Saskatchewan The newspaper of the Dioceses of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon and Qu’Appelle • A Section of the Anglican Journal • October 2016 www.facebook.com/thesaskatchewananglican
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Diocese begins cemetery project By Archdeacon Michael Stonhouse Diocesan Cemetery Archivist Editor’s note: If you have information, or even better records of the location of, or burials in, Anglican cemeteries in the diocese please contact Archdeacon Stonhouse or the synod office in Saskatoon. LLOYDMINSTER (S’toon) – Ever lose a cemetery? “What,” you wonder, “how could that ever be possible?” Actually, it has happened, probably in all three dioceses, and probably on a number of occasions. In the early years during which our church was planted on the prairies, there were rural school districts and rural churches plenteously dotting our landscape. Many of these rural churches had cemeteries that catered to a fairly large farm population composed predominantly of people from the British Isles. Over the years, things happened to make these school districts, churches and cemeteries less viable and less important. The rural schools were closed with the centralization of educational buildings in the larger centres, while with rural depopulation and changing ethnic demographics (such as the loss of people from an English background), many churches closed as well. In time, sometimes it was forgotten that a church had even existed there. And, sometimes, incredibly, it was even forgotten a cemetery had been there. In fact, with one small cemetery, St. Mary’s, Stoney Creek (in Saskatoon Diocese near Bresaylor, northwest of the Battlefords), none of the graves had ever been marked. As a result the new owner was oblivious to the fact there was a cemetery there and farmed over it for many years. See PROJECT on page 5
Camp Okema celebrations
Gary Miller delights the children with a puppet story about the feeding of the 5,000 people, during a celebration of 40 years at Camp Okema on July 31. For story see page 5. Photo by Dianne Bekolay
St. Augustine celebrates 125 years By Bill Johnston Reprinted with permission from The Four-Town Journal
SALTCOATS (Qu’A) – Many have walked up the centre aisle of St. Augustine’s Anglican Church, but on Aug. 28 those who did were taking an historic walk as their steps were taken on the church’s 125th anniversary. Recalling the many people who have contributed to the church’s life through its first 125 years, special guest for the occasion, Bishop Rob Hardwick noted, “...they are people who have given so much and have kept the faith and helped spread the faith in this place.” “Our presence here today is a testament to them and to the clergy and all the lay folks’ achievements,” said Bishop Hardwick. “For their combined faith and their determination through thick and thin to serve God in this place is truly a testament to us all. “For these are people who have walked this aisle to worship and walked out of this building to witness to
God’s saving grace... . “May our footsteps on these aisles, and the steps of the faithful who will follow us, forever lead us to worship, and lead us out to witness to God’s glory.” Bishop Hardwick offered a brief history of the founding and early years of St. Augustine’s. Though the dedication date of the building was Aug. 2, 1892, Anglicans were present in the community of Saltcoats before then. However, it was not until the early settlement received a resident priest in 1891 that work began on erecting a place of worship. Once the appointment of Rev. Theodore Teitlebaum was made by the first bishop of Qu’Appelle, local Anglicans moved quickly to erect a 40-foot x 34-foot church. S.G. Fisher was the contractor. A home for the priest was built, beginning in 1891 and finishing in 1892, while Saltcoats became the centre of a large parish served by him. See 125 YEARS on page 4
Many Saltcoats and area families have called St. Augustine's Church home over the years. Three representatives from some of those families were on hand for the 125th anniversary celebration: Maree Willis, June Gibler and Fred Hutchings. Photo courtesy Bill Johnston