Events have been happening in 2021 to give thanks for 200 years of the building of the oldest church still stand in Liverpool – Trinity Anglican Church, Anglican Parish of South Queens. The parish consist of five churches along the shore of southern Queens County.
The roots of the Church of England in Queens County can be traced to the forming of the township of Liverpool. Shares were set aside and reserved for the church and schools associated to the church in 1764. The inhabitants were Presbyterians and Congregationalists. It was not till 1807 that Bishop Charles Inglis paid a visit to Liverpool and desired Col. Freeman and Benjamin Knaut to ascertain their location and boundaries. This is the very beginning of the Church of England – Anglican Church of Canada in Queens County, Nova Scotia.
In January 1816 the first request was sent to the governor of Nova Scotia – Sir J.E. Sherbrooke to ask that a parish be formed. By 1819, the Rev. Twining [ Trinity’s first rector ] became resident missionary and held services in the grammar school, of which he was master. By the fall of 1820 they renewed an earlier request to the lieutenant Sir James Kempt to form a parish. It was granted on November 21st, 1820 and was denominated “THE PARISH OF TRINITY CHURCH”.
Hallett Collins and Benjamin Knaut offered 100 by 80 feet of land for the erection of the church near the grammar school. The towns people were elated. The building of the church began in earnest and was opened by June 1821. The church was built by the Halifax Casket Co. William Spike principal architect, the style being the “mission” churches of California. Trinity had three sets of pews but now has two. By 1861 the gothic chancel was added; old parish hall built in 1905 and present hall added to church in 1998. Trinity had four organs in its history, the present one being a Casavant.
The Church of England grew in later years to include Christ Church, Caledonia in 1851; Holy Redeemer, Port Medway, 1857; Grace Church, Western Head, 1858; All Saints, Mill village, 1858; St. Andrew’s, Liverpool by town well, 1869; St. James, Hunt’s Point, 1970 and St. John’s, Eagle Head, 1872.
Our claim to fame in the diocese came from two sources. First, the present day Diocesan Synod came from the work done by our rector Dr. E. E. Nichols in 1850’s. These papers formed the DCS – Diocesan Church Society and later the Diocesan Church Assembly of Nova Scotia. Secondly, the forming of a “ deacon school” in 1940 called Trinity House. Five deacons from King’s College lived in the old parish hall and worked in the parish. It only lasted a short time bur much social justice work came out of the school. They came to be known as the “Briefcase Boys”, coming to synod with an agenda.
This year of celebration include a theme: 1821 – 2021 PASSING THE LIGHT …yesterday, today and tomorrow. We give thanks of standing all, these years in the community. Events included a service of light; ringing bells on Trinity Sunday, prayer journey in the spring to nine locals in Liverpool; musical concerts in the summer – Rick Henneberry [ gospel ] and Xavier Varner [ vesper service on two organs]. We finished our year on November 21st with a special service of Thanksgiving service. Special guest included the Rt. Rev. Sandra Fyfe, clergy and friends.
