Around 1870 the Haines, a pioneer family, came to Parry Sound Ontario from Charlesville, Ireland. Misses Charlotte and Dora Haines held the first Anglican Sunday School of the area in a small school house on Christie Road. Regular church meetings were held in the school house from June 16, 1902 until 1904. In 1902, land in the Township of Foley was deeded to the Diocese of Algoma. The Reverend G. E. Chilcott, of Parry Sound enthusiastically proposed the erection of a church on this property. With volunteers, material from the Peters Lumber Co., and donations of money from the area, and from England and Ireland, the project began. The new edifice was an unpainted wooden structure, capable of seating 120 people. It was named St. Thomas' after the church in Ireland where the Haines family had been baptized and confirmed. The church was opened May 8, 1904, and consecrated in 1905. Over the years support dwindled, and the mission was closed from August 22, 1915, till June 17, 1917, with periodic services thereafter. The last recorded service was October 20, 1929.
In Orrville, well-attended Anglican services had been held in the Christie Township Hall, and in people's homes, since the 1890's. The parish at that time was known as Christ Church. The Reverend T. O. Curliss and the Reverend Joseph Waring were two of its priests. Other clergy providing services were: the Reverend Lawrence Sinclair a Cowley Father from Bracebridge, the Reverend Richard K. Bamber from Emsdale, and Lawrence Sinclair; who would walk the circuit from Huntsville to Utterson, Rosseau, Orrville, Broadbent, Seguin Falls, Bear Lake, Sprucedale, Emsdale and back to Huntsville. The Anglicans in Orrville had hopes for their own church. Land was deeded to Algoma Diocese on November 6, 1934, by Mrs. Catherine (Cassie) Magee for the consideration of $1.00. A group discussed using this land to relocate the now vacant Haines Lake Church “St. Thomas'” to Orrville, a distance of 13.5 kilometres, Township Hall was also considered. In the fall and winter of 1934-1935 the Haines Lake Church was dismantled and moved in sections by truck, and a horse-drawn sleigh. The pieces of the church were reassembled on the land deeded by Mrs. Magee and was completed in 1936. The original name of St. Thomas was retained, with the first service at the new location being held on Palm Sunday March 21, 1937. On August 7, 1937 St. Thomas' was consecrated by the Right Reverend Rocksborough Remington-Smith, the fourth Bishop of Algoma, with the Reverend Richard K. Bamber as the Incumbent. As the service began, Mr. Bamber selected Albert Healey as the Rector's Warden, and Joseph Hannon, Jr., as the People's Warden, positions they held for many years without election.
Furnishings from the Haines Lake Church were also transferred, including over 100 chairs, the font, stand, and the original organ. The church was heated with wood stoves until 1954, when a partial basement was excavated an oil furnace installed, and the church wired for electricity. Additional furnishings came to St. Thomas' from various churches, as they were closed in the surrounding areas. In 1959, through arrangements made by Archdeacon Peto, a bell, weighing 500 pounds, was transferred from Sprucedale to Orrville. This bell was originally in the Anglican Church in Depot Harbour, and it could be heard in Parry Sound six miles away. The rectory was built in 1966, with volunteer help, and was used for its original purpose for a few years. By May, 1971, the debt on the rectory was paid in full. It was later rented to various families to offset its expenses.
From 1937-1951, St. Thomas' was ministered to by: the Reverend Richard K. Bamber, the Reverend C. Simpson, the Reverend A. P. Scott, the Reverend E. C. Boyer, the Reverend C. Darlington, the Reverend A. Haldenby, and the student-in-charge, R. Inshaw. Several other summer students from theological colleges served over this period including: Guy Marston, Norman Pilcher, Arthur Brown, Lyndon Barclay, Stephen Gilbert, Hector Belton, Jim Jackson and Arthur Chabot. The latter student, on occasion, walked to St. Paul's, a distance of nine miles. Between 1951-1953, St. Thomas' became an official part of the Emsdale-Sprucedale Mission, under the student-in-charge, R. Inshaw. In 1953, Mr. Inshaw became the incumbent of the Rosseau Parish, at which time St. Thomas' joined this Parish and began to enjoy weekly services. An Altar Guild was formed in 1955 and a W.A. group began in 1957.
From 1955-1959, efforts were made to continue services without an Incumbent in Rosseau on a permanent basis. The Reverend J. S. Ditchburn, Archdeacon Cyril Peto, Archdeacon John B. Lindsell, Sister Theadora and Miss Gwladys Davis were assisted by lay people and summer students; Donald M. Landon, and William Moore.
Under the ministry of the Reverend Robert G. Charles, between 1959-1982 St. Thomas' experienced sustained continuity in its services. In the early 1960's, summer students Ian Nichols, Ken Gibbs and Rod Brazil assisted Mr. Charles. From January to May, 1983 the Church was closed. The Reverend Robert Davies was appointed to the Parish. With the addition of new families to the area, a small choir and Sunday School were organized February, 1984. In September 1985 it was unanimously decided that a new church building should be considered instead of repairing the existing one.
On July 31, 1988 the newly erected St. Thomas' Anglican Church in Orrville was dedicated. The new building built by architect Michael Kelly replaced the 80 year old building that served the congreation since 1936 when it was moved to Orrville from Haines Lake.
Sources:
- "83-year old St. Thomas' Church, Orrville, to be replaced?" Algoma University Archives, http://archives.algomau.ca/main/sites/default/files/2013-086_001_014_005.pdf [accessed 2013 July, 28]
- St. Thomas Anglican Church in Christie Township, http://images.ourontario.ca/ChristieHistory/2338448/data [accessed 2013 August, 3]
- Isobel Swainson, "The Churches served by the Rector of Rosseau", The Algoma Anglican 26, no. 10 (1981): 4. Algoma University Archives, 2013-086_001_012_025.
- "St. Thomas' Church, Orrville, has attractice new building", The Algoma Anglican 35, no. 8 (1988): 1,3.
