Anglican Church of St. John the Evangelist (Ottawa)
Encyclopedia
The Church of St. John the Evangelist is an Anglican church found in the heart of Ottawa
, Ontario
, Canada
, at the corner of Elgin and Somerset Streets. The church is named in honour of John the Evangelist
.
, in a letter to the Earl of Elgin
, then Governor General
of the Canadas
, deeded a piece of land on the corner of Sussex Drive and Mackenzie Street for the construction of a chapel for Anglican soldiers stationed in Bytown
. In 1861, a small school and “chapel of ease” was built, under the direction of the parish of Christ Church. Dr. Lauder was the first Incumbent of this house of God.
By 1871, the chapel of ease was named St John’s and Bishop John Lewis wished to establish it as the pro-cathedral of the Diocese of Ontario. St. John’s soon became known as The Bishop’s Chapel, a name it was to have until 1874. In that year, when the congregation of “goodly and godly” people was sufficiently large, the Parish Church of St. John the Evangelist was consecrated and the Reverend H. Pollard was installed as the first Rector.
and Somerset Streets
from James McLaren of Buckingham, Quebec
. Mr. J. Hames was hired as the architect and construction began on a new Anglican church. The total agreed cost of the new church was $20,000 and the cornerstone
was laid on October 21, 1890.
Within three months, a small congregation was worshipping in the unfinished structure. The first baptism was held on May 15, 1890, when the Rector, John Gorman, christened his son, John. At the annual Vestry of 1891, Father Gorman agreed not to tamper with either the theology or the liturgy of the parish without a two-thirds agreement from the parish. In March, 1891, the church was completed and consecrated as Grace Church.
At this time, St. John’s (Sussex Drive) established a small mission church in Lower Town
and this was known as St. Augustine's, Anglesea Square. The church and property were sold in 1921 and the mission was soon demolished. In 1907, the federal government offered to purchase St. John’s in order to erect new government buildings. The people continued to worship at St. John’s until January 12, 1912, when fire destroyed the building. After the fire, it was suggested that St. John’s join with St. Luke’s on Somerset Street
, an idea which did not appeal to either congregation. A union was then proposed between St. John’s and Grace Church, and on November 3, 1913, a new parish was constituted by Vestry and became known as the Church of St. John the Evangelist. The Reverend J. Gorman was Rector, assisted by Canon Pollard as Rector Emeritus.
entrance is the Ascension window. It complements the window above the main altar which depicts the life of Christ
. Each of the windows in the church has been given by parishioners as a thankoffering and they range in age from the Angel (1891) right up to 1990. Each speaks of the mystery and joy of Christ
and of the church's commissioning to be Christ's ministers and disciples.
The organ
, located in the northeast corner of the church, was built in 1977 by Gabriel Kney of London, Ontario. It contains some 2,000 hand-made pipes, including a unique rank of fanfare trumpets which project horizontally into the church. The area beside the organ is believed to have been the original chapel of the church. This area is now mainly used for choral and instrumental presentations. The Warriors’ Chapel, completed in 1950 on the site of the old parish tennis courts, stands as a memorial to those of the parish
who died in the wars of the twentieth century. It is described as a “quiet and lonely place” for meditation
and prayer
.
The parish's current liturgy is based in the Book of Alternative Services
(1985), and music for worship is taken from the broad repertoire of sacred music, representing everything from renaissance and baroque motets to contemporary spirituals and songs of praise.
St. John's has a long history of being an open, welcoming church for gay
people. The first rector, Canon Gorman, had a son, Eric (1892–1958), who was gay
. Remembering him, one elderly parishioner commented, "back then we didn't talk about it, but everybody knew and loved him just the same." In the 1960s and 1970s gay men living in Centretown
were active members of St. John's. In the mid 1980s when Allen Box was the rector, the AIDS
epidemic struck, and gay
people and their families came to the church looking for support. Under Allen's direction, a ministry to people with AIDS
was begun.
In 1991 Garth Bulmer became the rector of St. John's Church, and he has been an outspoken advocate for gay
people. He has been featured in church publications and in the secular press as a strong proponent of the blessing of same-sex relationships by the Church. The parish is frequently associated with this issue because it actively and publicly support the participation of gay people in the Church, and the participation of the Church in the lives of gay
people.
While not a direct ministry of the parish, The Well is an Anglican Community Ministry. It offers a drop-in day program open to all women and their children. The Well enhances each woman's ability to function independently in the community, to the best of her capabilities, through the use a facility, practical services and support. The Well is housed at St. John's and supported by parishioners and clergy.
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, at the corner of Elgin and Somerset Streets. The church is named in honour of John the Evangelist
John the Evangelist
Saint John the Evangelist is the conventional name for the author of the Gospel of John...
.
Creation
In 1853, the Duke of NewcastleDuke of Newcastle
Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne is a title which has been created three times in British history while the title of Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne has been created once. The title was created for the first time in the Peerage of England in 1664 when William Cavendish, 1st Marquess of Newcastle-upon-Tyne...
, in a letter to the Earl of Elgin
Earl of Elgin
The title Earl of Elgin was created on June 21, 1633 in the Peerage of Scotland for Thomas Bruce, 3rd Lord Kinloss. He was later created Baron Bruce of Whorlton in the Peerage of England on July 30, 1641. His son, Robert, succeeded him, and was also created Earl of Ailesbury in the Peerage of...
, then Governor General
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
of the Canadas
The Canadas
The Canadas is the collective name for Upper Canada and Lower Canada, two British colonies in Canada. They were both created by the Constitutional Act of 1791 and abolished in 1841 with the union of Upper and Lower Canada....
, deeded a piece of land on the corner of Sussex Drive and Mackenzie Street for the construction of a chapel for Anglican soldiers stationed in Bytown
Bytown
Bytown is the former name of Ottawa, Canada's capital city. It was founded on on September 26, 1826, incorporated as a town on January 1, 1850, and superseded by the incorporation of the City of Ottawa on January 1, 1855. The founding was marked by a sod turning, and a letter from Governor General...
. In 1861, a small school and “chapel of ease” was built, under the direction of the parish of Christ Church. Dr. Lauder was the first Incumbent of this house of God.
By 1871, the chapel of ease was named St John’s and Bishop John Lewis wished to establish it as the pro-cathedral of the Diocese of Ontario. St. John’s soon became known as The Bishop’s Chapel, a name it was to have until 1874. In that year, when the congregation of “goodly and godly” people was sufficiently large, the Parish Church of St. John the Evangelist was consecrated and the Reverend H. Pollard was installed as the first Rector.
Growth and Present Location
In 1889, a furore erupted in St George’s Church which was to have a dramatic effect upon the life of St. John’s. A small core of thirty people left St. George’s over a dispute centering on the liturgy, and this group bought a piece of land at the corner of ElginElgin Street (Ottawa)
Elgin Street is a street in the Golden Triangle of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Originally named Biddy's Lane, it was later named after Lord Elgin....
and Somerset Streets
Somerset Street (Ottawa)
Somerset Street is a street in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is divided into Somerset Street East and Somerset Street West by the Rideau Canal.-Somerset Street East:...
from James McLaren of Buckingham, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. Mr. J. Hames was hired as the architect and construction began on a new Anglican church. The total agreed cost of the new church was $20,000 and the cornerstone
Cornerstone
The cornerstone concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or...
was laid on October 21, 1890.
Within three months, a small congregation was worshipping in the unfinished structure. The first baptism was held on May 15, 1890, when the Rector, John Gorman, christened his son, John. At the annual Vestry of 1891, Father Gorman agreed not to tamper with either the theology or the liturgy of the parish without a two-thirds agreement from the parish. In March, 1891, the church was completed and consecrated as Grace Church.
At this time, St. John’s (Sussex Drive) established a small mission church in Lower Town
Lower Town
Lowertown is a district in the central area of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada to the east of downtown. It is bounded roughly by Rideau Street to the south, Sussex Drive and Ottawa River to the north, the Rideau Canal to the west, and the Rideau River to the east...
and this was known as St. Augustine's, Anglesea Square. The church and property were sold in 1921 and the mission was soon demolished. In 1907, the federal government offered to purchase St. John’s in order to erect new government buildings. The people continued to worship at St. John’s until January 12, 1912, when fire destroyed the building. After the fire, it was suggested that St. John’s join with St. Luke’s on Somerset Street
Somerset Street (Ottawa)
Somerset Street is a street in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is divided into Somerset Street East and Somerset Street West by the Rideau Canal.-Somerset Street East:...
, an idea which did not appeal to either congregation. A union was then proposed between St. John’s and Grace Church, and on November 3, 1913, a new parish was constituted by Vestry and became known as the Church of St. John the Evangelist. The Reverend J. Gorman was Rector, assisted by Canon Pollard as Rector Emeritus.
Interior Design
The interior construction of the building is unique in that it is entirely of wood, although the outer walls are stone and brick. The sombre interior of the church accentuates the beauty of the many stained-glass windows. Above the Elgin StreetElgin Street (Ottawa)
Elgin Street is a street in the Golden Triangle of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Originally named Biddy's Lane, it was later named after Lord Elgin....
entrance is the Ascension window. It complements the window above the main altar which depicts the life of Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
. Each of the windows in the church has been given by parishioners as a thankoffering and they range in age from the Angel (1891) right up to 1990. Each speaks of the mystery and joy of Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
and of the church's commissioning to be Christ's ministers and disciples.
The organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
, located in the northeast corner of the church, was built in 1977 by Gabriel Kney of London, Ontario. It contains some 2,000 hand-made pipes, including a unique rank of fanfare trumpets which project horizontally into the church. The area beside the organ is believed to have been the original chapel of the church. This area is now mainly used for choral and instrumental presentations. The Warriors’ Chapel, completed in 1950 on the site of the old parish tennis courts, stands as a memorial to those of the parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
who died in the wars of the twentieth century. It is described as a “quiet and lonely place” for meditation
Meditation
Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
and prayer
Prayer
Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...
.
Recent history
St. John's describes itself as "a large progressive church with emphasis on liturgical renewal, music, and social service."The parish's current liturgy is based in the Book of Alternative Services
Book of Alternative Services
The Book of Alternative Services is the contemporary, inclusive-language liturgical book used alongside the Book of Common Prayer in most parishes of the Anglican Church of Canada...
(1985), and music for worship is taken from the broad repertoire of sacred music, representing everything from renaissance and baroque motets to contemporary spirituals and songs of praise.
St. John's has a long history of being an open, welcoming church for gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
people. The first rector, Canon Gorman, had a son, Eric (1892–1958), who was gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
. Remembering him, one elderly parishioner commented, "back then we didn't talk about it, but everybody knew and loved him just the same." In the 1960s and 1970s gay men living in Centretown
Centretown
Centretown is a neighbourhood in Ottawa, Canada defined by the city as "the area bounded on the north by Gloucester Street and Lisgar Street, on the east by the Rideau Canal, on the south by the Queensway Freeway and on the west by Bronson Avenue." Traditionally it was all of Ottawa west of the...
were active members of St. John's. In the mid 1980s when Allen Box was the rector, the AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
epidemic struck, and gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
people and their families came to the church looking for support. Under Allen's direction, a ministry to people with AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
was begun.
In 1991 Garth Bulmer became the rector of St. John's Church, and he has been an outspoken advocate for gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
people. He has been featured in church publications and in the secular press as a strong proponent of the blessing of same-sex relationships by the Church. The parish is frequently associated with this issue because it actively and publicly support the participation of gay people in the Church, and the participation of the Church in the lives of gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
people.
While not a direct ministry of the parish, The Well is an Anglican Community Ministry. It offers a drop-in day program open to all women and their children. The Well enhances each woman's ability to function independently in the community, to the best of her capabilities, through the use a facility, practical services and support. The Well is housed at St. John's and supported by parishioners and clergy.