St. John the Divine Anglican Church (North Bay, Ont.) is part of the single-point St. John the Divine Anglican Parish (North Bay, Ont.).
Rev. Forster Bliss, of St. Alban's Anglican Church (Mattawa, Ont.) organized and led the first service for the congregation that would become St. John the Divine Anglican Church on August 15, 1883. This service was held in the former C.P.R engine house, which was then being used as a dwelling. In the formative years, Rev. Bliss was also serving St. Michael and All Angels (North Bay, Ont.) and St. Mary Magdalene (Sturgeon Falls, Ont.).
The construction of the church began August 1895 and was completed August 10, 1896. Only 8 years afterwards the church became self-supporting. The church was consecrated on February 12, 1908. In 1910 the apse was replaced with a large chancel, an organ was purchased, and the church received the following gifts: oaken reredos, stained glass window above the altar, a brass altar cross, brass lectern, and a stone font.
During 1918, the church was renovated and the chancel’s debt was paid. On December 22 that year, the chancel was consecrated by Archbishop Thorneloe. A year later a small fire destroyed the organ. The organ was later rebuilt and rededicated in 1955.
In 1923 the parish hall basement was build and named after Rev. Balfour. The ground floor was completed in 1932 and named after Rev. Oliver. The parish hall mortgage was finally paid in 1948, complete with a mortgage burning ceremony on April 6 with Archbishop W. L. Wright in attendance.
Around 1956, Christ Anglican Church (North Bay, Ont.) was established as a new mission path to accommodate the growth of the congregation. This was financed with Wells Campaign Organization, the Algoma Mission Fund, the Diocesan Expense Fund, and with contributions from St. John the Divine.
Throughout the summer of 1957 significant repairs were undertaken at St. John. The steeple and exterior cross were renewed and covered with copper, exterior brick was painted, new tile was placed in the nave of the church, and the kneelers were covered. A new altar was installed and dedicated by Cannon C.F. Large in 1959.
From 1987-1989 substantial repairs and upgrades were done at St. John’s. The upper hall was conserved into "The Bliss-Gillmor Apartments" which featured 13 apartment units. The parish offices were converted into two meeting rooms and a second level was added above them for new office space. On the ground floor the parish hall was renovated and an elevator was added. On December 10, 1989 Bishop Peterson dedicated the renewed complex.
Incumbents and rectors have included: Rev. Forster Bliss (1883-1885), Rev. Gowan Gillmor (1885-1891), Rev. A.J. Young (1892-1897), Rev. W.A.J. Burt (1898-1899), Rev. A.J.F. Cobb (1899-1905), Rev. C.E. Bishop (1906-1911), Rev. C.W. Balfour (1911-1921), Rev. Gilbert Oliver (1921-1927), Rev. H.A. Sims (1927-1937), Rev. L.I. Greene (1937-1938), Rev. W.W. Jarvis (1939-1951), Rev. Canon C.F. Large (1951-1973), Rev. N.L. Goater (1974-1980), Rev. G.K. Gibbs (1980-1981), Rev. Donald M. Landon (1981-?).
Sources:
- "Church Progress in North Bay," The Algoma Missionary News 15, no.2 (1919): 18.
- "St. John's Gets New Tile Floor, Copper Steeple", The Algoma Anglican 1 (1957): 10.
- "New Altar Dedicated at St. John the Divine", The Algoma Anglican 3, no. 3 (1959): 2.
- "90th anniversary celebrated", The Algoma Anglican 18, no. 1 (1974): 3. Algoma University Archives, 2013-086_001_010_001.
- "St. John's, North Bay, looks forward to Centennial", The Algoma Anglican 27, no. 8 (1982): 1. Algoma University Archives, 2013-086_001_013_006.
- "St John's, North Bay, reviews its splendid centennial year events", The Algoma Anglican 29, no. 3 (1984): 1.
- Rev. Canon Donald M. Landon, "St. John's North Bay, celebrates completion of comprehensive two-year renovation project", The Algoma Anglican 37, no. 2 (1990): 1, 3.
- Frank Boland, “Church of St. John the Divine”, 1982, Diocesan Heritage Centre Parish History collection, Algoma University Archives, 2014-019_001_022.
