The Barwick community and church reflected and shared 100 years of bringing God’s love to a needy world.
The two-day celebrations earlier this month attracted people from Brampton to Vancouver Island here in Canada, as well as from Arizona and California in the States.
Activities commenced at noon on the Saturday with a lunch. Grace was said by former pastor Ken Seburn, now living in Winnipeg.
Among the roughly 150 people on hand were former pastor Tom O’Shiro and his wife, Vi, from Victoria, B.C., Pastor Bill Virgin and wife, Barbara, from Brampton, Pastor Bill McNairn and wife, Eileen, of Winnipeg, and Pastor Ken Johnson from the Fort Frances Evangelical Church.
Other ministers attending the celebrations included Pastor Jeff Plett and wife of the Evangelical Fellowship Church in Fort Frances, Pastor Chet Cooper from Victory Baptist Church in Fort Frances, and David Clink, now retired from the Ministry at All People’s Church at Falcon Lake and East Braintree Community Church in Manitoba, and Pastor Andrew Hall of Calvary Baptist in Emo.
Missionary Pastor Les Abbott, of the local community church, welcomed guests at the Barwick Community Hall. Although the weather outside was steaming for this time of year, the facility was cool enough for the afternoon program.
Barb Forbes read letters from different people congratulating the congregation on its centennial.
Lyle Wheatley and organist Shirley Brown then led the audience in hymns that have kept the ministry strong in the community, including “The Church is One Foundation,” “To God Be the Glory,” and “The Pearly Gates Will Open.”
Brown also presented two numbers during the two days, entitled “O Christ the Same” and “Father to Thee I Come.”
Deacon Bill Clink introduced the former pastors who were on hand for the centennial celebrations, including Rev. Tom O’Shiro, who served as summer pastor from 1950-51 and then full-time from 1955-1960.
Rev. William McNairn served from 1966-68. Leaving the two-charge ministry here, he accepted a call to Welcome Hall Mission, where he was administrator for 15 years, later leaving to be administrator at Union Gospel Mission in Winnipeg.
He has since retired.
Pastor Ken Seburn served at Barwick from 1968-74, leaving to be pastor at the Baptist church in Transcona, then on to the one in Flin Flon.
Just retired, Ken and his wife, Carol, relocated to Winnipeg on Sept. 1 to be closer to their two sons.
Rev. William Virgin, who served as pastor from 1974-80, and his wife, Barbara, now are living in Brampton, where he is active with the South Asian Welcome Centre.
Ken Johson, who served as summer pastor in 1995, now lives with his wife and family in Fort Frances, where he is pastor at the Evangelical Covenant Church.
The current pastor is Les Abbott, who’s served at Barwick since 1999.
June Wheatley presented the history of the local church, the accomplishments, and God’s faithfulness to the church, its congregation, and the community over the first 100 years.
Where Highway 11 meets the main street of Barwick, an elegant community church stands, welcoming all who walk through its doors.
The first building to stand here was the first church in Barwick. Former Chapple reeve Cecil Wilson recalled that as a youngster, he attended the Anglican Sunday School in the morning and went to the Baptist in the afternoon.
The church represents the dreams and determination of those planners and builders. One of those builders was Traiton Luckens, who came to serve the Chapple community in 1901—two years before the church was formally organized.
It was not an uncommon sight to see Pastor Luckens enter church on Sunday morning in the nick of time, wearing high rubber boots and a mud-spattered raincoat, after a visit to a sick person or coming from another meeting.
Rev. Luckens even helped people of the community by working in their hayfields as well as helping them out financially.
Many changes have taken place since that first meeting in 1903. The old church was moved to the Manitou Reserve, sitting alongside Highway 11 on the north side.
A new church was built in Barwick, being the First Baptist. It was renamed Barwick Community Church a couple of years ago, but the same message of hope can still be heard there.
Rev. A.B. Schulte later served the Fort Frances, Emo, and Barwick churches (1943-50). Rev. O’Shiro then arrived as permanent pastor in 1955.
An ongoing, energetic young man, he made many friends. He was seen riding surfboards on a chair at Sunny Cove, and played baseball in the community.
He also drove a funny little black car that some of his congregation put a large key on the trunk, which read, “Wind once a week.”
His main reason for being here was to preach the Gospel, which he did joyfully, having a great love for people and desire to see them become Christians.
He recently was voted “Citizen of the Year” in Victoria, B.C., where he now has a ministry to the needy and poor.
Rev. Albert Fairbrother, who had been a missionary in China before moving to Emo/Barwick, served from 1963-65. Then in 1966, the church was blessed with a new pastor, William McNairn, who he had a wonderful ministry there.
Rev. Harold Wood moved to the district, pastoring the two-charge chuches from 1981-87. An energetic Christian and gifted vocalist, Pastor Wood spent much time involved in the Golden Age Manor.
The Barwick church then had several summer pastors until finally in 1996, under Village Missions, it had its own pastor in Mark Rathwell. The current pastor, Les Abbott, also came under Village Missions.
The Sunday morning worship service concluded the two-day festivities with a packed sanctuary. The guest speaker being Bill McNairn, whose topic was along the line of refreshing memories from the past years.
Special music was provided by the Barron Trio (Diane, Doug, and Donna) in a melody of inspirational hymns, delighting the audience.
Wayne Barron with son, Mark, played “Great is Thy Faithfulness.” Organist Joyce Georgeson then led the audience in several well-known Gospel selections that was thrilling to hear.
Following the service, everyone moved to the lower hall for a potluck. To all those who in any way contributed to the centennial celebrations, a big thank you and may God bless.
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