After 175 years of worship and 169 years in the same building, Christ Church Anglican has shut its doors forever.
The church known by NOTLers as Christ Church McNab has a long and fruitful history in the community, serving not only as a place of worship but as a community hub in its time.
Rector’s Warden Colleen St. Amand has been involved with the church for as long as she can remember, from her days as a child in the village of McNab.
“There’s a lot of history here. It’s unfortunate we had to close. There’s just not enough people to help out with all that needs to be done,” said St. Amand.
Before the church was built in 1853, the missionary parish met in a one-room schoolhouse across the road.
In its time as a church and community hub, Christ Church McNab held youth dances, dinners, Girl Scout meetings and more. It will undoubtedly be missed.
The church said goodbye to parishioners with a final service on Sunday, Oct. 30, welcoming visitors old and new.
“We had 80 people here, which is a great turnout since we were down into the low 20s,” said St. Amand.
“It was some people who grew up in this community and came to this church when they were younger and others who were in Sunday school here when the program was still active.”
The service included a visit from the archdeacon, as well as a choir, which had not been active at Christ Church for some time.
“There were some changes made to the inside of the building so it doesn’t have historical status. However, there’s a lot of history and the diocese doesn’t want to see it go so they are doing everything to keep it going,” said St. Amand.
During this transitional period, the church will be looked after until the diocese completely takes over.
“We are currently looking for somebody to lease it and if it doesn’t rent, it will be purchased,” said St. Amand.
“What would be nice is if another church came in and purchased it.”
On Nov. 15, Christ Church McNab will hold a deconsecration ceremony so that it will no longer be a consecrated space in the Anglican church.
