HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1972-06-28, Page 43RONNENBERO INSURANCE
AGENCY
Open •Brussels
TUESDAYS and FRIDAYS,
Telephone 887,6663
All. Other Days Telephone MONKTON, 347-2241
We have been in. Brussels for 15 years and have
appreciated the patronage.
Other services we• have include:
Income Tax Returns Filed, Loans Arranged,
Trust Certificates Available at Top Interest
and Mortgages Arranged,
Congratulations
to the
Village of Brussels
on their
100th Birthday
FORD 1 BRIDGE MOTORS
LIMITED
()
WINGHAM
BRUSSELS
St John's Anglican, Church
The first weekend in. July is
Anniversary time for $t. John's
Anglican Church In Brussels,
Ontario, as well as for the Village
Of BrusselS. The Village is
celebrating its centennial, with
events planned for June 29
through, to July 3. The Parish
Church of St. John's was born In
the summer of 1860. The
settlem'ent went by the name
Ainleyville then, but Church Mis,
sionaries were there conducting
regular Services of Divine Wor-
ship in the Orange Hall.
In 1864 the first "little
Church" was built and conse-
crated to Godly use, and dedi-
cated with the name of St. John
(the disciple whom. Jesus loved).
The young Church was just
beyond its infancy when the
Village of Brussels was in-
corporated in 1872. But it was
already apparent that the Church
and the Community were, to-
gether, growing by leaps and
bounds. Plans were laid for a
new Building -- a larger Church
to house the ever-increas-
ing Congregation. Construction
was begun in 1875. When the
Church was officially opened in
August of 1876 only $1500 of
debt remained from the total
$6000 cost. After the discharge
of all debt, Bishop Baldwin con-
secrated this Building in 1894.
Generous gifts, loving mem-
orials, and ambition were very
happily combined in the work of
the Parish. As the 20th Cen-
tury began, the Church advanced
towards its second half-century.
Memorial gifts enriched both the
life of the Congregation and the
decor of their House of God. St.
John's was rapidly earning a
wide-spread, and justified, re-
putation as one of the most
beautiful Churches in_South-
•Western Ontario. In 1924 the
Church was wired for elec-
tricity. And in 1943 the major
project of re-decorating was
undertaken. The fundamental
principle of keeping beauty of
Worship together with beauty of
surrounding was maintained
again by the people of St.
John's.
Then tragedy struck hard.
At 5:15 a.m., February 25,1947,
fire of unknown origin was
discovered. Despite valiant ef-
forts, St. John's Church was
almost totally lost to the flames.
Only the Tower and bell escaped
the destruction.
Once again the people of
Brussels rallied together
with the Congregation of St.
John's. Both the Presbyterian
and the United Churches offered
the use of their facilities to the
burned-out Congregation. The
United Church and the Anglicans
of Brussels had once before
shared a "temporary home" to-
gether when the United Church
was damaged by fire. So, this
time. the United Church were
kind hosts through this tragic
part of the history of the Church.
Members and friends of St.
John's gave hundreds of man-
hours of labour, and thousands
of dollars, and millions of lov-
ing prayers to the restoration of
St. John's Church. The then
Peoples' warden, John Fischer,
suffered fatal injuries in a fall
while giving volunteer labour to
the re-building.
In a great Service of Wit-
ness the Building was re-dedi-
cated by Bishop Luxton on Sun-
day, July 10, 1949. Since that
time the Church and Congregat-
ion have again grown from
strength, overcoming every ob-
stacle and challenge to doing
with gladness the work of God
in the Community and in the
world.
Beauty is still the key-note
of St. John's and of the worship
offered there. Visitors are al-
ways greatly impressed with the
list of memorial gifts which
continue to bind together the
work and the witness of generat-
ions of Christian people past
and present in St. John's Church.
Typical of this is the wooden
collection plates, made from
wood saved from the burning
Church in 1947, which are con-
tinuing to serve and be useful
to the Congregation of today.
Loss of Church records in
the fire make an accurate count
uncertain, but it seems that 28
Missioners, Catechists, Lay
Readers and Priests of the
Church have now conducted re-
gular Services in St. John's (and
in asociated Parish Churches in
Henfryn, Walton, Atwood and
Blyth) Continuously for 112 years.
THE BRUSSELS POST, JUNE 28, 111/72-48a