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My first title of this week’s blog was ‘Building the Church’.  Then I though of a more technical title ‘Constructing of our Church’, but when I re-read the minutes of July 1912 to January1913 I realized that while the financing and construction of the building was a major point of discussion, there were many request for membership.   So the building of our church congregation was proceeding in parallel with the construction of the building.  So my first title stands.  The minutes contained some interesting items: why our AGM is in February, that in October the building probably started to get cold, one of the jobs of the janitor was to feed the coal into the furnace, that our building was designed and built without a furnace.   We chose an underfeed furnace similar to the one in the advertisement in this weeks photo.  (A PDF of the complete scan of the records is available on the Our History Page).

Some of the intersting items:

           May 29th 1912:  A plan is put forward to finance the construction of our building, and the congregation acted swiftly --

 “Moved by Bro. W.J Scott that we proceed on the above plan 2nd by M.W. Colwell. Carried.    Moved by O.J. Benedict 2nd by B.M. Colwell that our Pastor & Bro. Scott turn the first sod tonight  Carried.    Moved we adjourn by Bro. G.H. Colwell 2nd by Mrs G.H. Reid. Carried.    The Congregation the retired outside the tent where our Pastor and Bro. Scott turned the first sod & prayer was offered by Bro. Scott after which we joined in singing the Doxology.”

             July 3 / 12:   13 members were added --

 “ Moved by Bro. Geo. H. Thompson 2nd Bro. Davidson that Mrs. E.D. Steeves, Mr. & Mrs. John Fletcher, Dorothy & Mis A.W. Peck, Mr. & Mrs E.W. Westcott, Mrs W.H. Taylor, Mrs Ralph King, Miss Edith, Miss Anne, Mr Ralph & Mr Cinst King be received as members of the church & be given the right hand of fellowship on Sunday next.  Carried.”  Followed by four members added on July 31st and one more on September 25th.

            From the photo from my last blog you can read that the church building was ready for occupancy at the end of September.

             October 2nd:  four more members added and the it must have been getting cold in the building –

“Moved by Deacon Scott 2nd by Deacon Colwell that the Finance Committee be authorized to get a furnace. .. Carried.”

             Five more were accepted into membership on October 30th.  November 26th two more brothers applied for membership.

            January 29th: “The Annual Business meeting of the church was held on the above date at the close of a short prayer service with our Pastor in the chair. Minutes of the previous meeting read & approved, Our Pastor stared on account of some not being present because of hard walking it might be well to postpone part of the important business until another night.  Moved by Deacon Scott 2nd Bro. G.H. Reid that we adjourn all business possible until Feby 12th.  Carried.”  And that is why our AGM is now in February.