Silverwater (Ont.)

St. Peter's Anglican Church (Silverwater, Ont.) is a church in the Western Manitoulin Anglican Parish.

The St. Peter's church was built before 1909, which at this time the congregation was deciding on a parsonage; they were torn between building a new home on a plot of land they had secured, or accepting an offer on an already built house. The early years seemed to be good ones, and in 1916 the congregation had plans for expanding the church building. They wanted to add a chancel, porch, and provisions for classrooms. 

Sources:

• "Silverwater", The Algoma Missionary News 6, no. 9 (1909): 5. Algoma University Archives, 2009-081_001_008_1909Oct.
• "Archbishop visitation of Manitoulin Island", The Algoma Missionary News 12, no. 9 (1916): 4. Algoma University Archives, 2009-081_001_009_1916Sept.

Western Manitoulin Anglican Parish is a multi-point parish and includes the Anglican churches on much of the Manitoulin Island: All Saints' Anglican Church (Gore Bay, Ont.), St. Francis of Assisi Anglican Church (Mindemoya, Ont.), St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church (Kagawong, Ont.), St. John's Anglican Church (Sheshegwaning Reserve, Ont.), St. John's Anglican Church (South Baymouth, Ont.), St Paul's Anglican Church (Manitouwaning, Ont.), and St. Peter's Anglican Church (Silverwater, Ont.).

Missionaries of the Church of England have been recorded on the island since 1800. The efforts seem to have been more substantial in the 1830s with Rev. J.D. Cameron, Rev. William McMurray, and Rev. Adam Elliot expanding into the Manitoulin islands from their missionaries around the area. In 1838 the Bishop sent Rev. C.C. Brough to Manitowaning to begin a true presence of the Church of England.

By 1966, the Parish of All Saints' (Gore Bay, Ont.) became self-supporting and, at this time, included St. Peter's (Silverwater, Ont) and St. John's (Sheshegwaning Reserve, Ont.). The parish was ministered by Rev. Michael Dunnill. 

The Sheshegwaning church has closed.

Sources:

• "Gore Bay Moves Forward", The Algoma Anglican 10, no. 8 (1966): 4. Algoma University Archives, 2013-086_001_003_018.
• Willis John McQuarrie, “All Saints’ Anglican Church: Parish – 1880 to 2000”, 2000, All Saints’ Anglican Church (Gore Bay, Ont.) sous fonds, Algoma University Archives, 2009-170_001_001.