Port Sandfield (Ont.)

St. George's Anglican Church (Port Sandfield, Ont.) is part of the multi-point Muskoka Lakes Anglican Parish.

The St. George's church was built in 1892 and was an outstation to St. James' the Apostle (Port Carling, Ont).

The church became inactive in the late 1970's due to a lack of clergy, and in 1981 the property was being considered for sale. The congregation fought to keep the church open and raised $10,000 for a new roof and renovations. The congregation celebrated the renewal on August 8, 1982. A memorial window of the Good Shepherd was installed and dedicated on July 28, 1985 as a reminder of the pioneers of Muskoka and the congregation's determination.

St. George's is now an occasional church and holds a regular service on August 1st. 

Sources:

• "Executive Committee of Algoma Diocese held meeting in June", The Algoma Anglican 26, no. 9 (1981): 1. Algoma University Archives, 2013-086_001_012_1981Sept.
• "Port Sandfield community reactivates historic St. George's Church", The Algoma Anglican 32, no. 7 (1985): 4. Algoma University Archives, 2013-086_001_014_1985Sept.
• Barbara Gibbs, "Parish of Muskoka Lakes", Diocese of Algoma, 2014 April 28, accessed on 2016 May 30, http://bit.ly/1X2xv3R​.

The Muskoka Lakes Anglican Parish is comprised of six churches: St. Mark's Anglican Church (Milford Bay, Ont.), St. John's Anglican Church (Beaumaris, Ont.), St. James’ the Apostle (Port Carling, Ont.), Christ Anglican Church (Gregory, Ont.), St. James' Anglican Church (Mortimer's Point, Ont.), and St. George's Anglican Church (Port Sandfield, Ont.). The parish has three points and two occasional churches. In 2014, the parish was structured that during the winter months the three congregations would share services between two churches: St. Mark's and St. James' the Apostle. Yearly services to be held in St. James' at Mortimer's Point and St. George's at Port Sandfield. 

The Mission Parish that would become the Muskoka Lakes Anglican Parish began around 1870, with Port Carling at its centre and the Gregory and Port Sandfield churches as outstations. The services were irregularly held in Port Carling by clergymen from Bracebridge and a few lay readers from the area.

St. James’ the Apostle was the first church built in 1881. Following this, the Christ Anglican Church in Gregory and St. John's in Beaumaris were built in 1891; one year later the St. George's Church in Port Sandfield was built. St. Mark's was built between 1910 and 1920. The first appointed clergyman to the area was Rev. E. Stubbs in 1884.

In 1914 the parish was gifted a “disappearing propeller boat” to make travel between the churches easier. Unfortunately, Rev. T. W. Bucklee drowned making this trip on December 9, 1923.

The Parish of Muskoka Lakes gained its name in 1994. Between 1993 and 1997, the parish became self-supporting. 

Sources:

• "Death of the Rev. T. W. Bucklee", The Algoma Missionary News 19, no. 9 (1913): 4. Algoma University Archives, 2009-081_001_013_1923Dec.
• “History of the Parish of Port Carling with Gregory and port Sandfield” [before 1929], St. James' Anglican Church (Port Carling, Ont.) sous fonds,2009-125_001_007_001.
• Joyce Archdekin Payne, “A History of St. James the Apostle Anglican Church”, 1993, Diocesan Heritage Centre Parish History collection, Algoma University Archives, 2014-019_001_001.
• Barbara Gibbs, "Parish of Muskoka Lakes", Diocese of Algoma, 2014 April 28, accessed on 2016 May 30, http://bit.ly/1X2xv3R​.