| In the early days of Deep River (See
Detailed Church History 1945 to 1978) a survey of the town residents showed them to strongly support a multi-denominational church.
In 1945 these multi-denominational groups started having church services in the carpenters' shop where the Cockroft Apartments now stand.
This group, mainly Anglicans and United Church, decided to form and inter-denominational church to be called The Deep River Community Church.
The first service of the new entity was held in Cockroft School on April 7,1946, with the Reverend Phillip Ross, Pastor of the Chalk River United Church conducting.
In 1950, the National Research Council agreed to build a community hall which would house the Community Church and the Anglican Church, which had recently separated. This Community Hall, our present building, is now owned by Community Church.
In 1956,
with the church, and in particular the Sunday School,
literally bursting at the seams, it was decided to build the
Christian Education Centre which in 1960 was opened for use.
Since that
time other Churches have been built and their congregations
have left Deep River Community Church. Today the
congregation has around 250 members and is still a
spiritually diverse group. The church
officially is in friendly association with three denominations ‑
United, Presbyterian and Baptist, and maintains relations with
the Renfrew Presbytery of the United Church of Canada, the
Lanark and Renfrew Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of
Canada and the Central Association of the Baptist Convention of
Ontario and Quebec.
Our
spiritual needs are attended to by our minister, the Rev. Paul
E. Evans, and our Voluntary Associate Minister, the Rev. Andy
McKee. In the recent past, we also had student interns who came
for four to eight month stints.
Administratively, the church operates
under the Council and a number of committees, the members of
which are elected annually at a congregational meeting for one
or two year terms. Under the guidance of these people and of our
ministers, Worship Services and Kids’ Church are conducted and
many activities and functions go on. We have a very active 20+
member choir, an attentive pastoral care committee, and a whole
lot of terrific cooks who supply wonderful food for the many
potlucks, teas, etc. that we have.
Membership at
Deep
River Community Church is enriched by spiritual stimulation,
wonderful music and close and warm fellowship. |
