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Bells will be peeling to mark 90th anniversary of formation of the United Church of Canada
Alicia McCutcheon
LITTLE CURRENT—Throughout Canada on Wednesday, June 10, bells will peel from the bell towers of United Churches, marking the 90th anniversary of the union of the Presbyterian, Methodist and Congregational Churches to form the United Church of Canada.
In fact, in a Manitoulin connection, Little Current's Bill Caesar's late grandfather, the Rev. George C. Pidgeon, was the first moderator of the newly minted United Church of Canada, serving in this capacity from 1925 to 1926.
To mark this occasion, Manitoulin United Churches with steeples will be ringing their bells on Wednesday, June 10 beginning at 10:30 am—the same time the union service began those 90 years ago. In Little Current, the Little Current United Church (LCUC) will also be ringing the bell 90 times, with the help of a crack bell ringing team made up of church volunteers (one of whose job it will be to count to 90).
LCUC Pastor Jane Blannin-Bruleigh invited the community to attend the event, which comes complete with birthday cake and iced tea on the lawn of the Robinson Street church.
That evening, the celebration continues in Gore Bay at the Lyons Memorial United Church for an Island-wide and special joint North Shore service, starting at 7:30 pm. The celebratory service will be made up of 13 congregations and will include a massed choir led by Little Current's Barb Cranston and Gore Bay's Maureen Armstrong. All with a love of song are encouraged to join, Pastor Blannin-Bruleigh urged.
Gore Bay was chosen as the site of the celebration as the town is marking its 125th anniversary of incorporation this year.
"It's been a long time since there was an Island-wide service I've been told," she said. "And this is a fitting occasion to hold one."
The service will be followed with a social time with yes, more cake. The guest speaker at the event will be Rev. Lillian Roberts of the United Church of Canada's Manitou Conference.
All are welcome to attend.
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