Canon Davis Turns 85

From an article submitted to the Sarnia Observer for publication June 4, 2011

Kay McPhail first attended Canon Davis Memorial Church when it was founded as a Sunday school mission effort of the Ladies Guild at St. George’s Anglican Church on Vidal in 1926.

Now Mrs. McPhail, who just celebrated her 90th birthday, is one of a number of parishioners with long ties to the parish who will see the church observe its 85th anniversary tomorrow.

The church, located at Russell and Maxwell Street, will hold a special anniversary service, with a guest preacher who grew up in the parish, the Rev’d Scott Forbes, who now works for International Justice Mission, an organization working to help children at risk in third world countries.

The 11am worship, which includes communion, will also include a light luncheon afterwards, cake, balloons and historical exhibits. The parish will welcome the new Anglican Archdeacon for Lambton-Kent, the Venerable Paul Millward, who will attend after his own parish worship at Christ Church, Chatham.

From its humble beginnings meeting as a Sunday school for children in what was then north Sarnia in homes and for a little while in London School, Canon Davis Memorial was set up as a parish, using the old Anglican Church from Oil Springs, moved to the current site.

It was named Canon Davis Memorial to honour the Reverend Canon Thomas Robert Davis, who was rector of St. George’s, Sarnia from 1882-1922. Canon Davis emigrated from Ireland as a boy, and spent most of his ministry in Sarnia.

While Anglican churches are usually named for saints, Canon Davis is one of two in Huron Diocese named after clergy. The other is Bishop Cronyn Memorial in London.

The growth of Canon Davis Memorial in the late 20’s meant the old church wasn’t sufficient for its needs, so plans were made to build a new church. The result is the current building, designed by Chester Woods, to be a Gothic structure in the English parish church style. It opened in 1931, with a mortgage of $17,500 a large sum for a church in the depression era.

The old Oil Springs church was moved a small distance to become a parish hall, until 1957 when a new parish hall was built.

The 30’s were a time of growth for the young parish. On one Sunday in 1932 attendance at Sunday school was reported at 236.

The mortgage for the church building was finally burned in 1949. The next year a new rectory was constructed next to the church, a brick two storey building with four bedrooms, for $17,000.

Families at the church have been very generous in donating memorials, most notably the lovely stained glass windows in the nave of the church.

The current rector at Canon Davis, the Rev’d Bob Bettson, arrived from the South Parkland Parish in the Diocese of Brandon, last September. He is the 11th cleric to serve the parish since 1931.

The last two rectors, the Rev’d Canon Bill Jones (1959-86) and the Venerable Gordon Simmons ((1986-2009) cover a remarkable 50 year span in the parish’s 85 year history.

The parish his issued an open invitation to all friends, former parishioners and members of Canon Davis Memorial to attend both the service tomorrow at 11am and the luncheon. Come and share your memories!