Rosslyn (Ont.)

The Anglican Parish of West Thunder Bay fonds comprisesfour congregations: Anglican Church of the Messiah (Kakabeka Falls, Ont.), St. James' Anglican Church (Murillo, Ont.), and St. Mark's Anglican Church (Rosslyn, Ont.), and St. Mary's Anglican Church (Vicker's Heights, Ont.).

The first service of what is now known as the Anglican Parish of West Thunder Bay was held in the home of Issac Ryde of Oliver Township by Rev. J.K. McMorine of St. John the Evangelist (Thunder Bay, Ont.) in 1879. In 1885 St. James' Anglican Church (Murillo, Ont.) was consecrated by Bishop Sullivan.  Outstations were established in the parish in 1898 in Slate River and Stanley, Ontario.  This was followed by the opening of the Church of Advent (Hymers, Ont.), the Church of the Good Shepherd (Slate River, Ont.), and the Mission of Kakabeka Falls in 1912. 

In the 1950s the parish underwent substantial changes: in 1951 the Church of the Advent (Hymers) was closed; in 1952 Oliver Mission was renamed West Thunder Bay Mission, in 1953 the Church of the Messiah (Kakabeka Falls, Ont.) and adjacent parish hall were destroyed by fire and rebuilt.

In 1958 the West Thunder Bay Mission became the self-supporting Parish of West Thunder Bay.  The Church of the Good Shepherd (Kakabeka Falls, Ont.) was closed and demolished in 2008. 

At present two church remain active in the Parish of West Thunder Bay: St. Mark's Anglican Church (Rosslyn, Ont.) and St. James' Anglican Church (Murillo, Ont.).

Sources:

"Parish Profile of the Parish of West Thunder Bay: September, 2014" http://www.dioceseofalgoma.com/UploadedFiles/file/Job%20Postings/WTBProfile%20final-reduced%20%283%29.pdf [Accessed 2015 July 24]

St. Mark's Anglican Church (Rosslyn, Ont.) is part of the Anglican Parish of West Thunder Bay, previously the Oliver Mission and the West Thunder Bay Mission.

The first mention of the church occurred at a vestry meeting on January 25, 1953.  At that time church services and Sunday school were held at the Rosslyn Hall.  In a 1956 vestry meeting a motion was passed to build a church for the St. Mark's congregation.  On April 16, 1956 a sod turning ceremony was held on land donated to by Mike Spenchuk to become the home of St. Mark's Anglican Church (Rosslyn, Ont.) and on May 21, 1956 the cornerstone was laid by Archbishop Wright.

The first service held in the church took place on December 24, 1956.  The Most Rev. W.L. Wright, Archbishop of Algoma, dedicated St. Mark's Church on May 26, 1957. In 1966 a new rectory for the Parish of West Thunder Bay was built in Rosslyn.

In 1962 outstanding debt on the building was retired but due to an oversight the building was not consecrated until October 7, 1979. The ceremony was presided over by Bishop Right Rev. F. F. Nock. 

In 1982 the bell and tower was added to St. Mark's. The stained glass was installed in 1987, depicting St. Mark on the left, lion above, and Christ on the right, Crown of Life above. 

Sources:

• "Parish Profile of the Parish of West Thunder Bay: September, 2014" http://www.dioceseofalgoma.com/UploadedFiles/file/Job%20Postings/WTBProfile%20final-reduced%20%283%29.pdf [Accessed 2015 July 24]
• "St. Mark's Rosslyn Consecrated", The Algoma Anglican 23, no. 9 (1979): 1. Algoma University Archives, 2013-086_001_012_009.