Gowan Gilmor Memorial Anglican Church (Sagamok First Nation, Ont.) is sometimes referred to as being in Spanish River, Ontario. The Gowan Gilmor Memorial Church is part of the multi-point Rainbow Country Anglican Parish (Espanola, Ont.).
In the 1880's and 1890's, occasional services were held in the Sagamok area by the incumbent of the Sheguiandah mission, ministered by Rev. Frederick Frost . In the summer of 1889 the congregation built a small log church and school house. The Bishop of Algoma officiated the opening of these buildings during the same summer; a bell was added to the church in September 1891. The schoolhouse burned in a fire ten years after its construction, but was quickly replaced in April 1899. Around this time the Sagamok area was moved from the Sheguiandah mission to the Webbwood Mission, which was ministered by Rev. S.H. Morgan. In 1906, this mission was divided and Sagamok was again transferred,this time into the new Massey Mission with Massey and Walford.
By 1938 it appears a new church building was constructed; the interior of it nearly being complete. The date is uncertain, but by this year the church was named the Gowan Gilmor Memorial Anglican Church.
The church joined the Rainbow Country Anglican Parish in December 1978, after the death of Rev. Douglas Sissenah. Rev. Lorne Sutherland, rector of the parish, tried to include the Ojibway language in his services.
A year after Rev. Sissenah's death, the congregation held a memorial service on September 19, 1979. A silver chalice and paten were bought in memory of Rev. Sissenah.
Incumbents have included: Rev. Douglas Sissenah (1930-1978), Rev. Lorne Sutherland (1978-?).
Sources:
- "Manitoulin Jottings", The Algoma Missionary News 10, no. 6 (1888):2. Algoma University Archives, 2009-081_001_002_1888Aug.
- "Notes and comments", The Algoma Missionary News 1, no. 4 (1889): 2-3. Algoma University Archives, 2009-081_001_003_1889Dec.
- "Missionary Work in Algoma -- Bishop's Visitation", The Algoma Missionary News 1, no 5. (1890): 6. Algoma University Archives, 2009-081_001_003_1890Jan.
- "Sheguindah Mission", The Algoma Missionary News 3, no. 2 (1891): 3. Algoma University Archives, 2009-081_001_003_1891Oct.
- "Parochial History" in Parish Register, 1896-1983, St. George's Church (Espanola, Ont.) sous fonds, Algoma University Archives, 2009-152/001(001).
- "Notes by the way", The Algoma Missionary News 11, no. 4 (1899): 3. Algoma University Archives, 2009-081_001_005_1899Apr.
- "Webbwood Mission", The Algoma Missionary News 11, no. 8 (1899): 8. Algoma University Archives, 2009-081_001_005_1899Aug.
- "Deanery of Algoma", The Algoma Missionary News 34, no. 4 (1938): 10-11. Algoma University Archives, 2009-081_002_004_1938NovDec.
- "The Rev. Douglas Sissenah of Spanish River Reserve", The Algoma Anglican 23, no. 1 (1979): 7. Algoma University Archives, 2013-086_001_012_1979Jan.
- "Memorial Service with Confirmation at Gowan Gilmor Memorial Church", The Algoma Anglican 25, no. 1 (1980): 6. Algoma University Archives, 2013-086_001_012_1980Feb.
