Mindemoya (Ont.)

St. Francis of Assisi Anglican Church (Mindemoya, Ont.) is a church in the Western Manitoulin Anglican Parish. 

Rev. R. Taylor arrived in Mindemoya in 1932 and soon afterwards a committee was formed for the construction of the church. That winter, timber was scavenged and a “Stone Group” started a quarry in the limestone. The early work was mostly done by voluntary labour, and the later masonry work hired.

At its completion, there was a stone angel taken from the House of Parliament in London England that hung above the altar in a niche in the stone. There are also pieces of the Canterbury Cathedral, York Minster, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Fountains Abbey, and the Tower of Big Ben incorporated into the church; each is marked with a bronze tablet. The Admiralty in London donated a bronze bell. The roof was donated by John Crawford of Parkersburg, West Virginia, a summer resident. Bishop Paige of Detroit, Sir Albert Gooderham, Sir John Aird, Canon Gould, Lady Eaton, Mr. Van Dusen of Detroit, and others helped contribute to the building.

The church was officially opened July 25, 1935 and consecrated June 21, 1945 by Rev. W. L. Wright.

On July 27, 1975 the congregation of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Mindemoya marked the 40th anniversary of the official opening of the church.

Sources:

• "Celebrating 40th anniversary", The Algoma Anglican 17, no. 9 (1973): 3. Algoma University Archives, 2013-086_001_009_009.
• "Fortieth anniversary", The Algoma Anglican 19, no. 8 (1975): 7. Algoma University Archives, 2013-086_001_010_019.
• “The History of the Church of England St. Francis of Assisi”, (1995?), Marie Egglesfield fonds, Algoma University Archives, 2010-200_001_012.

Western Manitoulin Anglican Parish is a multi-point parish and includes the Anglican churches on much of the Manitoulin Island: All Saints' Anglican Church (Gore Bay, Ont.), St. Francis of Assisi Anglican Church (Mindemoya, Ont.), St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church (Kagawong, Ont.), St. John's Anglican Church (Sheshegwaning Reserve, Ont.), St. John's Anglican Church (South Baymouth, Ont.), St Paul's Anglican Church (Manitouwaning, Ont.), and St. Peter's Anglican Church (Silverwater, Ont.).

Missionaries of the Church of England have been recorded on the island since 1800. The efforts seem to have been more substantial in the 1830s with Rev. J.D. Cameron, Rev. William McMurray, and Rev. Adam Elliot expanding into the Manitoulin islands from their missionaries around the area. In 1838 the Bishop sent Rev. C.C. Brough to Manitowaning to begin a true presence of the Church of England.

By 1966, the Parish of All Saints' (Gore Bay, Ont.) became self-supporting and, at this time, included St. Peter's (Silverwater, Ont) and St. John's (Sheshegwaning Reserve, Ont.). The parish was ministered by Rev. Michael Dunnill. 

The Sheshegwaning church has closed.

Sources:

• "Gore Bay Moves Forward", The Algoma Anglican 10, no. 8 (1966): 4. Algoma University Archives, 2013-086_001_003_018.
• Willis John McQuarrie, “All Saints’ Anglican Church: Parish – 1880 to 2000”, 2000, All Saints’ Anglican Church (Gore Bay, Ont.) sous fonds, Algoma University Archives, 2009-170_001_001.