You're Invited!

140^th Anniversary

Guthrie Presbyterian Church, Alvinston

100^th Celebration of the

Laying of the Cornerstone

Sunday, May 25, 2014

3:00 p.m.

Worship Service

Historical Memories

Special Music

Reminiscing

Dinner & Fellowship 

100th Anniversary of the Laying of the Cornerstone

This year marks the 100^th Anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone of Guthrie’s current church building. On Sunday, May 25^th at 3:00 p.m., the members of Guthrie will be celebrating this event, as well as 140 years as a community of faith, with a special service and meal. Everyone is welcome to join us in this celebration so be sure to mark the date on your calendars! 

Here’s an excerpt about the laying of the cornerstone from Helen Armstrong’s book 100 Years in the life of Guthrie Presbyterian Church, Alvinston: 

"The Corner Stone of the New Presbyterian Church was laid on Wednesday, July 1, 1914, when a very impressive service was conducted and supper served in the new sheds.  

 

Long before the laying of the corner-stone had arrived, many citizens and out-of-town visitors had gathered for the purpose of witnessing the afternoon’s proceedings. 



Rev. R.G. McKay and his son Alex at a wedding on the
A.T. Morrison farm which was later owned by
Mrs. William Lehrbass. Circa 1919.

At 3:00 p.m., the pastor Rev. R.G. McKay announced that the hour had arrived to commence the ceremony which was opened by singing The One Hundredth Psalm, followed by a prayer by Rev. N.A. Campbell of Inwood.  

Hymn, Oh Jesus, our chief Corner-stone, was then sung and Rev. Easson of Napier read the Scripture Lesson, which was taken from 1^st Corinthians, 1-10. 

Rev. R.G. McKay then read a history of the church, giving the names of the different ministers and the length of their incumbency.  

Hymn Christ is made the sure foundation followed by the dedication prayer by Rev. McKay. 

 

Mr. Ed. Reader, Chairman of the Building Committee, then handed the trowel to Mr. P.A. McDiarmid, senior member of the session, who declared the stone well and truly laid, with fervent good wishes and a benediction upon the work. 

Addresses were then given by the resident ministers, Rev. Pherril  and Rev. Brittain; also, Rev. Forester, Campbell and Weir. Dr. J.B. Martyn, M.P.P. of East Lambton, gave a few congratulatory remarks. 

The hymn How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord was then sung and the benediction pronounced by Rev. N.A. Campbell. After this, over five hundred and twenty five people partook of the supper which was served by the women of the congregation. It was patronized by people of all denominations. The receipts of the supper amounted to over $130."

 

Cornerstone Postcard Photos Courtesy of Allan McNeil.

History of the Guthrie Christmas Puddings

If you’re a fan of Christmas pudding, you won’t want to miss the opportunity to taste one made by the members of Guthrie Presbyterian Church in Alvinston.

Rheta McLean & Isabel McLachlin

This sixty-five year tradition began when Gladys McCallum brought the recipe home from a cousin’s church in Kincardine.

Approximately twenty puddings were made in one pound coffee tins at the home of Jessie McKinlay and the vegetables were put through hand grinders. The next year, twice as many were made at the church. 



Goldie Armstrong

For thirty years, Gladys’s sister Rheta McLean, supervised the morning shift. Some other early names included: Thersa Steele, Ethel Annett, Anna McDougall, Neilena McLachlin, Helen Armstrong, Annie Ferguson and Helen Wrightman.  






 

Mary Gilroy obtained head-cheese loaf pans from Burns Grocery in Watford and the production increased yearly from 289 two pound puddings in 1975 selling for $3.50 each to a high of 627 in 1990 at $6.50 each. By 1999, the church was selling 400 puddings at $8.00. 

 

 

 

Electric grinders and later, two Kenwood Chefs eased the labour as did the assistance of church men.

 

 

 

 

 

The Parkers sold puddings from their hardware store until they moved to Watford and a church freezer was purchased in 1986.  

 

Florence McNeil took over the morning shift in 1981; while Mildred Maddock looked after the afternoons. Evelyn Douglas, and then, Lorne and Isabel McLachlin continued the mornings; Mary Gilroy and then, Dolores Ferguson, the afternoons. Evelyn returned and gradually passed on the job to Anne Redick. Grinding started Monday morning, the batter was mixed early on the next three mornings and steaming went on for three days with two shifts daily. Mysea Carruthers and Lorraine Douglas looked after the steaming. The purchase of a large stove fan was also an asset.  
 

Although this account ends at 1999 when the above-mentioned booklet was published, the tradition of the Christmas puddings continues at Guthrie to the present day. This year, puddings are available for purchase at $12.00 each. Not only does the making of these puddings raise funds for church projects and uphold a long-standing tradition, but it has become an important time of fellowship for everyone involved. And yes, after sixty-five years, the puddings are still delicious! But don't take our word for it; as the old saying goes, “the proof is in the pudding!”

Excerpt from: 125th Anniversary Edition of Guthrie Presbyterian Church Alvinston, Ontario 1974-1999  by Helen Armstrong.

Photos from: 125th Anniversary Edition of Guthrie Presbyterian Church Alvinston, Ontario 1974-1999 by Helen Armstrong; The Birthday and Anniversary Calendar for Guthrie Presbyterian Church, Alvinston, Ontario and St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Napier, Ontario by the Ladies Aid 2011.

Rev. Jo-Anne Symington's Faith Journey





Rev. Jo-Anne, Hannah and Nathan Symington
Photo Credit: Real Canadian Superstore, Strathroy, Ontario

 

My faith journey has taken me from my early days at West Adelaide Presbyterian Church through my study at Ontario Bible College, University of Waterloo, McGill University and Presbyterian College. I look back to when I was ordained as a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church in Canada on June 26, 1990.

My first charge I served in was St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Kars and Osgoode Presbyterian Church in Vernon, ON from September 1990 to March 1998. I moved back closer to home when I married Wayne Symington on April 18, 1998. After I married Wayne and moved back to this area, I did pulpit supply until I had the opportunity to serve in Brigden Presbyterian Church for 1 1/2 years between 2000-2002.

I started at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Napier and Guthrie Presbyterian Church, Alvinston on August 4, 2002. By the time I came to Napier and Alvinston, Wayne and I had two children. Hannah was 3 and Nathan was 1.

I remember the night of my induction which was held in the church in Alvinston. The choir blessed us with the singing of “Welcome to the family we are glad that you have come to share your life with us.” Not only have I been able to share my life with the congregations I serve in but they have shared their lives with me. We have experienced many seasons together, where we have laughed, shared, visited, worked, and even cried together, but through it all God has been a steady rock and still is.

While in the Alvinston charge I lost my mom to Picks disease on March 22, 2006. Another loss that was devastating to my children and me was the loss of Wayne, a husband and dad, on September 07, 2010 to a massive heart attack. Through this journey of grief and loss and helping my children continue along without their dad, God has been and still is a loving, faithful God, Who promises to always be there for us.

As I reflect back over my life and all that I have been through, my relationship with Jesus has grown with everything I have been through. He loves me and is a constant presence in my life. I trust the plan that God has for my life and the lives of my children. I continue to trust God in every step of this journey and onward I go with God.

I love the people that God has called me to journey alongside in the congregations that I serve in Napier and Alvinston. May God bless each of them as they continue to grow in Christ and walk with Him in their journey of life.

Rev. Jo-Anne Symington

Photo Courtesy of Real Canadian Superstore, Strathroy, Ontario

History of Guthrie Presbyterian Church

As early as 1866, student missionaries held services in Cameron Church (Euphemia Township) and the Log Church (Brooke Township) as well as in the school and homes of Alvinston, Ontario. When the new railway drew more people to Alvinston, London Presbytery appointed Rev. Archibald Stewart of Burns Church, Mosa Township to moderate a meeting of the above-mentioned sessions to start a congregation in Alvinston. The first church, a white frame building, was built on Church Street in 1873; the first sacrament observed on June 7, 1874. In 1879, the first Alvinston Elders were Peter McDiarmid, John McPhail, Neil Campbell, E.G. Elliott and Angus McKinlay. 

The first church was moved to the back of the new brick and stone church which was built in 1897 at a cost of about $5000. The January 1898 dedication service drew capacity crowds during three services.

Sadly, both buildings were destroyed by fire on February 2, 1914; however, plans were soon underway to build the church we are in today. 

They purchased an acre of ground, an apple orchard, for $600 from D.J. McEachern. John Walker used his team and chains to pull out the apple trees. Meanwhile, the minister, Rev. Robert McKay, Mr. Walker and others went around the countryside soliciting funds for the new church which cost $18,000. Mrs. McKay and other women supplied many meals for the builders, Dan Downie and John Chalk, and many other volunteers. The old “Palace,” a former skating rink, was moved from the fairgrounds by Robert McVicar and made into a shed for horses and carriages. There is still a single step beside the church for women to dismount from the buggy. 

The new cornerstone was laid on July 1, 1914; the dedication service was held on May 9, 1915 with standing room only crowds. On Monday, the Ladies Aid fed about seven hundred people with food left over for tea on Tuesday. In each event, music selections played a big part in the celebration. Thanks to the generosity of those in attendance and later donations, the church was free of debt by 1920.  

Thanks to the late Helen Armstrong, much of Guthrie’s history has been recorded in 100 Years in the Life of Guthrie Presbyterian Church Alvinston 1874-1974 and continued in 125^th Anniversary Edition of Guthrie Presbyterian Church Alvinston, Ontario 1974-1999.  

In 1965, the 50^th Anniversary of the congregation brought people from far and wide, including new and former choir members. An estimated seven hundred people attended in the morning with many seated in the basement. Five hundred people enjoyed a turkey and ham dinner in the community hall. 





Photo by L & M McVicar

Over the years, there has been a Young People’s group, a long-standing W.M.S., a Sunday School, a faithful Choir, and of course Ladies Aid who added to the church coffers via bazaars, bake sales, Burns’ Suppers, silent auctions, chicken dinners, puddings etc. We join other churches for Easter and Christmas events. In addition, physical improvements have been made to the building, the kitchens, roof, brick work, and we have added washrooms, piano, organ, furnaces, paint, carpet etc. 

Although our congregation has grown smaller over the years, our faith has not. Like many present day churches, we still try to “keep the faith” and serve the community spiritually and otherwise. 

July 1, 2014 will mark the 100^th Anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone of our current building as well as the 140^th Anniversary of the first Presbyterian Congregation in Alvinston.  We would like to invite everyone to join us on Sunday, May 25, 2014 to help celebrate these important milestones in our church’s history. Stay tuned to this blog for more details!

Excerpted from: The Birthday and Anniversary Calendar for Guthrie Presbyterian Church, Alvinston, Ontario St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Napier, Ontario. Ladies Aid, 2011.

Postcard Photos Courtesy of Maxine & Alex MacKellar