Church of the Ascension (Windsor, Ontario) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of the Ascension, Windsor, Ontario |
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| Location | 1385 University Avenue West Windsor, Ontario N9B 1B6 |
| Denomination | Anglican Church of Canada |
| Website | http://www.ascensionwindsor.ca/ |
| History | |
| Dedication | Ascension |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Ontario |
| Diocese | Ontario Diocese of Huron |
| Province | Canada |
The Church of the Ascension is a special church located in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. It is part of the Anglican Church of Canada, which is a Christian church. This church started a long time ago, on May 11, 1893. Back then, it was called the Chapel of Ascension.
Even today, the church holds its services in the same spot on London Street, which is now called University Avenue. In its early days, priests from a nearby church, All Saints Anglican Church, helped lead the services. People would even gather for services on the land before the first church building was built. The Church of the Ascension grew bigger over time. By 1905, it had enough members to get its very own full-time priest.
Contents
A Church's Journey Through Time
The Church of the Ascension has changed and grown a lot over the years. It has been rebuilt and improved many times.
Building the First Brick Church
As the church community grew, the first wooden building became too small. So, it was taken down. Construction on a larger brick church began in August 1907. A special stone, called a cornerstone, was placed to mark the start of the new building. The new church building was officially opened on May 31, 1908.
Rebuilding After a Fire
Sadly, this beautiful brick church was destroyed by a fire on December 22, 1926. No one knew what caused the fire. Only a few things were saved, like the altar cloths, communion cups, and the church hall. While the church was being rebuilt, services were held in the parish hall. A new cornerstone was laid in 1927, and the rebuilding began quickly. The church was ready and officially opened again on December 4, 1927.
Improvements Over the Years
Over the years, the church building and its property have seen many updates. Most of the money for these improvements came from generous donations by the church members. Some of the new additions included colorful stained glass windows and a new organ. They also added a house for the priest, updated the church hall, and built a parking lot. Air conditioning was installed, and a new office was built in 1988.
A Second Fire and Restoration
The church faced another big challenge on January 14, 1990. A second fire broke out, and this one was started on purpose. Much of the church was badly damaged.
Bringing the Church Back to Life
Even though the damage was severe, restoration work started right away. While the church was being fixed, services were held at a local school. Later, they moved back to the parish hall, which had only minor damage from the fire. Church members worked hard to save many important items. They rescued the cross, altar cloths, silver items, candlesticks, church records, the church Bible, and many of the wooden pews.
Restoring Stained Glass Windows
The beautiful stained glass windows were also rebuilt. The original glass was used, but new lead was needed because the old lead had bent from the intense heat of the fire. The church was fully restored and officially opened again in November 1990. Many important people from the community attended the special event.
The Church Today
The Church of the Ascension continues to add new features to its building and grounds.
New Additions and Memorials
These additions include a peaceful Memorial Garden. This garden even uses some of the charred wooden beams from the fires, reminding everyone of the church's strength. A new church sign was put up, and paintings were added to the parish hall and nursery. In 1993, a new stained glass window was installed facing the street. This window celebrates the church's 100th birthday, a big milestone!
