St. Paul's Anglican Church (Manitowaning, Ont.) is part of the single-point Great Spirit Island Anglican Parish (Manitoulin Island, Ont.).
The first Anglican service in the area took place ten years prior to the construction of the church. On June 13, 1835 Captain Anderson accompanied by Rev. Adam Elliot canoed from Penetanguishene to Manitowaning. On Sunday June 21, 1835 Rev. Elliot held the first Anglican service on Manitoulin Island. Following this initial service early missionary work in the area was undertaken by Rev. Charles Brough and Rev. Frederick O'Meara.
St. Paul's was one of the original Indian Mission churches in the Algoma region and was built in 1845 before the Diocese of Algoma formed. The church was consecrated by the Rt. Rev. John Strachan, first Bishop of Toronto. St. Paul's was the location of the ordination of the first Indigenous person, Rev. John Jacobs, into priesthood in Algoma.
On August 27, 1961 St. Paul's was designated as an Ontario historic site and a commemorative marker was installed by the Historical Branch of the Ontario Department of Travel and Publicity. In 1961, St. Paul's was the oldest church in the Algoma Diocese.
By 1964 the church building was in need of an extensive renovation to preserve the building. Rev. Roy Locke began a building restoration fund in 1958 and by 1965 enough money was raised to place the church on a new concrete founding, complete a crypt beneath the church, and install a new furnace. The cornerstone of the new foundation was laid by Archbishop Wright on June 30, 1964 and construction was completed in the summer of 1965.
In the summer of 1968 the congregation installed stained glass windows at the east end of the church. The windows were installed as a thank-offering for the continual service offered at the church. They were designed by Christopher Wallis, an associate member of the British Society of Master Glass Painters.
Incumbents and rectors who have served St. Paul’s include: Rev. Adam Elliott (1835), Rev. Charles C. Brough (1838-1841), Rev. Frederick A. O’Meara (1841-1859), Rev. Peter Jacobs (1859-1864), Rev. Jaboz Waters Sims (1864-1869), Rev. Rolland Hill (1870-1883), Rev. Robertson (1883-1888), Rev. Henry Rollings (1888-1891), Rev. David Abraham Johnston (1893-1894), Rev. Harry Cooper Aylwin (1894-1897), Rev. Arthur John Young (1897-1909), Rev. Richard Haines (1910-1914), Rev. Herman Pelletier (1914-1930), Rev. Edward Harold Rudge (1931-1934), Rev. Edwin Weeks (1934-1947), Rev. Albert E. Carding (1947-1948), Rev. William Henry Trickett (1949), Rev. C.J. Passey (1949-1954), Rev. Peter S. Park (1954-1957), Rev. Roy Locke (1958-1965), Rev. Tony Koning (1966-1970), Rev. Gilmour Beattie (1971-1976), Rev. Kenneth Ostler (1976-1978), Rev. Jerry Smith (1978-1983), Rev. Robert Cross (1984-?).
Sources:
- Colloton, F.W. The Church in Algoma, A Souvenir of the Diocesan Jubilee, 1923, p. 66. Part of 2009-081/001 (013)
- "Oldest Church In Diocese Now Ontario Historic Site", The Algoma Anglican 5, no. 9 (1961): 1.
- "Oldest Church in Diocese Faces Crisis", The Algoma Anglican 8, no. 3 (1964): 1.
- "A Landmark On The Hill -- Oldest Church in Diocese", The Algoma Anglican 9, no. 5 (1965): 4A. Algoma University Archives, 2013-086_001_003_005.
- "Recall Early History Manitoulin Church", The Algoma Anglican 9, no. 5 (1965): 3. Algoma University Archives, 2013-086_001_004_008.
- "Windows Symbolize Purpose, History, Oldest Church", The Algoma Anglican 12, no. 8 (1968): 4. Algoma University Archives, 2013-086_001_004_019.
- “A History of St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Manitowaning: 150 Years”, 1985, Diocesan Heritage Centre Parish History collection, Algoma University Archives.
