I was confirmed in St. Paul's Anglican Church in Fort Chipewyan on January 16, 1961, along with Hilda Fraser and Dot (Dorothy) Loutit. Mom was baptized by Bishop Pierce on the same day.
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| Dot, me and Hilda |
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| Note Bishop Pierce authenticates this document with the Diocese name, Athabasca, instead of his own surname. Mr. Herman gave me first communion, a big deal for me. |
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| Sunday school at St. Paul's Anglican Church, ca 1959 Constructed in 1880, this is the longest serving Anglican church in Alberta. |
Mom, my sister and I went to church every Sunday, along with Miss Stewart from next door. There was a small but very dedicated congregation - the singing was amazingly loud with Mrs. Mabel Fraser leading every verse. I can't remember Mike ever joining us - it was a free time for him, he got the house to himself, and could crank up the stereo as loud as he wanted . Which he did! The reels of tape, carefully cataloged and labeled, are in a box in my garage now. I haven't quite been able to dispose of them. A lot of Broadway musicals, light classical, the Inkspots, etc. In the summer his Sunday mornings were tinkering with the boat or fishing at the point.
There is a cemetery between the church and the parish hall. Mike hid in among the tombstones one evening when some congregation members were gathering, and scared one of our neighbours so badly that she wet herself. There was a wonderful empty space behind the cemetery that had large trees and rough land perfect for playing battle games (WW2, cowboys, Robin Hood, etc.), building forts, and climbing. This natural playground was one of the reasons I never learned to play piano - I couldn't justify the time away from my friends to make the commitment.
There is a cemetery between the church and the parish hall. Mike hid in among the tombstones one evening when some congregation members were gathering, and scared one of our neighbours so badly that she wet herself. There was a wonderful empty space behind the cemetery that had large trees and rough land perfect for playing battle games (WW2, cowboys, Robin Hood, etc.), building forts, and climbing. This natural playground was one of the reasons I never learned to play piano - I couldn't justify the time away from my friends to make the commitment.
