St. Mary Magdalene Anglican Church (Sturgeon Falls, Ont.) makes up the single-point parish of St. Mary Magdalene Anglican Parish (Sturgeon Falls, Ont.)
The first recorded Anglican Service held in Sturgeon Falls was on May 3, 1883 by Rev. Forest Bliss, Missionary at Mattawa who was traveling along the construction line of the Canadian Pacific Railway. In April 1897 Rev. Thorneloe, Bishop of Algoma, paid his first visit to St. Mary's. In November 1898, Rev. C. Piercy became the first incumbent of the church, living in a cottage parsonage built adjoining the church.
In 1904, the original church was torn down and a new, larger, one rebuilt with a brick veneer and basement. The belfry was added 3 years later in 1907, the bell being given by St. Luke's Church in Toronto. The church received some renovation in 1910: fresh paint,wainscoting, chancel's hardwood floors, new altar and credence table, curtains and tapestries. These renovations were largely done with thanks to the parish' Women's Auxiliary. A year later, the church installed a wood furnace. In 1912 the main body of the church had hardwood flooring installed, the chancel received carpet, and a cement walkway was laid outside.
A severe wind storm in 1913 damaged the roof, which required repair with steel beams across the nave. In the same year, the front steps and railing were replaced. The windows were also replaced with tinted cathedral glass. In January 1914 they installed a circular stained glass window over the altar, four feet in diameter. Electric lights were installed the same year.
The parsonage was given a second story, a verandah, and renovated in 1915.
In 1917, the church received a brass plate in commemoration of Rev. Canon Piercy's son, Harold E. Piercy, who was injured in the war and died soon afterwards.
The parsonage was free of debt in 1921, and with thanks to the Women's Auxiliary, a bathroom was installed and a porch.
During 1924 and 1925, the basement of the church was overhauled and turned into a multi-purpose space as a vestry, furnace room, and space for parochial meetings. The parish did so without incurring debt.
In April 1934 a purple upholstered and oak chair was gifted to the church by Charles Murison Piercy, Rev. Canon Piercy's oldest son, to be used as an episcopal chair. The chair originally belonged to Sir Allan MacNab (Premier of Upper Canada 1854-1856), moving to George Murison (Mayor of Hamilton in 1870), then to his daughter, Annie Murison, who married Charles Piercy.
In the summer of 1959 the Church of St. Mary Magdalene was enlarged with a new entrance which connected the parish hall to the sanctuary and a new Sunday school room.
Incumbents and clergy have included: Mr. A. R. Bryant (1893-1894), Rev. Edward Lawlor (1894), Rev. F.R. Godolphin (1895-1897), Mr. T.G. Hay (1897-1898), Rev. Charles Piercy (1898-1902, and 1909-1936), Rev. James Robinson (1902), Rev. D. A. Johnston (1902-1909), Mr. E. Montizanbert (1909).
Sources:
- "Sturgeon Falls Mission" The Algoma Missionary News 11, no.9 (1899): 70.
- "Church Enlarged at Sturgeon Falls", The Algoma Anglican 3, no.8 (1959): 6.
- "Eighty Years Church Life Marked At Sturgeon Falls", The Algoma Anglican 7, no.6 (1963): 1.
- "Sturgeon Falls" in Parish Register, 1893-1935, St. George's Church (Warren, Ont.) sous fonds, Algoma University Archives, 2009-162/001(001).
