St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church (Ottawa) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church |
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St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Downtown Ottawa
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| 45°25′13″N 75°42′13″W / 45.420327°N 75.703635°W | |
| Country | Canada |
| Denomination | Presbyterian |
| Administration | |
| Presbytery | Ottawa |
| Synod | Quebec & Eastern Ontario |
St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church is the oldest Presbyterian church in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It has been an important part of Ottawa's history for nearly 200 years.
Contents
A Look Back: The Church's History
How St. Andrew's Began
St. Andrew's is Ottawa's oldest Protestant Presbyterian church. It was started for Scottish and Irish workers. These workers were building the Rideau Canal in the early 1800s.
In 1827, a man named Nicholas Sparks gave land for the church. The church building opened in 1828. Workers built the church during breaks from canal construction.
At that time, Ottawa did not have an Anglican church. St. Andrew's asked to be recognized as the main church in the city. This would give them rights to special land called "clergy reserves." The authorities agreed in 1837. The church received a large area of land south of the city. This area later became a neighborhood known as the Glebe.
In the 1840s, a stone house for the minister was built. In 1844, some families left to form a new church, Knox Free Church. This happened because of a big change within the Church of Scotland.
The original church building was made bigger in 1854. The current church building was finished in 1872. William Tutin Thomas from Montreal designed it.
Growing Stronger
By 1875, St. Andrew's joined with other Presbyterian churches in the area. These churches became part of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. This group was called the Presbytery of Ottawa.
In 1906, a plaque was put up to honor Lt Colonel John MacPherson. He was the treasurer for the Dominion of Canada Rifle Association for 36 years.
The Great War Years
During the First World War (1914-1918), many church members served. Rev. A. M. Gordon, an assistant minister, went overseas with Canadian soldiers.
A memorial plaque honors Brigadier General William St Pierre Hughes. He was the first leader of the 21st Battalion (Eastern Ontario), CEF. Another plaque remembers Major General James Lyons Biggar. He was a top military officer in Canada during the war.
A beautiful stained glass window also honors church members who died in the war. Another plaque remembers Matron Margaret H. Smith. She was a nurse who served in both the South African War and the Great War.
In 1925, there was a big vote. The Presbyterian Church in Canada was considering joining the United Church of Canada. St. Andrew's congregation voted to stay Presbyterian. Many families and the minister left to join the new United Church. Only St. Andrew's, Knox, and Erskine churches remained Presbyterian in Ottawa.
Between the Wars
After 1925, there were fewer Presbyterian churches in Ottawa. St. Andrew's, Knox, and Erskine worked together on city-wide projects. New Presbyterian churches were also started in other parts of Ottawa.
The Second World War
During the Second World War, Princess Juliana of the Netherlands lived in Ottawa. She and her family were in exile from their home country. Princess Margriet of the Netherlands was even baptized at St. Andrew's.
Princess Juliana later gave a wooden lectern and a brass plaque to the church. This was to thank the church for its kindness during her time in Ottawa. The lectern has the Dutch Royal Coat of Arms.
A memorial plaque also honors church members who died or served in the Second World War. It includes a famous line from a poem: "To you from falling hands we throw the torch; be yours to hold it high."
Building Up Again
After 1950, Ottawa grew, and St. Andrew's helped start new Presbyterian churches in these new areas. Four new churches began after 1956. These included St. Timothy's, St. Paul's, St. Martin's, and St. David's. Later, more churches like Parkwood, Trinity, Grace, and Greenview were also started.
Since the 1970s
In the 1970s, the church decided to lease land behind the building. The old Sunday school building was taken down. In its place, an office building called St. Andrew's Tower was built in 1988. This building is now the main office for the Department of Justice. The church still has offices and rooms on the lower levels of the tower.
Many important people have visited St. Andrew's. Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King worshipped there. Governors General like the Earl of Aberdeen and Lord Tweedsmuir (who was also the author John Buchan) attended. Lord Tweedsmuir's funeral was held at the church in 1940.
In September 2003, the church celebrated its 175th anniversary. A new book about its history, Unto the Hills Around, was published for this special event.
Church Leaders: Ministers
The Senior Minister of St. Andrew's is Reverend Dr. Karen Dimock. She was born in Scotland and moved to Canada when she was young. Before becoming a minister, she studied science and earned a PhD in Neuroscience. Reverend Dimock has been the Minister at St. Andrew's since November 2014.
Since 1828, fourteen main ministers have led the church. Many assistants and other staff have also served. Most of these senior ministers were born in Scotland.
Two ministers from St. Andrew's have held a very important role. They were the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. This is like being the head of the entire church in Canada. These were Rev. Dr. William T. Herridge and Rev. Dr. Arthur W. Currie. Another minister, Rev. Dr. Daniel Miner Gordon, became Moderator after leaving St. Andrew's. He later became the Principal of Queen's University.
St. Andrew's has hosted the Presbyterian General Assembly several times. This is a big meeting where leaders from all over Canada gather.
List of Ministers
- John Cruickshank (1829–1843)
- Alexander MacKid (1844–1846)
- William Durie + (1846–1847)
- Alexander Spence (1848–1867)
- Daniel Miner Gordon (1867–1882)
- William T. Herridge (1883–1919)
- George G.D. Kirkpatrick B.D. (1920–1925)
- William Harvey Leathem + (1926–1937)
- Alexander Ferguson + (1938–1942)
- Andrew Ian Burnett (1943–1960)
- Arthur W. Currie (1961–1986)
- James Peter Jones (1987–1997)
- Andrew J. R. Johnston (1999–2013)
- Karen Dimock (2014–)
+ Died while serving as minister.
See also
