Halls.  Historic St. Mary’s Anglican Church in Kensington is hosting a children’s show scheduled on December 6.  The event is associated with the ‘Festival in Charming Churches’ and will also coincide with a Santa Parade. singers, songwriters, fiddlers and storytellers back to their roots, in charming rural settings.  “After years of running the Festival of Small Halls I realized there were additional largely unknown community treasures across the Island that needed to be discovered just as the halls were back in 2008.”  Before the Festival in Charming Churches officially kicks off, associated events will pave the way.  Brow explained that Georgetown is leading the pack with a "Black Tie Affair" fundraiser - the first of its kind.  Georgetown Baptist congregation volunteers are acting as servers.  All the food, meal preparation and prizes have been donated by businesses and members of the surrounding community.  A talented storyteller or two will regale the crowd and fine music will enhance the evening,” he said.  The Black Tie Affair is scheduled on Nov. 21, at 6 p.m., and has three beneficiaries.  Tickets are $55 with the proceeds to be split between Playhouse, Destination Georgetown (volunteer community group working to better Georgetown’s future) and $5 of each ticket to the Syrian Refugee Relief.  Brow hopes the festival will grow into a new Christmas tradition and annually support a charitable cause, and provide a measure of support for Island churches.  “We want to bring more smiles to faces across the province second only to Santa’s Christmas Eve visit. However, the Christmas themed marketing will only be launched the day after Remembrance Day out of respect for our veterans.”

For more information on the event visit:

http://www.charmingchurches.org

Grand Rustico

     I was out to Rustico yesterday morning and took a few photos of old buildings - it's a different perspective with all the snow!
     On my way to Rustico on Church Road just before Rte. 6 intersection the first old building is St. Mark's Anglican Church built in 1841, repaired in 1890 and rebuilt in 1912.

Below: Next, on the opposite side of the road, before the corner, is an old blacksmith shop with trees growing around it.

Below: Once you through the intersection at Route 7 continuing north on Church Road, near the corner is the old St. Augustine Credit Union - today this building belongs to the Friends of the Farmer's Bank and used for storage.

Below: about a kilometer from the intersection at a sharp turn in the road is is the Barachois Inn with St. Augustine Church in the background.

Below:  St. Augustine's Parish Church is the oldest Catholic Church on Prince Edward Island, built in 1838 with the first service on Christmas Eve that year.

Below: next to the church is the Parochial House, built in 1844..

Below: beside and to the east of the Parochial House is the Farmer's Bank of Rustico, built in 1864.  One of few Island Sandstone buildings remaining on Prince Edward Island. 

Below:  Over the past 25 years through the wonderful vision and direction of Judy MacDonald (of the Barachois Inn) and her committee, the Bank has been restored and today houses a museum and meeting space.   Further to the east of the Bank is the Doucet Log House, built in 1772 - possibly the oldest building on Prince Edward Island. 

Below: as you make the sharp turn on Church Road between Barachois Inn and St. Augustine's Church you see the Belcourt Center - the former St. Augustine's Convent.

Below:  the Belcourt  Center was built as St. Augustine's Convent and school in 1882 - following a fire February 1932 the present building was re-built on the original foundation by local Parish volunteers. Today the Belcourt Spiritual Center is used as a retreat center.