See down for history of St. Paul, Jersey.
Built in 1862 and opened for services on January 1, 1863, and consecrated in 1867 by The Right Reverend Dr. Alexander N. Bethune, Coadjutor Bishop of Niagara, Christ Church, Roche's Point has served the surrounding community throughout the years from this beautiful building. The church was designed and built by its first Rector, The Reverend Walter Stennett, former principal of Upper Canada College (1857-1861) and ordained July 30, 1848, on land given by his parents. The construction quality was excellent as the present condition of the structure shows. The original Wardens were William Stennett and Alfred Wyndham.
Repairs have been undertaken during the past few years not only to repair the signs of time, but also to upgrade the building. Beginning in 1977 with the restoration of the unique stained glass windows, and in the 1990's the interior of the building was completely refurbished to repair the plaster work and to modernize the heating, as well as the addition of air conditioning. In 1999, tie rods were added to reinforce the structure; it having only shifted slightly since 1862. In 2000, a sound system was added and replacement of all the rock mortar joints in 2002 were repaired. A new cedar shake roof was installed in 2016.
The church is well known, having been featured in many publications dealing with rural Ontario. A variety of artists, both local and non-local, have produced paintings and photographs of this beautiful building.
Weekly services have continued since the Church was built. A continuing tribute to the Stennett family and their vision.
List Of Incumbents
1862 - 1866 | The Rev. Walter Stennett, M.A. |
1866 - 1868 | Vacancy |
1868 - 1870 | The Rev. James Morton |
1870 - 1873 | The Rev. Johnston Vicars |
1873 - 1878 | No Incumbent |
1878 - 1880 | The Rev. William Jupp |
1880 - z1881 | The Rev. J.H. Turton (Rectory built) |
1881 - 1883 | Lapse of Incumbent |
1883 - 1895 | The Rev. C.R. Bell, Mus. Bac. (East wing of rectory added) |
1896 - 1900 | The Rev. A.M. Rutherford (Georgina and Roches Point combined) |
1900 - 1904 | Vacancy |
1904 - 1907 | The Rev. J. McKee McLennan (Georgina and Roches Point combined) |
1908 - 1911 | The Rev. F.M. Dean (Georgina and Roches Point combined) |
1912 - 1913 | Vacancy |
1913 - 1917 | The Rev. C.E. Pratt |
1917 - 1918 | The Rev. W.A. Pippin (Holland Landing and Roches Point combined) |
1918 - 1920 | The Rev. W. Creswick (Holland Landing, Sharon and Roches Point combined) |
1921 - 1925 | The Rev. S. Ferguson (Holland Landing, Sharon and Roches Point combined) |
1925 - 1927 | The Rev. Canon Thomas W. Barnett* (Holland Landing, Sharon and Roches Point combined) |
1927 - 1934 | The Rev. Fred Ellis (Holland Landing, Sharon and Roches Point combined) |
1934 - 1937 | The Rev. A.K. Griffin |
1934 - 1937 | The Rev. O. Twiss (Georgina and Roches Point combined) |
1937 - 1942 | The Rev. A.J. Forte |
1942 - 1947 | The Rev. J.T. Rhodes |
1947 - 1949 | The Rev. H.L. Puxley (Ordained while serving) |
1949 - 1951 | The Rev. M.T. Hutt |
1951 - 1953 | The Rev. Alfred .J. Arthur* (Roches Point and Sharon combined) (Consecration of Cemetery addition) |
1953 - 1956 | The Rev. Edward Morley* |
1956 - 1961 | The Rev. Frank B. Cooke* |
1961 - 1967 | The Rev. Jack M. Wiseman |
1967 - 1970 | The Rev. Canon Donald Bone |
1970 - 1974 | The Rev. Earl Sigston |
1974 - 1986 |
The Rev. C Donald Wilson* |
1986 - 1991 | The Rev. Wayne Carney |
1991 - 1992 | The Rev. Canon M. Elizabeth Kilbourn |
1992 - 1994 | The Rev. Canon Terry Tarleton |
1995 - 2012 | The Rev. John Coulman |
2012 - 2013 | Several Interim Priests |
2013 - 2017 |
The Rev. Annette M. Gillies, L.Th., M.Div. Wycliffe College, University of Toronto. (Linked with Christ Church, Holland Landing. In 2017 St. Paul, Jersey services moved to Christ Church, Roches Point.) |
2017 - | The Rev. Canon W. David Neelands, M.A., M.Div., Th.D., D.D., Dean Emeritus of Divinity, Trinity College in the University of Toronto. (Linked with Parish of Georgina.) |
* Denotes Resting In Christ Church Cemetery
St. Paul is known as the "Traveling Church". St. Paul has been standing at its present location for the past 63 years. In June of 1999 we celebrated St. Paul 50th anniversary by bringing the parish congregation and families together to share food and fun and of course stories of those who saw St. Paul on the move.
St. Paul had moved
before. Its original location was at the north-west corner of Ravenshoe Road and
The Queensway South. It was constructed in 1875. In the early 1900's, St. Paul was
moved to the corner of Boyers Road and Metro Road. This was quite the event for the
early 1900's as it was moved on the ice up Cook's Bay. In 1949, it was moved to
its present location. In November 2014 worship services at St. Paul, Jersy were combined with and moved to Christ Church, Roche's Point. In 2017 management of St. Paul, Jersey was assumed by the Diocese of Toronto.