The Anglican Church of the Holy Saviour (Desbarats, Ont.) is part of the Anglican Parish of Bruce Mines, Thessalon and Desbarats located between Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. and Iron Bridge, Ont. along the north shore of Lake Huron.

The mission in Desbarats was initially grouped with the missions of Echo Bay and Sylvan Valley. Rev. Frost from Garden River occasionally held services in the area, until the missionary Rev. Phillips came for the summer of 1907. The area was without a priest from September 1907 to May 1908, when Rev. Godfrey Watts took residence in Echo Bay. By 1914 Desbarats was listed under the Bruce Mines Mission and in 1945 Thessalon joined them.

The Anglican Church of the Holy Saviour (Desbarats, Ont.) was consecrated by the Ven. Archdeacon Gilmor on February 5, 1922.  By 1922 the congregation of the church had paid off long standing debt on the building and had made substantial improvements to the interior of the church.

On July 1, 1973 the Church of the Holy Saviour on the Main Street of Desbarats opened its doors again for regular services.  The church had been closed for a number of years and the interior of the building experienced some vandalism during the time it was closed.  The building was cleaned and repaired by the parishioners and the people of St. George's Bruce Mines. The re-opening of the church occurred under the guidance of incumbent Rev. C. Hornett (of the Church of Redeemer, Thessalon).

After the re-opening, Bruce Mines and Desbarats shared alternate Sunday services, each congregation attending the other's church. By 1976, the Desbarats congregation was primarily made up of people from Bruce Mines. At the end of December 1976, Holy Saviour was "closed for the winter" never to re-open. Permission was obtained from Bishop Nock to close the church and dispose of the contents to other Anglican churches.

Incumbents have included: Mr. G. S. Phillips (1907), Mr. H. G. Watts (1908-1910), Rev. A. P. Banks (1908-1909), Rev. W. E. Phillips (1910-1911), Rev. S. F. Yeomans (1913-1916), Archdeacon Gillmor (1917-1919), Mr. E. B. Ellis (1919), Rev. P. B. de Lom (1920-1927), Mr. E. H. Rudge (1922), Rev. Canon A. W. Hazlehurst (1927-1928), Mr. Ed J. Smith (1928), Rev. H. Peeling (1928-1944), Rev. R. F. Webb (1945-1948), Rev. J. V. Temple (1948-1949), Rev. R. B. Wright (1949-1951), Rev. G. S. Honour (1951-1953), Rev. B. J. Cooper (1953-1960), Rev. N. Hornby (1960-1972), Rev. C. A. V. Hornett (1973-1976).

Lay Readers: E.R. Leslie Holland.

Sources:

• "Consecration of St. Saviour's, Desbarats", The Algoma Missionary News 18, no. 4 (1922): 52-53. Algoma University Archives, 2009-081_001_012.
• "Debarats church is re-opened", The Algoma Anglican 17, no. 8 (1973): 3. Algoma University Archives, 2013-086_001_009_008.
• "One Algoma parish extends a helping hand to another one", The Algoma Anglican 18, no. 4 (1974): 3A. Algoma University Archives, 2013-086_001_010_1974Apr_0.
• "Bruce Mines looks ahead to St. George's centennial", The Algoma Anglican 26, no. 5 (1981): 4. Algoma University Archives, 2013-086_001_012_1981Mar.
• "History: The Missions of Echo Bay, Desbarats, and Sylvan Valley" from Vestry Minutes and Parish Register, 1909-1970, St. George's Anglican Church (Echo Bay, Ont.) sous fonds, Algoma University Archives, part of 2009-127/001(001).

The Anglican Church of the Redeemer (Thessalon, Ont.) is part of the Anglican Parish of Bruce Mines, Thessalon, and Desbarats and is located between Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. and Iron Bridge, Ont. along the north shore of Lake Huron.

The land for the first Anglican Church in Thessalon was purchased on October 16, 1890 on the north side of Algoma Street and a small church was constructed shortly afterward.  The lumber for the church was provided by Nathaniel Dyment, the 'founder' of Thessalon.  Members of the first church included the following names: Keetch, Shaw, Fleron, Beadle, Case, Kennedy, Simpson, Piper, McCourt, McBain, Wigg, Hagan, Tesky, Pulford, Richardson, Bridge, Nichol, and Cullis.  In 1912 a new property for the Anglican Church of the Redeemer was purchased on the corner of Main Street and Park Street in Thessalon. 

Following this purchase Rev. John Tate, who was also an architect and stone mason, supervised the development of the new church site.  The old church was incorporated into the new building.  The Chancel was separated from the main body of the church and the new transepts and clere-story were placed between the two parts of the old church and then placed on a new basement. The smaller windows and one three section window in the north transept are all windows incorporated from the old building.  The one new church was consecrated on September 3, 1929.

By January of 1945, the parishes of Bruce Mines (Bruce, Desbarats, and Mount Zion) and Thessalon were joined into one.

During the period of September 1953 to January 1960, under the leadership of Rev. Ben Cooper the church which was in badly need of repairs was completely renovated. Members of the congregation built and renovated the altar, canopy, credence table, altar rail, pulpit, and other interior features.

The Women's Auxiliary, Junior Auxiliary, and Girls Auxiliary flourished at the Church of the Redeemer (Thessalon, Ont.) for many years.  The Girl's Guild formed in the 1930s and was known locally as the 'Gossiping Girl's Guild'.  The Guild guild later became the Altar Guild and amalgamated with the Women's Auxiliary.

In 1986 the church received a grant under the Ontario Heritage Foundation to undertake building repairs including replacing asphalt roofing with historically accurate cedar shingles, brickwork repair, restoration of the steeple, and installation of new insulation.

The incumbents of the Church of the Redeemer (Thessalon, Ont.) include: Percy G.H. Robinson (1889 June - 1890 November), William B. Magnan (1892-1893), William M.R. Seaborn (1893-1900), Arthur H. Wurtele (1900-1904), Charles E. Bishop (1903-1905), Leopold D. Griffith (1906-1908), Percy W.P. Calhoun (1908-1911), John Tate (1911-1929), James A. Osborne (1929-1930), Alfred P. Banks (1930-1934), Edward H. Rudge (1934-1935), John C. Popey (1935-1943), Roy F. Webb (1943-1948), John V. Temple (1948-1949), Robert B. Wright (1949-1951), George S. Honour (1951-1953), Benjamin J. Cooper (1953-1960), Norman Hornby (1960-1972), Charles A.V. Hornett (1973-1984), Rev. Larry Winslow (1984-?), Glenn Miller, (1992-2001) Margaret Rogers (2001-2007), Cannon Robert Elkin (2007-2009), Rev. Roberta Wilson-Garrett (2009-2020).

Layreaders of the Church of the Redeemer (Thessalon, Ont.) include: Edward Hawke (1903), W.E. Philips (1906), J.L.S. Wright (1907).

Sources:

• J.E. MacDonald, This Point Of Land, centennial edition, (Iron Bridge: Town of Thessalon, 1992), 151-163. 
• The Church of the Redeemer, http://images.ourontario.ca/NorthofHuron/79379/data [accessed 2015 July 8]
• "St. George's Church", The Algoma Missionary News 76, no. 3 (1950): 8-9. Algoma University Archives, 2009-081_002_005_1950Summer.
• "A Short History of the Church of the Redeemer Thessalon, Ontario", 1973, Synod of the Diocese of Algoma fonds, Algoma University Archives, 2013-067_001_003.
• "Distinctive landmark for 61 years", The Algoma Anglican 17, no. 9 (1973): 3. Algoma University Archives, 2013-086_001_009_009.
• Margi Turner, "100-year-old Church is feeling its age", The Algoma Anglican 33, no. 1 (1986): 1,4. Algoma University Archives, 2013-086_001_014_010.
• Margi Turner, "Church reconstruction has begun at Thessalon," The Algoma Anglican 33, no. 9 (1986): 1. Algoma University Archives, 2013-086_001_014_002.

St. George's Anglican Church (Bruce Mines, Ont.) is part of the Anglican Parish of Bruce Mines, Thessalon, and Desbarats and is located between Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. and Iron Bridge, Ont. along the north shore of Lake Huron. Originally the Bruce Mines Mission includes St. George (Bruce Mines), a church at Rydal Bank, and the mission at Thessalon.

St. George's Anglican Church (Bruce Mines, Ont.) was built on lot 5 on the north side of Taylor Street facing the North Channel of Lake Huron in 1881. The church was built by one Mr. Wightman on a solid rock foundation. The pews and furniture were also all made by hand at the time of building. The first resident clergyman was F. C. Berry (1883-1888), apart from him, though, from 1881 to 1908 the situation regarding rectors is not very clear.

St. George's Church was consecrated on October 23, 1887 by Rt. Rev. Edward Sullivan. Prior to the construction of a building joint services between the local Methodist, Anglican, and Presbyterian churches were held at the Union Church on Lot 72 of Taylor Street. In 1897 the church was augmented with a tower and bell at the cost of $200 which was paid for by the congregation. The Bishop of Algoma visited the church in June of that year and dedicated the new tower and bell. In 1898 the church was vacant of a priest with Walter DuMoulin acting as catechist. The Church was closed from 1893 to 1895 save for occasional services on week nights. The church parsonage was built in 1910.

By January of 1945, the parishes of Bruce Mines (Bruce, Desbarats, and Mount Zion) and Thessalon were joined.

The last public service in this church was held on March 8, 2008.

Incumbents: Rev. F. C. Berry (1883-1888), Rev. P. G. H. Robinson (1888-1890), Rev. W. B. Magnan (1892-1893), Rev. J. McConnell (1896-1897), Walter DuMoulin (1898), Rev. C. J. A. Batstone (1899-1900), Mr. E. P. S. Spencer (1900), Rev. A. H. Wurtele (1900-1902), Rev. T. J. Hay (1902-1906), Rev. L. D. Griffith (1907), Rev. P. W. P. Calhoun (1908), Rev. Alfred Percy Banks (1908-1909), Rev. T. O. Curliss (1910-1912), Mr. Owen L. Jull (1912), Rev. W. S. Weary (1913), Rev. S. F. Yeomans (1913-1916), Archdeacon Ven. G. Gillmor (1917-1919), Mr. E. B. Ellis (1919), Rev. P. B. de Lom (1920-1927), Mr. E. H. Rudge (1922), Rev. Canon A. W. Hazlehurst (1927-1928), Mr. Ed J. Smith (1928), Rev. H. Peeling (1928-1944), Rev. R. F. Webb (1945-1948), Rev. J. V. Temple (1948-1949), Rev. R. B. Wright (1949-1951), Rev. G. S. Honour (1951-1953), Rev. B. J. Cooper (1953-1960), Rev. Norman Hornby (1960-1972), Rev. C. A. V. Hornett (1973-1984), Rev. L. Winslow (1984-?).

Sources:

• Bruce Mines: A History of Copper, Churches and Schools,  [accessed 2015 July, 9]
• "Bruce Mines Mission", The Algoma Missionary News 9, no. 6 (1897): 45. Algoma University Archives, 2009-081_001_005_1897June_0.
• "Sault Ste. Marie Parishes", The Algoma Missionary News 75, no. 2 (1949): 13. Algoma University Archives, 2009-081_002_005_1949Apr.
• "St. George's Church", The Algoma Missionary News 76, no. 3 (1950): 8-9. Algoma University Archives, 2009-081_002_005_1950Summer.
• "Tiny point carries on", The Algoma Anglican 17, no.6 (1973): 3. Algoma University Archives, 2013-086_001_008_006.
• "Bruce Mines looks ahead to St. George's centennial", The Algoma Anglican 26, no. 5 (1981): 4. Algoma University Archives, 2013-086_001_012_020.
• "St. George's, Bruce Mines, celebrates 100th anniversary", The Algoma Anglican 31, no. 8 (1984): 1. Algoma University Archives, 2013-086_001_014_023.