The history of the town of Copper Cliff dates back to 1886, when engineers who were constructing the the main line of the C. P. R. to Chapleau encountered indications of copper and nickel in the rocks at Murray Mine. Soon afterwards, a mining town grew up around the site.
Anglican services were initially delivered by itinerant missionaries and by the incumbents from the neighbouring Parish of Sudbury; these included The Venerable Archdeacon Gilmour, Canon Piercy, Canon French, and Canon Boydell. The earliest recorded baptism was for Pearle Cora McFeetor; the service was held in the dining room of Smith's Boarding House.
In 1896 a Union Church for the Protestant denominations was built on Jones Street, which eventually became a Methodist Church. By 1900 a "snug little building" had been constructed to serve as the first Anglican Church in Copper Cliff at the cost of about $600. And organ was given by the church people of Sudbury and the chancel furniture by Mr. W. G. Cressey. In 1907-1908, the congregation began planning for a permanent church. The leading spirit in this effort was Mr. Yeomans, the former lay-reader.
The Reverend T. N. Mumford, M.A. was the first permanent rector to be appointed to the parish. He began his ministry in August 1908. In the fall of 1909, plans for the new church were settled on; and the present site was leased from the Canadian Copper Company. The foundations and basement walls were completed in September 1909, but it proved difficult to raise the funds to complete the church. The Canadian Copper Company agreed to do the building day-work and to grant credit for the amount which the church might be unable to pay the the conclusion of the work.
The Bishop of Algoma, The Very Reverend George Thorneloe laid the cornerstone on July 11, 1910 in the presence of a large congregation. The church was dedicated on July 13, 1911; and the congregation celebrated its first communion service in the new church on July 16, 1911. On the latter date, Derrick Harold Cross was the first person baptized in the new church. Two days later, the first funeral was held in the church for two townspeople who had lost their lives in the Great Porcupine Fire near Porcupine, Ont.
On December 15, 1963 Archbishop Wright dedicated extensive renovations of St. John the Divine. These renovations included the interior of the church, new furnishings, new nave eating, chancel rail, stained glass windows, pews, and paneling in the sanctuary.
The last renovations done on the church were finished in 1984. Renovations included the completion of a new entrance way, rector's office, kitchen, choir room, washrooms, and a new roof. The Rt. Rev. Leslie Peterson, Bishop of Algoma, dedicated the renovations on Oct. 21, 1984.
Sources:
- "Half Century of Worship Celebrated by St. John the Divine at Copper Cliff", The Algoma Anglican 4, no. 11 (1960): 2.
- "Renovations Dedicated At Copper Cliff Church", The Algoma Anglican 8, no. 2 (1964): 1.
- "St. John's Copper Cliff Celebrates 100th Anniversary", The Algoma Anglican 53, no.4 (2010): 1.
- "History of Copper Cliff church recalled as parish nears its 90th anniversary", The Algoma Anglican 47, no. 6 (2000): 7.
