Saturday, December 29, 2007
St George's, Blue Mountains, Ontario
The Rev. Canon Stephen Haig, previously the rector of St. John the Evangelist, Leamington, has been appointed the rector of St. George's Anglican, Blue Mountains (formerly Clarksburg) effective January 15, 2008. Rector for the past six years, the Rev. Canon Ben Burry's conducted his final service at St. George's Anglican on Sunday, July 8th, 2006, retiring after celebrating the 40th anniversary of his ordination. The first St George's was a frame building erected in 1862. It was replaced by the present brick structure constructed on the same site and completed in 1899. In 1980, an addition was built, providing a meeting room, nursery, rector's study and washrooms.
An ongoing ministry is to Mexican migrant workers. Every summer the Mexicans work in the area's apple orchards and although most are Roman Catholic, they have been welcomed at St. George's in the absence of a Roman Catholic church in the community. They frequently participate in Sunday services by reading the Gospel in Spanish and the St. George's congregation has learned the appropriate Spanish responses.
