Christ Anglican Church (Port Sydney, Ont.)

Christ Church Anglican was built on a site on Mary's Lake at the mouth of the Muskoka River on an acre of land donated by Sydney Smith. Pine cut from islands in the lake was sawn in Mr. Smith's mill and hand-planed by the congregation to create what has been called the "Mother Church" of northern Muskoka; All Saints' Anglican Church (Huntsville, Ont.) for example became a separate mission in 1883.  Christ Church is the oldest Anglican Church building in the Muskoka district.

Rev. Edwin Cooper was appointed as missionary at Port Sydney in charge of the surrounding country including Huntsville in 1873. The building of the church began that same year. The first event in the church was the marriage of of William Clarke to Emma Ladell in 1873.   The church was consecrated on March 6, 1881 by Bishop F.D. Fauquier.  In 1894, Rt. Rev. Edward Sullivan consecrated the land around and up to the water's edge at Christ Church as a churchyard and hallowed place.  In 1923 the chapel was added and in 1933 the Lych gate was created and dedicated to Mr. Smith's memory. Many of the village's settlers and descendants are buried in the churchyard.

In 1963, Christ Church Anglican (Port Sydney, Ont.) celebrated its 90th anniversary.  At that time the church was the oldest in Muskoka and one of the oldest in Algoma Diocese still being used for regular service. To mark the anniversary a window was dedicated in memory of Canon E.F. Pinnington, who served Christ Church longer than any other incumbent.

Incumbents: Rev. Edwin Cooper, Rev. William Crompton, Rev. E. Robert Clarke, Rev. Cannon E.F. Pinnington (1926-1936, 1950-1963), Rev. Cannon Cyril, Rev. Cannon E. Ray Nornabell.

Source:

• "Ninetieth Anniversary Held At Port Sydney", The Algoma Anglican 7, no. 10 (1963): 1.
• "Church months older than diocese", The Algoma Anglican 17, no. 9 (1973): 5. Algoma University Archives, 2013-086_001_009_009.