HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1967-06-01, Page 8PAGE EIGHT
ZURICH CI'T'IZENS NEWS
THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 1%7
Scenes at Interchurch Pageant on Sunday
All Area Churches; Combine EUorts
(Continued from page 1)
comprised of Nancy Rae Mc-
Kinnon and Dianne Klopp dur-
ing the finale. Highlight of
this part of the program was an
appearance of the Washington
Squares, a young folk singing
group from the area including
Christina Mills, vocalist, and
Alfred Aquilina and Dave John-
ston, .,guitarists. The trio dem-
onstrated how sacred music can
be performed in the modern
way but still adhering to the
strictest religious decorum.
It is estimated that about 150
Early Beginning
In Catholic Church
Told at Pageant
Roman Catholic churches
from St. Joseph and Zurich
brought the early history of re-
ligion in Canada to the stage
with their presentation. Those
taking part in the Pageant acted
out the arrival of the Jesuit
Fathers to minister to the red -
skinned natives of this land;
demonstrated the hardships
they encountered and the hide-
ous deaths some of them niet
in their desire to bring salva-
tion and a better way of life to'
the early Canadian Indian.
A bit of local history was
portrayed when pageant partici-1
pants from the district's two
Roman Catholic churches told
how coureurs-de-bois and other
French-Canadians from Quebec
who had visited this area re-
turned to the eastern part of
the nation with tales of rich
soil in the vicinity of Lake
Huron.
History books recount that
Claude Gelinas, Abraham Be-
dard and Baptiste Durand were
among the first settlers at St.
Joseph when the congregation
wos formed in 1846.
people jammed into the audi-
ttorium of the Community Cen-
tre to enjoy the performance,
and another 200 persons were
turned away because of lack of
seating space.
The ambitious project was
undertaken in connection with
Canada's Centennial Year. All
proceeds were turned over to
the Blue Water Rest Home.
On :Monday evening, the com-
mittee representatives from all
the churches met to tally pro-
ceeds. At the same time, the
group presented a small gift to
Nur- Blackwell as a token of
appreciation for the many
months of preparation on her
part to make up the script for
the pageant.
They expressed regret that
more people could not be ac-
commodated in the auditorium
for the performance and indi-
cated no further presentations
of the pageant are anticipated.
Mrs. Gordon Hess
Narrator
BLAKE AND ZURICH MENNONITES before
a backdrop portraying the faithful Conestoga
wagons which brought their forefathers to this
land acted' out the chance planting in 1800 of Abra-
ham Erb's riding switch which took root in a clear-
ing in Cedar Swamp where Waterloo now thrives.
It grew to a tree five feet in diameter, so the le-
gend goes, and stood for 90 years.
Some priests died torturous deaths.
HENSALL CARMEL PRESBYTERIANS de-
picted a group of ardent Scotch Presbyterians who,
in 1767, with their pastor, Rev. James Murdoch,
settled the first Canadian Presbyterian congrega-
tion in Horton, Nova Scotia. First Presbyterian.
Church in this area was built at Rodgerville, near
Hensall, 119 years ago.
(Citizens News Photo)
French-Canadian told glowing tales of rich land along Lake Huron
ZURICH LUTHERANS JOIN HANDS to re-
mind everyone that their faith has its roots in a
combined German, Norwegian, Swedish, Icelandic,
Danish, Latvian, Lithuanian and Estonian heritage.
St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Zurich was 100
years old in 1961!
; esuit Fathers braved the unknown to minister to the Indians
ZURICH EVANGELICAL UNITED I3EETH-
1U N showed how it was in 1889 when Bishop Sey-
bert travelled 390 miles on horseback to conduct
camp meeting north of the present city of Waterloo.
These gatherings sometimes lasted for days with
the entire congregation camping out in the woods.