Addie Aylestock facts for kids
Rev. Addie Aylestock (1909–1998) was a very important Canadian minister. She was the first woman minister to be officially appointed in her church, the British Methodist Episcopal Church. She was also the first black woman to become an ordained minister in all of Canada.
Early Life and Education
Addie Aylestock was born in 1909 in Glen Allan, near Elmira, Ontario. She was the oldest of eight children. Her family was part of the many black farming communities in Ontario. They often moved to find work. Her family's ancestors had settled along the Conestogo River.
Addie grew up attending a Methodist Church. When the Great Depression happened, she moved to Toronto. There, she worked as a domestic servant, helping with household tasks. Later, she became a dressmaker. While working, she also took evening classes at Central Technical School in Toronto.
She had a strong desire to become a missionary, someone who travels to share their faith. This led her to enroll in the Toronto Bible College. She graduated from there in 1945. While studying, Addie became very active with the youth and Sunday school at a British Methodist Episcopal (BME) church in Toronto. The pastor there saw her talent and encouraged her to think about becoming a deaconess.
A Pioneer in Ministry
In 1944, Addie Aylestock joined the British Methodist Episcopal Church. This church was connected to the African Methodist Episcopal Church. She became a deaconess, which is a woman who serves the church. Her first job as a deaconess was in Africville. She also served in Halifax, Montreal, and Toronto.
In 1951, the BME Church decided to allow women to become ordained ministers. This decision was partly because the church leader believed in Addie's abilities. Addie Aylestock was the very first woman to be ordained in the BME Church. This also made her the first black woman to be ordained in all of Canada.
After her ordination, she was assigned to lead the BME Church in North Buxton. She went on to serve as a pastor in three more churches. These were in Montreal, Toronto, and Owen Sound. Her obituary, a notice published after her death, also mentioned that she led churches in Fort Erie and Niagara Falls. Addie Aylestock passed away in 1998.
