302 Jasper Street Maple Creek, Saskatchewan S0N 1N0

A Brief History of
St. Mary's Anglican Church

The first services of the then Church of England were held in Maple Creek, in about 1882, following the completion of the CPR to the community. The first St. Mary’s Anglican Church was built in 1887 and was situated at the northwest corner of 1st Avenue and Jasper Street.

The first recorded meeting of the Vestry of St. Mary's Anglican Church, Maple Creek, was held in the Commercial Hotel on Monday evening, November 14, 1887 with the Reverend W.G. Lyon in the chair. Present were Mr. George Wood, Mr. W. U. Ross, Mr. W.F. Peacock, Mr. William Barwell and Mr. F.F. Fatt acted as secretary. The meeting received the report of the Building Committee, which showed a total of $809.15 had been paid out for the church building constructed by Mr. W.F. Lawrence. This amount also included chairs, stove pipes, painting, banking, staining, a stove and stove stand, and the fee of the architect. Easter of 1888, Rev. Lyon, the clergyman, recorded that the meeting of April 5th could not be held because of an infectious disease which had broken out among the cattle of the area.

On June 11, 1889, the Rev. Robert Campbell Crokat, M.A., a graduate of Oxford University was licensed by the Bishop as Curate in Charge of the District running from Kincorth (west of Maple Creek) to Rush Lake. In the minutes of April 25, 1892, this being a large district, a motion was passed asking the Bishop to appoint an assistant as soon as possible. It also records that the Synod had made a grant of $50 to assist in the immediate erection of a parsonage.

On December 17, 1894, a discussion took place about making Maple Creek a separate parish and suggestions were given as to how the necessary $400 could be raised.
At the annual parish meeting, held in 1896, a building committee was formed to discuss whether a tower should be built on the church . It was decided to go ahead with this tower a proposed cost of $180

Early in 1908 the congregation asked and received permission to sell their present lots; to find a new site, and to move the church on to that site. The property was sold to the Masonic Building Society for the sum of $5000, which was to be used to construct a new rectory. The cornerstone for the new church, situated on the southeast corner of 2nd Avenue and Jasper Street, was laid by the Maple Leaf Masonic Lodge #9 on July 29, 1909. The Rector at that time was The Rev. Hugh Wilson. The present church was dedicated in 1910 and consecrated by Bishop M.T.M. Harding on November 5, 1916. The cost of the building, including the removal of the old church, was about $8000. The church has length of about 88 feet, a breadth of 42 feet, and is built up with brick upon a stone foundation. The seating capacity is 200 with an additional 16 seats for the choir. The three beautiful east windows represent: on the left, St. John; in the centre, the Good Shepherd; on the right, the Virgin Mary and the infant Jesus. The pews were supplied by the Globe Furnishing Company and the windows by the Luxfer Prism Company. An extension comprising of the vestry and lobby was added in October, 1928. The bell and tower were donated by Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Bowie and installed December 29, 1928.

A new rectory was added in 1930 and a parish hall was purchased following the Second World War by using one of the former army huts. This parish hall was replaced with the current hall and offices in 1997.

Regina Leader Post
November 22, 1887

“On Sunday last, the new English Church at Maple Creek was consecrated by the Lord Bishop of the Diocese, and Dedicated to St. Mary the Virgin. The Structure which is 20 feet by 30 feet is built of pine and ceiled inside and is surmounted by a bell-arch and cross. It has a three-light gothic window on the west end, but not one in the east in anticipation of one day building a chancel. The church cost about $800, most of which was subscribed in the neighbourhood. The contractor, who did his work very well, was Mr. W. F. Lawrence of Maple Creek, and the architect, Mr. Vincent Dooley, Medicine Hat.

A large congregation assembled at the consecration service, when the Bishop read the office from the Priests’ Prayer Book. A celebration of Holy Communion followed when the Bishop preached from Psalm XCVI 9. “O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” The Rev. W. G. Lyon (Medicine Hat), the new Priest-in-charge, assisted at the celebration.

Evensong was said at 15:30, when the Bishop preached from Samuel XXIV 24, “Neither will I offer unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing.”
A vestry meeting was held on Monday evening, when Mr. F. W. Peacock was appointed Priest’s warden, and Mr. Wm. Bramwell was elected peoples’ warden. Seventy-five dollars was also subscribed towards the purchase of an organ.”