About

1845 – Anglican settlers to St. Marys and area gather to hold their first worship services in Thomas Ingersoll’s sawmill near the junction of Trout Creek and the Thames River.

1851 – Archibald Lampman, father of the early Canadian poet of the same name, becomes the first missionary priest assigned to St. Marys. He has a double charge: St. James, St. Marys and St. James, Clandeboye – parishes miles apart through mostly uncleared bush. His St. Marys congregation meets in the village’s stone schoolhouse, at the corner of Queen and James Streets.

1856 – The congregation begins planning a permanent church building on property north of Elgin Street, between Peel and Church Streets. These lots were donated to the diocese by James Ingersoll, in accordance with conditions of his land grant from the Canada Company, to provide building sites for the principal established churches in the village.

1857 – The tender for a rectangular, limestone church is awarded and the cornerstone is laid by Canon Brough from London. The parish spends the next year-and-a-half fundraising to complete and furnish the new building.

1859 – On February 27, St. James Church, St. Marys, is consecrated by the newly-elected Bishop of Huron, the Reverend Benjamin Cronyn, before a “densely crowded” congregation. 

Skipping forward-

 1995 – The parish of St. Paul’s, Kirkton, combines with St. James, St. Marys. The rector, the Reverend Glenda Meakin – St. James’ first female priest – has the two-point charge.

2001 – The parish of St. James celebrates its 150th anniversary. A history book is published for the occasion.

2012 – St. Paul’s, Kirkton, closes and many of the church members come to St. James. The Kirkton members add a great deal of creative energy to the congregation.

2020-2021 – The Covid-19 pandemic is a testing time for all churches and their congregations. St. James, St. Marys, takes heroic steps to keep church members engaged and informed.