All United Churches across Island plan centennial events
MANITOULIN—The United Church of Canada will be formally celebrating its 100th centennial anniversary on June 10, and all United Churches on Manitoulin Island are planning to celebrate the anniversary, either on that date or June 8, with one church to make it a month-long celebration.
“I think the United Church of Canada has a lot to be proud of and to celebrate,” stated Reverend Mercedes Hughes of the Lyons Memorial United Church in Gore Bay. “The United Church is celebrating its 100th anniversary on June 10, 2025. “We will be holding a special Sunday morning service on June 8 at 10 am. This will be a service of remembrance with pieces of history, and hope for the future. There will also be cake and ice cream served after the service.”
“The United Church of Canada was the first church in Canada to offer an apology to First Nations for what took place in residential schools. The United Church has more to do, but we have come a long way to trying to acknowledge and follow the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in terms of developing real relationships with all Indigenous people,” said Rev. Hughes. “The Indigenous church has been part of the United Church for a long time, and a couple of months ago the United Church determined that the Indigenous Church within the United Church has equal autonomy/status as other regions of the church.”
“The focus of the United Church is being inclusive to everyone,” said Rev. Hughes. “All people are welcome in the church, regardless of their gender, sex, race, religion, nationality. All our welcome at God’s table.”
Reverend Janice Frame of the Western Manitoulin Pastoral Charge, which includes the United Church in Silver Water, Elizabeth Bay and Meldrum Bay explained, “there will be a special service for each. The service will be steeped in looking back at the church history and past and looking at the future.” The centennial anniversary celebrates the union of the Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregationist national churches in 1925. Bring into that reality with faith and understanding that God is with us in this transitional time.”
The churches in Elizabeth Bay and Meldrum Bay predate the United Church of Canada 100th anniversary. In 1999 a new church was built in Silver Water to replace the former building.
Rev. Frame said the special service will take place on June 8 at 9:15 am at Meldrum Bay, 11 am at Silver Water and 1 pm at Elizabeth Bay United Church.
Reverend Susan Peverley said a special service will take place at Knox United Church in Manitowaning at 10 am on June 8 and at St. Andrews by the Sea United Church in South Baymouth at 11:30 am.
“On June 10, members of the congregation will gather at Knox United in Manitowaning where the church bell will be rung 100 times, and at South Baymouth at 7 pm. Everyone will have the opportunity to ring the church bell,” said Rev. Peverley.
Marion Sloss, chair of counsel for the Trinity United Church in Mindemoya (which include the former pastoral charges in Kagawong, Providence Bay and Mindemoya) said, “At this point nothing is set in stone, but on June 8 we will be holding a special service at 11 am, with joyous singing and the display of some of the history of all three churches.’’
At the Little Current United Church special events will take place on all four Sundays in June, said Reverend Whitney Bruno. “On June 8 at 10 am at the 100th anniversary service we will be ringing the church bell 100 times plus. Everyone will have the opportunity to ring the bell. A lunch will follow, and all former members of the congregation and ministers have been invited to take part, as part of the reunion and to connect.”
On June 15, the Canadian Shield Regional Carousel is having an ordination service. “It will take place at Bell Park in Sudbury at 10:30 am. The moderator for the United Church will be presiding. Locally, we will have a service honouring the anniversary.”
On June 22 the LCUC will hold a dessert social in the afternoon at 2 pm. “There will be a ‘100 years of fashion’ show that will feature outfits worn over the past 100 years,” said Rev. Bruno. She noted that on June 29, “We will hold a ‘Messy Church’ event. Instead of a service in the pews that day everyone will sit around tables with art supplies and be scrapbooking photos from the previous week service.”
“Our history is tied to so many churches and neighbouring communities like Sheguiandah, Honora Bay, Green Bay and others and everyone will be able to make scrapbooks from the photos of the previous three weeks events and scrapbook them,” Rev. Bruno explained. “And people can bring in their own photos from the past.”
The first United Church of Canada moderator was the grandfather of the late Bill Caesar (of Little Current), George C. Pidgeon, who was a Presbyterian minister.
