The Anglican Parish Church, St. Agnes, North Vancouver celebrated 100 years of ministry on Sunday, June 20th, 2010.
In order to make this landmark event particularly meaningful, St. Agnes Incumbent, the Reverend Keith Gilbert with the St. Agnes community planned a re-creation of that first Sunday worship 100 years ago.
A memorable component of that first Sunday in June of 1910 was a visit to the new church by the Incumbent of Christ Church, Vancouver, the Reverend C.C. Owen, who agreed to make the short boat trip across the choppy currents of Burrard Inlet and then hike northeast through the forest to St. Agnes to preach at a 3pm service of Evening Prayer. What better way to commemorate that Sunday of long ago then to ask the current rector of Christ Church, Vancouver (now Christ Church Cathedral), the Very Reverend Peter Elliott to come and preach at the main Sunday morning liturgy 100 years later. In order to properly mark the occasion, Peter agreed to travel from downtown Vancouver to the North Shore on the Seabus and vest en route.
Waiting on the other side at the Lonsdale Quay pick-up and drop-off circle was the Rev. Keith Gilbert also in vestments, and he had brought with him a pre-World War I Model “T” Ford to transport the visiting preacher the 2.5 kilometres to the church.
The trip went well and the 100th Anniversary service was memorable. Over 90 worshippers filled the church and celebrated the Eucharist together.
Click the link for a text version of
Dean Peter Elliott's sermon
Following worship there was a festive lunch and following the community meal, (thanks to Bonnie Fulton), Peter was returned to downtown Vancouver by car.
In the images below we see the Very Reverend Peter Elliott's trip to the North Shore via the Seabus. No one even looked twice as a priest robed in the ship as it chugged across Burrard Inlet. After all it's Vancouver.
On the other side we see Keith greet Peter and then the beginning of the car trip to Grand Boulevard. Many thanks to another "Peter," the driver of the Model 'T'.