A History of St. John the Baptist Anglican Church, St. Paul

 

St. John the Baptist Anglican Church of St. Paul, Alberta, was a little church with a big heart.

 

The building was moved from its original site in the Rife district, south side of highway 28A, across from the existing United Church, in August, 1959. In 1930, Canon Browning, a retired Anglican priest, began conducting services at the Rife School in Flat Lake. After receiving a monetary gift from his former parish in England to build a new church, land was donated by Mr. Maurice Destrube and the church construction was begun.

 

Unfortunately, Canon Browning died before the church could be completed and, with no Anglican priest available, his son asked the United Church minister, the Rev. Duclos, to officiate at the opening of The Browning Memorial Church in 1932. This church served both the United and Anglican congregations for several years but soon the Anglicans wanted their own building.

 

In 1936, the Anglicans decided to build across the highway on land also donated by the Destrube family and again donations from England helped build the new St. John the Baptist Anglican Church. The church served people in a large area, including Bonnyville, St. Paul, Therien, Flat Lake, Glendon, Hoselaw and Gurneyville until 1947, when changes in demographics and lack of clergy closed the church.

 

In 1959, the Anglicans of St. Paul, looking for a church building, decided to move the church to St. Paul. Without waiting for final approval from the bishop, the church was moved to its present location and placed on a full basement, constructed in advance.

 

The first service was conducted by the Rev. Clenneth of Frog Lake in October, 1959. Thirty people, among them friends and former parishioners, packed the church, which seats 20 in its pews, on October 17 for a service of re-dedication with lunch served by the members of the congregation held in the basement hall following the service.

 

Previous clergy include: The Rev. Dr. Joyce Mellor, Honourary Assistant of St. Luke's Anglican Church in Edmonton; The Rt. Rev. David Lehmann, Bishop of Diocese of Caledonia; The Rev. Michael Canning, Retired Priest and former Rector of St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church, Cold Lake, and later Killarney Parish Grouping of the Anglican Diocese of Brandon; The Rev. Bill Patterson, Honorary Assistant of St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church, Cold Lake; The Rev. Donna Gauthier, Priest-in-Charge of St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church, Cold Lake; and The Rev. Christopher Cook, Rector of All Saints’ Anglican Church, Drayton Valley, Regional Dean of Yellowhead, and Chaplain to the Anglican Church Women of the Diocese of Edmonton.

                                                                                                     

After the disestablishment of the Parish in early 2022, the final service of deconsecration was held on April 27, 2022, with the Rt. Rev. Stephen London officiating. St. John the Baptist Anglican Church served Anglicans of St. Paul and district for over half a century. It was once hoped that the church would be filled with Christ’s servants and provide an Anglican presence in St. Paul for many years to come.