St. George’s Anglican Church turning 140
Sunday, June 4, is Anniversary Sunday at St. George’s Anglican Church. On this day, the church will celebrate both Pentecost Sunday and 140 years of mission and ministry in the New Glasgow area.
This landmark in the history of the St. George’s congregation will be celebrated with a 10 a.m. celebration of The Eucharist with the Rev. Peter MacRae and two special guests.
Guest preacher for this Sunday will be Maren McLean Persaud. Maren is the daughter of Neil and Karen McLean, Island East River. After graduating from Northumberland Regional High School, Maren completed two degrees, one in Music from Mount Allison University and a second one in Theology from Knox College, Toronto. Now married to Rev. Christian Persaud, Rector of three churches in the Parish of Gagetown, NB, Maren is the full time director of the Camp Medley programs and a member of the Bishop’s Synod Staff, Diocese of Fredericton.
The second guest, Marcel deEntremont, tenor, will allow two long-time friends to perform together. Maren, who specialized in being a collaborative pianist at Mount Allison, will accompany deEntremont when he sings at St. George’s during this anniversary service. deEntremont, after graduating from North Nova Education Centre, went on to complete two degrees in Vocal Studies from Acadia University and the University of Toronto. Since then he has been very busy sing in concerts and opera productions both in Canada and France, and will be a featured soloist in this year’s Nova Scotia International Tattoo. In 2017 he returns for further studies in opera to McGill University, Montreal.
Everyone is welcome to come and celebrate at St. George’s. As it is also Pentecost Sunday, all who come are invited to wear something red. Following the service there will be a reception in the lower hall catered to by the ladies of the ACW.
New Glasgow Anglicans – or members of the Church of England as they would have been known back then – were originally tended to by the priests at either St. James, Pictou, or Christ Church, Albion Mines – Stellarton today. The creation of St. George’s Mission Church began on Christmas Day, 1877, with its first services being held in the Mechanics Hall, Archimedes Street. The current building began its life on June 2, 1882 and since then has been enlarged and enhanced in many ways, including purchasing additional land for a Rectory adjacent to the church on Temperance St. Unfortunately, the rectory fell into disrepair and has had to be demolished.
“Over 140 years St. George’s has had its share of ups and downs but a fierce spirit of optimism and Christian welcome has prevailed,” said Warden Harry deMone. “We look to the future and a chance to support and nurture many more generations in walking the way of Jesus.”