The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Page SECTION A THE HERALD Wednesday August It 1M1 Actons St Church These bells are now electric By ASTRA Herald Staff Writer Acton a St Joseph Catholic Church one that has attemp ted to keep pice the times yet certain remind those who enter it of days when things were less complicated like the lone bell In the steeple Until roc v the bell had to be rung by using a long rope just as the friars aid centuries ago Now the bell has become automated It only takes the Rick of a switch to ring the bell But once the cold weather hits the mechanism becomes obstinate and the church reverts back to the limehonored method of hauling on the rope to summon the worshippers St Josephs was actually built lo serve another branch of the Christian faith It was built by the Congregationallsts of Churchill In 1877 The ConiTFgattonallsts bad decid ed that they wanted a newer larger church and left the centuryold building they had been worshipping In They built the structure on Church Street at a cost of an exorbitant sum for those times A few years later the toll of maintaining the payments for the church construction and properly supporting the minister was soon felt as more and more of the congregation moved away The Congregation lists were forced to surrender church and they moved back into the little old church that had served them well for years St Josephs was occupied for a few years by the Lord s Army and the Salvation Army until the St Joseph a congre gation paid off the mortgage and secured the church as their own SL Joseph a parish lad been established long before they moved into their present build It founded In 18C as a Catholic community steadily grew in the northern part of county and In partlcul ar around Acton and George town The parishioners were served by Jesuit priests from the Church of Our Lady In Guelph who visited and celebrated mass In various Acton homes until 1BS7 At that point It was decided that the people needed a church to worship In since their numbers had grown and they could no longer oil the followers in one home at a time They constructed first church at Little Dublin appro ximately two and a half miles from the site of the present church The construction commenced In 1BS7 during the eve of the Feast of St Joseph on two acres of land that had been donated to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Hamilton by two area residents The first service was performed in the church over year later in August 1856 Within twenty years the congregation had already out grown the church they had built and rather than build another one they decided to purchase another InlBST the parish moved into their present church after some renovations to the building had been completed The church at Utile Dublin was torn down but the spot is still considered to be sacred by the congregation and a ceme tery Is maintained there A monument has been erected to dedicate the site of their first Make YOUR message lLOUD CLEAR and trtcM sal as tar all 8533502 now Jill Mary Evans School of Dance Principal Mrs J Evans A D A A D M I D Applications are now being accepted for children of four years ago and up to leam the Royal Academy of Dancing method of classical ballet Commencing In September the lessons will be held at St John United Church St Georgetown Examinations are taken In the R A D method but stress rs placed on enjoyment of musical Inter mime and national dancing as well as on good sound ballet technique Classes will also be offered to adults wishing to participate In Beginners Ballet For apply Co SI St 8775756 church and In memory of the Into the century so early congregations relatively few changes were made lo the church once the Catholic community In Acton parish had settled in remained fair stable until by tho 1920s the congregation had grown slight ly to warrant further and the church had to be altered somewhat to the additions people The entire outer wall was removed and pulled out so that the altar could be moved a few feel further back and an add tional front row of pews could be Installed A vestry waa also added during the construction and the church now seats people Approximately ten years ter the plain glass windows had to be removed and it was suggested by a member of the pariah that they install stained glass Instead They agreed it would enhance the church and len stained glass windows were Installed by several families in memory of various outstanding members of the Construction was far from completed on the church Interior A few years Inter Ihe basement was renovated to serve as a meeting room for the various church groups and activities The meeting room did double duty as a furnace room and all the members had to hold their meetings around the giant monstrosity that kept the church warm In the early 1970s this problem was resolved when a new beating system was installed along with a kitchen In the hall The old furnace was torn out creating a much larger area Five years later the hall received its final touch with addition of carpeting The hall used today for various church functions and by community groups Ihe Brownies and the Catholic Women League Alcoholics Anonymous also hold their meetings there A new altar has been added to church within tho last ten years completing its new look Twelve priests have served SI Josephs since the first permanent station there In Father Leo Speagle Is the thirteenth priest serving a community of families Most of the priests have lived In the recto ry bouse on John Street which was bought in the early The priest that tho parish of St Joseph will always remember Is Father Morgan who served the people faithful for years Acton has changed greatly over the past irjrj years and St Joseph has changed accord ingly However its little mutations are subtle and not readily apparent from the exterior The community will In all likelihood continue to growandwlthanyluck so will St Joseph s Father Leo hat been serving parish of In Acton for the last three years and was In prior to that The priest who served the parish the longest was Father Morgan who had worked for 31 years with the Acton community Father Speagle conducts services for St Joseph s every day except Monday Services are held Saturdays at Sundays at a and 11 am Wednesdays and Fridays at a am Tuesdays and Thursdays at Sunday school classes held In preparation tor the first communion are also offered but times vary depending upon the Individual children Father Speagle bears confessions every Saturday after mass The entire outer wall St Joseph church was removed completely In the l20s as the altar was pulled back a few feet to accommodate another row of pew In the front The altar Itself removed a lew years ago and replaced by a new out Art Williams new area Mennonite pastor IN THE CHURCHES Although the Brampton church is small It has potential with gifted and dedicated people Mr Williams said last week adding that a number of Georgetown families have become involved with the city Mennonite group Through outreach visitation and other church ministries sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ anticipate growth our membership Pastor Williams waa largely Involved with the establishment the Lakeview church and witnessed It become indigenous and grow The Brampton Mennonite Church is a member of Ontario Conference of Brethren churches which has a membership of congregations and people The installation service for Pastor Williams will be held on Sept at a Everyone Is welcome to attend Reverend Art Williams began his new assignment July 1 at church which meets in the Centennial Recreation Centre on Mary Road Pastor Williams arrived from Leamington Ontario where be was in charge of the Brethren Church for over six year He has also pastored the Bethesday Church In Huron South Dakota and the Lakeview Church In Chicago He has studied at the Columbia Bible Institute the Mennonite Brethren Bible College In Winnipeg and Trinity Theological Seminary in Illinois ART WILLIAMS SI Joseph Church In Acton was actually built by the CoogregallonalisUofChurchUlinlsTl They church when they could no longer maintain It and the St Joseph parish bought It a few years later after their own at Utile Dnblln had become too small School breakin Various persons broke Into Speyslde Public School In Acton over the weekend for no apparent reason They broke Into the school through a window but caused no damage and stole nothing from the school premises ALL LADIES SUMMER SPORTSWEAR SLEEPWEAR ALL BRAND NAMES Slacks Blazers Shorts Bathing Suits Skirts Cover Ups Sleepwear Loungewear tellers Cage The Ladles Fashion Place In Downtown Georgetown Main Street South 8770822 SLEEP TIGHT MAGIC- MOTION the adiustable bed is right for you THE PRICE IS RIGHT TOO Single 95 Quean 999 95 King Vibrator Units Available 10 Guarantee on Mattress 3 Yr Guarantee on Motor Singles With Separate Controls MR SLEEP EAST0WN PLAZA Corner of Queen St Kennedy Rd I