A cootiee™ — Sept. 28, 1967

ip Transportation has been the key to the growth of the Angli- can Church in this area and sto- ' ries are found of the clergy tra- / velling by boat from Edgew' | and Arrow Park:to take service at Robson and Castlegar. There was also the CPR on which T.' L. Bloomer. was: en-

gineer for many years which| :

brought ministers from Nelson, Trail and Rossland.

The first recorded Anglican

' service at Castlegar was on May

11, 1903 when the daughters of

i Thomas and Jane Humphrey

: were baptized by. the Rev. Char-

| les Hedley of Trail in) a, cabin this

lar monthly. services in the hall over W. J. Farmer's store. Dur- ing the summer months the dis- trict was served by. divinity stu-

ood | dents from McGill University’ in

Montreal. These were usually. ar- ranged by. “Archdeacon: Graham

of: Nelson” -who: was: himsel€ a q

graduate of McGill:

held’on:'Thursday. afternoons in the old ‘school: house.’ However, this: was too far for: the calaee in’ Kinnaird: to“ walk:so Mrs.

E, Killough’s ‘sister, Miss Clark, Jater’Mrs: Swanson,’ started, a Sunday. School‘in:her home and turn’ led ‘to:the first An-

} elose to where the old’ water:| glica

tower stood. Services were held "in other homes, in the first \. school thouse and in CPR pas- { rd cars laying over for Sun- jays

In Robson the services ‘were ' held in people’s homes and in’ the |' school: house from-1908. The ori- ginal school house became the

a Baptist. Church , and “later. .the

Robson Community : Memorial Church, Today it is used by the Baptist, the United and the An- glican Churches.

- In this Centenial Year, thro-| ugh the combined efforts of the ‘Anglican and United Churches and much volunteer labor, a fine Christian Education “Hall has been built in Robson and

appropriately named Resker

The Synod of the Diocese of Kootenay met in Nelson in Nov- ‘ember 1914 to elect the first Bi- shop of Kootenay. Mr. Bloomer was one of the delegates to the Synod from South Slocan and H. ‘G. Slater represented Robson.

| The Dean of Christ Church, Vic-

§ -toria, the Rev. A. J. Doull was elected on the fifth ballot.

The new Bishop was not ac- customed to travelling in. the Kootenays, and on his first jour- ney to Nelson was “thrown from his auto into a river at the risk of ‘his life.”

After the First War. the com- munity began to develop and there are accounts of Harvest qhaniselving. Services. and regu:

naird in 1921."

Sunday. School classes’ were

“Through ie years the Re ve:

‘Montgomery; the: Rev. E..:Don- aldson. and: the ‘Rev: J.) Newby

| came’ from :' Edgewood’. ones a

month‘ to ‘take’ services in

‘on ‘the boat in Robson.

pattern” continued. ur un-|

‘This til 1927. nat the Rev... J.:New-

Dy, who’ was in “charge ‘of ‘the |:

district, returned to England. He ‘was succeeded by the Rev. J. Mahood, . a: ‘retired clergyman from ° Queen ay: The stories about Mr. Mahood are almost legendary in. the Kootenays and the: Ballards . or ‘the Killoughs usually had him as a guest over the weekend.

-The Community Hall i in Cas- tlegar was:used for services but after it burned down it was felt that a’ community church was needed. .W. Esling, Member. of Parliament from Rossland, was very interested.in the’ proposed church and promised a generous gift as soon as the work on the church was started. A year went by and’ in spite of: the “spirit

-of, ecumenism” and the desire

to work together — nothing hap- pened.

Finally Mr. Bloomer aequir- ed some lots: inthe centre. of the village (across from, the pre- sent ‘post office) and persuaded ope) ‘Toogood ‘to: help.

build an ‘anglican Church. Many people were furious that he had not: waited ‘until everyone’ was ready to come in on it but Mr. Bloomer was tired of waiting so he’ organized a building ‘cam- paign and St. Alban’ 8.was begun in: 1938.

The cement for ‘the founda- tion came from Jim Toogood and the lumber came from Waldie’s Lumber Co, Many: people in the district gave. generously of mo- ney, ‘materials and: labor.to the new church which. was. opened on Nov.'27:by:the Rev. D. Catch- pole of Rossland.

Mr. Catchpole held | services:

in “the. new church until..1942 when the Rev. C.F. Orman, also ‘of Rossland, conducted. services until September 1946. Mr. Bloo- mer: and ‘W.H.: Toogood were

him! the first wardens and the’ other

:: Kinnaird Community: ‘Hall.

members. of the: church . com- mittee were Mrs. »Lodge, W. Dams and Jim:Killough.

= The church was used by oth- er. denominations: and: the old'ji Parish Hall which was added in’ 1944:‘was used. by most of ‘the organizations: in’ town.

In’ 1946: Archdeacon B. A Resker arrived in Castlegar as the first resident minister. He won the love and respect of the whole community “during years here: ‘Though. resident, in Castlegar, this area at that was included ‘in ‘the Castlegar?

Fruitvale, Salmo Mission and the’

‘Archdeacon made trips to Fruit- ‘and Salmo for services

his ‘eadership the’

‘church grew ‘and in 1955 -the basement of St. John’s‘ “Church

to. the. uilding of: St. services: in Kinnaird had been held’ for. several’ years in’ the.

In:the’ same year, 1955, an additional 22 feet was added to ‘Alban’s.: In 1957: by ‘means

an’ all-out: co-operative: effort ginning with; an enthusiasti

largely. ‘attended congrega-

: tional dinner ‘followed by a.visit-

lation and ‘canvass. of .the . area; |

‘| the Anglican Parish of Castlegar: | Kinn:

‘ Sage :Prior.:to. his ‘family,‘the: parish purchased:

HeeAT ‘was formed and

‘After Sn eck Res:

ker’s ministry. was confined ‘to t se: three churches until his

see th "earhitlor building of : St. Alban’s’ proceeding’ at a ‘snail's pace:.along’ Maple: St. and Col- umibia’ “Ave. ‘to.its new’ and loft-

division ;where'-a ‘cement base- _

ment hall had‘ been built and a

:\furnace-and plumbing installed.

* At-the same time the form- er. ‘home ' ‘of Mr. and Mrs. John iko, which . _ adjoined the

hig church. property, was purchased

for. the new. rectory. This: ambi- e | tious program was made possible

through: the sale of the property .

on Maple St., , the former rectory n 7th Ave., the basement. of . John’s:.Chureh / in. Kinnaird and a‘loan from the Diocese. “After its relocation the name

of the church was changed from.

St. Albans ‘to. St." David's. . The

"Rev. Cecil Day. was: in charge

of the’ parish until January 1964 when he left for overseas mission

:|work. in Antigua. : He: was’ suc-

¢ y. The: Rev. T. D. Wild- . the “present: rector ot St.

i nuary. 1964 ‘accompan- ied byx his *'wife: Marjorie~ and

‘and’ in =Mar é Centennial‘year;: twin, daughters: In ‘the five years since ‘the:

church’s “relocation ‘: many’ im, to.|provements have ™ taken’. place. Lawns; ‘trees, shrubs and flower beds ‘have .been planted, ‘cement

. | work done, a cross erected, ‘and

., a: rectory. on7th' Ave. in Castle-:

S| deacon: Resker had lived.

gar after. selling the former rec- tory. on 3rd ‘Ave. .in which Arch-

‘Mr. Ragg. was succeeded by;

|the Rev. Cecil Day ‘in .1961: and’ | fin

‘during his ‘ministry -the © ofte discussed idea of’ moving ‘St: ‘Alban’s Church from its ‘site on Maple St. -to a location: mid-way between Castlegar. and ‘Kinnaird became a reality in spite | of ¢ siderable opposition.: : The actual moving of the church took place in’ 1962. It was a strange and’ novel sight to

‘in the ‘undercroft, a ‘tile’ ‘floor

has® “been - laid: and: cupboards built:

In: May of this year.a parish dinner was held in: observance

; | of: the 29th ee of the ~

“Alban’s and the

pioneered: the. church ‘ani } through: difficult years.

their devoted ‘service: and: God’s_ grace the foregoing’ could never

have z been chronicled.

e a SATISFACTION of -

Sane, tees - eisaseaee ssaccteomneae = aa