Times-Advocate, 1988-05-04, Page 32Page 16A
Times -Advocate, May 4, 1988
Rev. Rapson guest speaker
Kirkton U.C. celebrates 100
Kirkton United Church celebrated
its 100th anniversary of the present
building on April 24. Rev. Bill Jones
conducted the service and Rev. Alex
Rapson from Sarnia was the guest
speaker.
Colborne Street United Church
bell choir from London, enriched the
service with several numbers. David
Paynter presented a trowel that was
used by his great grandfather, David
Kirk, to lay the cornerstone of the
church in 1888.
Ron Denham dedicated the sound
system donated by Ron and Doris
Denham. Cheryl (Denham) Meyer
sang a solo entitled Bless This
Church.
A trio composed of Dorothy Mor-
rison, Vesta Marshall and Verna
Burgin sang Seek Ye First. Pianists
and organists for the service were
Ethel Stephen, David Switzer,
Aileen Burgin, Vicki Burgin and
Leanne Burgin.
The church was decorated with
many beautiful bouquets, donated by
church members, and arranged by
Anna Peterson and Leona Amos. A
luncheon followed the service at the
K -W community centre for over 500
people. Chairman Ray Switzer,
called on former ministers to speak -
Rev. C. L. Lewis, Rev. W. D.
Goodger and Rev. A. Rapson.
History of Kirkton United
Church
One branch of the Methodist
Church in Blanshard, the Wesleyan
Methodists, worshipped for some
-time at the log house on the farm of
William Vickers (great grandfather
of the world famous singer Jon Vick-
ers) before they moved to the log
schoolhouse in the 1850s.
In 1858 or 1859, revival meetings
were held day after day, in the harvest
season, in James Kirk's grove, west
of the Kirkton Anglican Church.
The revival prepared the way for
the buildings of the first Methodist
Church in the village where the pres-
ent church stands. In 1859 or 1860
this red brick structure was raised
from bricks made on William
Beatty's farm on the third conces-
sion. -
The opening of the church was
celebrated by special Sunday serv-
ices, with a tea meeting on the fol-
lowing day. The crowd was so large
at the tea meeting celebration that the
young men had to hold their partners
on their laps, they were so crowded
for room. David Kirk auctioned off
the church scats to pew -holders for
$2 a sitting.
The first scats were pine planks
placed on blocks, but were, in time,
made into pews with closing doors
on the end, as some phrased it, "to
keep the devil out".
The minister, who was head of the
St. Marys circuit and was instrumen-
tal in leading the people in the build-
ing of the church, was Rev. Thomas
Casford. At this time Timothy Eaton
was in business in Kirkton.
He and his brother James Eaton
figured prominently among a group
of generous and public-spirited men
in securing a separate place of wor-
ship in the first red brick Methodist
Church in Kirkton.
its in the present, so in the past,
different ideas of worship prevailed.
At the induction of an organ into the
church, one man declared that he
would withdraw from the church if
they would persist in "worshipping
God with machinery".
The Kirkton circuit covered a large
part of Blanshard Township and
spilled over into Biddulph and Us -
borne Townships. These were the
days of trying corduroy roads inter-
spersed with mud holes and stumps.
We owe a great debt to these early
devoted ministers who travelled ar-
duous miles over difficult trails and
roads by horseback, carts, buggies
and feet. They preached to equally
devoted congregation's who came,
often with hardship, to hear the gos-
Pei.
In later years Kirkton Church has
carried on its work as a beacon light
in our community. As it has been in
the past, it continues to be a source of
help to its congregation and a guide
to young and old in our community.
On September 28, 1975 the 50th
anniversary of Church Union was
celebrated while Rev. Grant Dawson
was minister. The guest speaker, the
Rev. George Goth of London, spoke
at a service at the Kirkton-Woodham
community centre.
A combined choir of Kirkton and
Woodham churches, and the Sell -
wood Singers of Oakville, per-
formed. A stained glass window was
installed and a history book, church
plates, and spoonswere sold.
In 1981 Kirkton combined with
Woodham and Thamesview (Fullar-
ton) churches in sponsoring and
supporting Vietnmese refugee fami-
lies and helped them get established
in Canada.
In 1983 Kirkton participated in the
National Church's Ventures in Mis-
sions campaign, by which extra of-
ferings were donated to the mission
and service fund.
On June 8, 1963, with Rev. John
Vardy as minister, a special service
was held to commemorate the 60th
anniversary of the United Church of
Canada. Presentations of different
skits were made to celebrate the
goodly heritage of our church.
Kirkton Church has an excellent
foundation laid by the pioneers of the
area. Their traditions have been car-
ried on through the ensuing years. Its
spire still stands, as Patience Strong
wrote, "as a symbol and sign of
powers that are invisible, and things
_Oat are divine."
As we celebrate 100 years of glori-
ous' history, let us maintain the cus-
toms of our forefathers. Let us keep
our sense of community, as Carol
Ikeler writes in the hymn book... .
"The church is wherever God's
people are helping,
Caring for neighbours in sickness
and need.
The church is wherever God's
people are sharing
The words of the Bible in gift and
in deed."
N
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KIRKTON UNITED CHURCH
,cod A,.4HRYAT
ice. -TWE
CELEBRATED 100 YEARS - Kirkton United Church celebrated its
100th anniversary Sunday with a capacity congregation along with five for-
mer ministers and the present minister Rev. Bill Jones. Former ministers,
(from the left) are: Marlon Jackson Tyler (1987), Rev. Don Goodger (1943-
48), Rev. Charles Lewis (1933-1940), Rev. Ralph King (1981-1982), Rev.
Alexander Rapson (1941-42) and Rev. Jones.
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BANTAMS THANK LEGION - At Saturday's renovations celebration at
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Shuffleboard scores
EXETER -- Olive Essery scored
402 in mixed shuffleboard action
Wednesday to capture highscore in
four games. Howard Johns followed
Essery with 352 and Mabel
McKnight placed third with 347.
Ross Marshall rounded out the
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In three games Wednesday, Ross
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Harold Davis scored 369 to claim
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Ironwood men
Tuesday, the Ironwood Men's
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Dave Holtzmann was hot, howev-
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Don Cowan captured B flight
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Ken Hermann captured D flight
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