The parish of St. Paul’s (Middlechurch) will inaugurate the celebration of 200 years of its presence and witness on January 26th, 2025. Situated in the municipality of West St. Paul, this is a historic landmark for the church in the Diocese of Rupert’s Land. It holds the distinction of being the second-oldest parish in this diocese.
Church structures have played a major part in the way we understand parish life. We can understand St. Paul’s (Middlechurch) best by looking at its history. The parish was one of three that were established in what was known as the Image Plains (Red River Valley settlement). The other two were St. John’s Cathedral (Upper Church) and St. Andrew’s (Lower Church). Rev. David Jones is attributed as the founder priest of this parish. The church was opened for worship on January 30th, 1825. The church developed out of a building much smaller in size which was already operational in 1824. In its earliest records, it has been noted that there was a parochial school and a Sunday School attached to the church. However, the building was ravaged by the devastating floods of 1826. In its initial years, most of the communicants were Presbyterian. Rev. William Cockran succeeded his predecessor and continued to care for not only St. Paul’s but also the parishes of St. John’s, St. Andrew’s, and St. Peter’s. It was in 1844 that a new structure replaced the old flood-ravaged one. This structure had a chancel, a belfry, and a large gallery which housed the choir. The church faced the trial of a flood yet again in 1852. Perhaps the most pivotal moment was in 1853 when the church and graveyard were consecrated in the Anglican tradition. But it was in 1878 when the building got itself a new form, including an important addition when the Middlechurch Industrial School built a Lych gate for the church. The present structure originates from these developments, and the most recent work was completed as late as 1967.
The buildings in which we worship are important, but we are only a Church because of our people. There is no greater joy than when someone from the parish grows to become not only its incumbent, but later on the Archbishop and Primate of Canada. From this parish, Samuel P. Matheson will be remembered for doing just that. The people who have formed the congregations, along with the clergy who have served this parish in different generations, have all contributed to the richness of the landscape, which is captured in the annals of this Diocese and, most importantly, in the land. Presently, even though small in composition, its people have shown a great degree of effort to take leadership in different respects to ensure the smooth functioning of the parish. We are blessed with our neighbours, the Parish of St. Teresa and the Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg, with whom we continually grow and collaborate to serve the broader community. The celebration of this landmark is to honour the generations of the past and carry forward the legacy into the future. The chief function of the church is to be the dispenser of the good news of Jesus Christ and the reign of God’s kingdom. St. Paul’s (Middlechurch) intends to continue in this endeavour wholeheartedly, not just for itself but for this world into which it has been commissioned. For more information on our church and our 200th anniversary celebrations, check out our website at stpaulsmiddlechurch.com.
