Holy Trinity Church at Sturgeon Valley

The following is a reproduction of a printout located within the Holy Trinity Church next to the guest registry:

Holy Trinity Church at Sturgeon Valley

HOLY TRINITY CHURCH is a log church located two and one half miles north and one mile west of Holbein, Saskatchewan. Previous to its construction in 1914, the Reverend Lewis LeClair held Anglican services in various district homes. In 1914, local muscle and broad-axes combined and produced the hewed, square timbers which became the frame of the church. All of the labour was donated, and the only funds for the construction came in a small grant from the Synod office for finishing lumber.

The first furnishings of the church included an altar, a box-stove, several coal-oil lamps and a few chairs and benches. The "Ladies Aid" (later the Women’s Auxiliary) raised money through ice cream socials and box socials for pew-materials. Mr. Rupert Bruce subsequently assembled and varnished the pews. Later, the Lofthouse family donated the pulpit in memory of their mother who drowned in the Sturgeon River not far from the church itself. The pulpit was built by Mr. Harold Atkinson of Prince Albert, who was Mrs. Lofthouse’s son-in-law.

A brass collection plate was donated in memory of the late Mrs. Rupert Bruce, president of Ladies Aid from 1914 until her death in 1928. The matching vases and Cross were placed in the church in memory of Mrs. Henry Shaw, a sometime nurse at Sturgeon Lake Mission and School. The first organ was a collapsible instrument, probably owned by the organist herself, Mrs. John Hahn.

Mrs. Rupert Bruce was the first W.A. president, and she served with Mrs. Wm. Taylor as vice-president and Hilda Lofthouse as secretary. Other members at the time were Mrs. George Wright, Mrs. Philip Hourie, Mrs. Charles Bruce, Mrs. Gilbertson, Mrs. W. H. Cowles, Mrs. Charles Cowles (the store-keeper's wife), Mrs. Joseph Bruce, Mrs. J. Saunders, Mrs. William Halliday, Mrs. Fred Holbrook and Mrs. Ernie Robarts.

The duties of Mr. LeClair at Sturgeon Lake Mission meant that he could provide only occasional services to Holy Trinity until 1918. At that date, Archdeacon (then Canon) Paul came to Sturgeon Lake and held regular services from 1921 to 1924. The Archdeacon's work among the Native people meant that he was required to go north in summer, being in residence at Sturgeon Valley only in the winter. During the summer student ministers conducted services in the church. One of these summer students went on to become the Right Reverend Harry Hives, Bishop of Keewatin.

The first marriage solemnized in Holy Trinity was performed by Mr. LeClair on May 1, 1916, uniting in Holy Matrimony Rose Holmes and Ernest Robarts, both of Sturgeon Valley. Another early wedding was that of Mr. and Mrs. William Taylor on September 29,1924. The last wedding on record at the church took place between LaVerne Anderson and Corey Ziegeman on the Feast of St. Mary the Virgin, August 15, 1955.

The first Confirmation class was instructed by Archdeacon Paul. The first confirmation, by Bishop Lloyd of Saskatchewan, was held on May 25, 1923. Many adults and teenagers were confirmed at this time.

After Archdeacon Paul was called to another post services were conducted by student ministers during the summer; only occasional services took place during the winter, and these were usually taken by a clergyman from Prince Albert. In 1934 Mr. Richard Snaith, a Methodist minister, moved to Sturgeon Valley and requested Bishop Burch to license him as a lay-reader in the Anglican Church. For several years following that date Mr. Snaith conducted services as necessary, especially during the winter.

In 1958 the congregation had largely outgrown the log church, and it was necessary to build a new building for worship and Christian education. With a loan from the Synod Office, donations from Mr. and Mrs. Charles Cowles, and the assistance of the Women's Auxiliary, work on the new church began in Spring, 1958.

By 1964 only occasional summer services and funerals were held at Holy Trinity. The churchyard has continued in use, and residents of the district attend to its upkeep.

Similar in many ways to the entry in Our Harvest of Memories, the printout does have nice additional information. When it was compiled is unknown but I guess the page I copied was printed within the 1990s due to the document being recognizable as a computer print off with Times New Roman text.

Source: The Anglican Parish of Shellbrook printout. Box 352, Shellbrook, SK, S0J 2E0. Office Telephone: 306-747-2595. Telephone Rectory: 306-747-2462