SHEGUIANDAH—The 129-year-old Sheguiandah United Church on Townline Road will soon be demolished as the building has fallen into disrepair. The country church was decommissioned by the United Church of Canada with a special service in September of last year.
As was reported previously, this decision to end more than a century and a quarter of service to five generations of Sheguiandah area citizens was made by the church’s board, trustees and its small congregational membership following more than one year’s discussion. In recent years, the church has been open only for Sunday services during the summer months.
Sheguiandah United Church trustee Tom Batman, who has strong family ties to the church, told The Expositor that the demolition will be imminent, but assures the public that it will only be the skeleton of the building and its foundation that remain. Everything else has been removed from the building and those items with personal or historical value returned to members of families who had originally donated them to the church.
“Anyone who was a donor can be sold back their items for $1,” Mr. Batman explained. “We were able to get most of the items re-homed.”
Mr. Batman had just last week delivered the organ, which was a gift from the Batman family, to Tehkummah. “It couldn’t have gone to a better place,” he said.
The silver, such as the baptismal font bowl, chalice, bread plate etc., will be placed in the Batman room of the Centennial Museum of Sheguiandah for safekeeping. Mr. Batman said he hopes the museum will consider giving the historic church a small display.
“The church is in very, very bad condition,” Mr. Batman, who is also a contractor, continued. “The floors are starting to go, especially in the back hall, and the main rectory is leaking. The smell of mildew is strong.”
Before the building is torn down, the stained glass will all be removed by Mr. Batman’s construction crew, he assured, and those who may be interested in acquiring some of the glass can contact him.
“I am a trustee and a member of the congregation,” Mr. Batman said. “It’s the end of an era.”
As was reported in the August 7, 2019 edition of The Expositor, “This is the second church built on the property, originally granted to the pioneer church trustees in 1877. The property was originally granted from “the Lands, hereafter described, are part and parcel of those set apart for the use of the ‘Ojibwas and Ottawas of Manitoulin Island Indians,” as is quoted from a copy of the original grant to the trustees for the then fledgling Methodist Church of Sheguiandah.
“The first building was begun in 1875 and completed in 1877 on the half acre that was granted. It was built chiefly by Adam Trotter and Robert Lewis who cut the timbers and erected the building after their day’s work and in their spare time. When the building was ready for plastering, Mr. Trotter sold a cow to pay the mason and by 1877, the first church was completed, debts were paid and a good old fashioned revival was held.
“In 1893 a congregational meeting was held and it was decided to build a permanent structure. A motion passed on October 10, 1893 to move the old church to the back of the lot and build the new church at the front, where it stands now. There were 29 parishioners of the new church and they agreed to pay their promised amount as soon as the subscriptions totaled $350. The present church was built in 1894 and was ready for dedication in February of 1895.
“The story of additions to the building continued 55 years later when the Honora Bay United Church had been closed for a few years and the Sheguiandah United Church Ladies’ Aid Society purchased its building for $200. Volunteers dismantled the building in sections and moved it by horse and wagons to Sheguiandah and rebuilt it for a hall behind the present church. A kitchen was made and equipped so meals and other activities could continue. On June 26, 1952, the new hall was officially opened and dedicated by Rev. Elmer Tofflemire and was followed by a strawberry social.” The strawberry socials at the Sheguiandah church continued for many years and into the 21st century.
“It’s a surreal feeling, I grew up in this church,” Mr. Batman shared. I have some very mixed feelings, but it’s a different world. I feel I’ve done what our elders would want, and with great respect and dignity.”
Expositor file photo
