St. Alban's Anglican Church (Ottawa)

St. Albans Anglican Church

St. Albans Anglican Church Daly Street at 454 King Edward Avenue Sandy Hill Ottawa, Ontario
Denomination Anglican Church of Canada
Website http://www.stalbanschurch.ca
History
Dedication St. Alban
Administration
Diocese Anglican Diocese of Ottawa
Province Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario

St. Albans Anglican Church is an Anglican church in the Sandy Hill neighbourhood of Ottawa, Canada.[1] It is Ottawa's oldest surviving church building and one of its most historic.[2]

History

St. Alban’s started in Sandy Hill in 1865.[3] The original Gothic Revival design for the church was done in 1866 by Thomas Fuller, who also designed Canada's original Parliament Buildings.[4]

The cornerstone of the church was laid on May 9, 1867. Construction of the church began in 1867 and it was completed in 1868.[5] The chancel and vestry were completed by King McCord Arnoldi (1843–1904). 1876-77 [6]

However, the location of the church, at the corner of King Edward and Daly (454 King Edward Avenue), is on a steep hill and Fuller's elaborate plans had to be greatly scaled back. The church was attended by many of Canada's early political leaders, including Sir John A. Macdonald.

The church rectory was designed in 1898 by Charles Penruddocke William Kivas Band of Band, Burrit & Meredith.[7]

The church's namesake is Saint Alban, who was the first British Christian martyr. He was martyred for "harbouring and sheltering the oppressed and terrified" (Michael W. Newton, The Parish of St. Alban the Martyr, Ottawa 1865-1877).

Recent History

In 2007 the diocese of Ottawa started moves to bless same-sex marriages. On 16 February 2008, the congregation of St. Albans voted 79-1 to leave the Anglican Church of Canada and request alternative episcopal oversight from the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone, joining the Anglican Network in Canada. In 2010, the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa sued the rector and church wardens for possession of the building and all assets, as well as those of its sister church, St. George's.[8]

In February, 2011, the diocese of Ottawa and parishes of St. Albans and St. George's came to an out-of-court agreement.[9] Under that agreement, the parish of St. Albans would relocate and would change its name, and the parish of St. George's would retain their building and change their name.[10] The old parish of St. Albans is now known as the Church of the Messiah and is part of the Anglican Network in Canada. The bishop stated that "only the clergy were forced to leave", however, and extended a welcome to any of the old congregation that chose to stay.[11]

The Anglican Diocese of Ottawa took possession of the building and name of St. Albans church on July 1, 2011. In April 2011 bishop John Chapman had appointed Mark Whittall as the new incumbent, but he was not inducted until fall 2012, because there was no congregation. On July 3, 2011, the new congregation began worshiping at the church building.[12] As of June 2013, the church has a congregation of 100.[13]

169 Stewart Street was the manse for the church originally, which housed the clergy and pastor for the church.

The building has a Municipal designation under the Ontario Heritage Act, Section 29. There is an Ontario Heritage Trust easement agreement.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 "Property name: St. Alban the Martyr Anglican Church". Ontario's Places of Worship. Ontario Heritage Trust. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  2. ↑ Bedford-Jones, Thomas (1995). St. Alban's Parish, Ottawa: how St. Alban's Church and parish had their beginning under the first rector. Ottawa: Historical Society of Ottawa.
  3. ↑ Nankivell, Neville (2013). "The Way We Were: Anglicans in Ottawa" (PDF). Pulse of the Parish (St. Matthew's Anglican Church): 19. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  4. ↑ "Fuller, Thomas". Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  5. ↑ Pound, Richard W. (2005). 'Fitzhenry and Whiteside Book of Canadian Facts and Dates'. Fitzhenry and Whiteside.
  6. ↑ Ottawa Citizen, 8 Nov. 1867, 3, descrip.; 17 July 1876, 1, t.c.; Free Press [Ottawa], 9 Feb. 1877, 4, descrip.; A. Davidson, Annals of the Parish of St. Alban the Martyr, Ottawa 1865-1942, (8-9) King McCord Arnoldi
  7. ↑ Charles Penruddocke William Kivas Band
  8. ↑ Kelly Roche, "BYOB parish splits from church", Ottawa Sun, June 26, 2011. Accessed June 25, 2013: "In 2008, the church voted 79-1 in favour of separating from the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa, after its decision to bless same-sex marriages. ... St. George’s Anglican Church followed suit and last year the Diocese of Ottawa sued the rector and wardens of both churches. An out of court settlement was reached six months ago and as part of the deal, the churches agreed to change their names. The Diocese of Ottawa takes possession of St. Alban’s July 1."
  9. ↑ Marites N. Sison, "Ottawa Churches Settle Dispute", Anglican Journal of Canada, 15 February 2011
  10. ↑ Anglican Network in Canada, "News Release: Ottawa parishes reach settlement with Diocese", Anglican Network in Canada, 13 February 2011
  11. ↑ Chapman, Rt. Rev. Dr. John H. "From Our Bishop". Anglican Diocese of Ottawa. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  12. ↑ Brian Sarjeant, "The New St. Albans is Born", Anglican Diocese of Ottawa: Catch the Buzz, July 2011
  13. ↑ Art Babych, Rev. Mark Whittall inducted at St. Alban’s, St Albans website: "In April of 2011, Bishop John Chapman appointed the Rev. Mark Whittall as the Incumbent at St. Alban’s, Ottawa, but he wasn’t inducted until this fall. The reason for the almost 20-month delay? Mark started without a congregation! Members of St. Alban’s left the historic church when the previous clergy resigned from the Anglican Church of Canada three years earlier to join the breakaway Anglican Network in Canada. ... Mary-Martha said that the new St. Alban’s began as a congregation of one and has grown to over 100 worshippers with more than 60 coming to church each Sunday morning." Accessed 25 June 2013.
Bibliography
  • Bedford-Jones, Thomas (1995), St. Alban’s parish, Ottawa, how St. Alban’s church and parish had their beginning under the first rector. Bytown pamphlet series, Ottawa, Ontario: The Historical Society of Ottawa 
  • Macdonnell, W.M. (1996), Old Songs and Hard Commands: Remembering the Parish Choir and the Church of Saint Alban the Martyr, Ottawa 1984-1996., Ottawa, Ontario: St. Alban's Anglican Church 

Author, W.M. Category Subject Call Number 365.M.12.0

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Coordinates: 45°25′36″N 75°41′06″W / 45.426675°N 75.685099°W / 45.426675; -75.685099

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