St. George’s Kamloops at 90

Anniversary celebrations a huge success

Watch a video here

June 11th, Trinity Sunday, brought with it sunny skies to celebrate the 90th Anniversary of the founding of St. George’s Anglican Church in North Kamloops! Bishop Barbara was the guest preacher and celebrant, and Dr. Andrew Yarmie, Head of the History Department at Thompson Rivers University was our special guest of honour.

The celebrations began in the churchyard with the blessing of the heritage designation plaque, which tells the history of the parish and includes a photo of the church in the 1920’s. Dr. Yarmie gave a very inspiring and informative speech about the history of North Kamloops before Bishop Barbara blessed the plaque, and then the congregation and visitors – using a cedar branch from a tree in the churchyard and plenty of Holy Water. 

Those gathered in the churchyard then processed into St. George’s, where a joyful rendition of “Holy, Holy, Holy” began the service. The Vancouver Travelling Band, a group of musicians from the Lower Mainland, were in attendance and provided a brass quartet for the hymns during the Eucharist.  After the service concluded, luncheon was provided for all in the parish hall, which was decorated for the special day with red and white balloons and streamers. Guests enjoyed looking at the displays of photographs going back to the 1930’s which decorated the walls of the hall.

Immediately after the luncheon, a concert and sing-along was held out on the grass of the churchyard, with music supplied by the Vancouver Travelling Band, conducted by Mr. Harry Peterson. The concert began with “O Canada”, and then the Band played a selection of pops, Latin numbers, marches, and jazz favourites, concluding with “God Save The Queen.” 

Rev. Isabel Healy-Morrow, who is a member of the Band, conducted “The Maple Leaf Forever,” and Bishop Barbara also took a turn at the baton, conducting an old jazz standard, “Leap Frog.” Passers-by stopped to enjoy the concert and take photographs and videos!

St. George’s would like to express a special “Thank You” to all who came to share this special day with us! We look forward to many more years of worship, work, and ministry in this beautiful heritage church, founded by Canon Henry Akehurst and a small but dedicated group of Anglicans long ago in the spring of 1927