St.Lawrence Presbyterian Church

The Amalgamation of two Churches

June 8th, 2014

Some sixty five years ago ( 1949) a group of veterans who settled in the north east corner of the city of London, Ontario, decided to build a church on Huron Street near Barker Street. Property was available across from the St. Lawrence School that would eventually be the start of a new church. The church would be called St. Lawrence Presbyterian Church. Many influenced the ” beginnings” of the new center of worship, but none more than a Reverend Peddie of Knollwood Presbyterian Church, which was located on Quebec and Oxford Streets. It was under his guidance and leadership that the fruition of St. Lawrence came about.

Now here we are in 2014 where on Pentecost Sunday, June 8th an amalgamation service of St. Lawrence Presbyterian and Knolwood Churches has taken place. Ironic that here we are joined together again after all these years. God truly does work in mysterious ways. We are again in the” beginnings” of the development of a new church, the name may be the same but it is the body of the church that has been reborn and blessed by so many new friends.

It has been a long and sometimes difficult journey for Knollwood Presbyterian Church. There were many meetings and discussions held trying to maintain the life of the church. We at St. Lawrence could see in their faces the love, dedication and struggles that were endured over the last number of years. They had worked so hard all these years to spread the Word of God and they were saddened to now see it come to an end.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. “

Jeremiah 29:11

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”

Lamentations 3:22-24

The amalgamation service was led by many who had played a part in the transition of the two churches, the Reverend Andrew Reid Moderator of the London Presbytery led the service with the Reverend Joan Ashley the Reverend Jim Redpath, who was the interim-moderator for Knollwood Park participating along with the Reverend John Park who delivered the message of hope and a new start for the congregations.

A re-affirmation was given to our Pastor Tom Godfrey with a special gift of appreciation from the congregation who signed the back of this print

After the service a special meal was prepared for the congregation in the newly re-dedicated “ Knollwood Park Fellowship Hall.”

The meal was catered by Sue Bergsma with assistance from Fran Barge (left) and Virginia ( Ginnie) Wilkins. The youth of the church were the servers. We are blessed by so many who helped to make this a special day for our “ New Beginnings”

The Session of St. Lawrence Presbyterian Church (pictured below)

Back Row L-R: Duncan McMillan, Ben Ormseth, George Goor, Reverend Joan Ashley, Reverend Jim Redpath ( Interim-Moderator of Knollwood) Carlton Dindial, Deon Kim

Middle row L-R: Dave Lapthorne, Joan Taylor, Reverend Andrew Reid ( Moderator of Presbytery), Reverend Tom Godfrey, Eula Beckford, Alison Williams, A.G. Harry Bergsma.Front row L-R: Mary Jane Lapthorne, Margeret Stewart, Virginia Wilkins, Sharon Leacy Absent: Ross MacKay, Inge Stahl, Nancy Springer

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:1-14