An almost 200-year-old Anglican church in Nova Scotia is about to be disassembled, packed into freight containers and shipped to Abita Springs where it will be reassembled and serve a Baptist congregation of 80 souls. All Saints Church, built in 1814 in Granville Centre, will be rebuilt in Abita Springs’ historic downtown as First Baptist Church. When it’s completed it will become the oldest standing church sanctuary in the state.
First Baptist’s pastor, the Rev. Gerel Keene, tells Nova Scotia’s Chronicle-Herald newspaper he saw a virtual “for sale” sign on the church on-line, travelled to Granville Centre to inspect the property and decided to buy it. “When this church came up, I knew it right away. I thought, wow, that’s what we need,” Keene told the paper. “I’m a southern Baptist, a Protestant, and I like the architecture, but I also like that it was tied in to Louisiana through the Acadians.”
The church, deconsecrated in 2005, was one of nine surplus buildings the Anglican parish was set to either demolish or sell. Not everyone is happy with the sale; some historians and cultural preservationists have decried the transaction and lament the loss of a unique piece of Nova Scotian history.
For more on the church, read the story at the Chronicle-Herald’s Web site.
... written by Belliveau , November 23, 2009 - 06:01 pm
I'm sorry, but did the author/editor not see the painful irony here?
An Anglican church reconstructed in Louisiana to be a Protestant church?
The Acadians were almost all Catholic, and they were subjected to ethnic cleansing by New Englanders (largely Protestants) with the approval of the British throne (think Anglican here).
The editor's trademark snark could have come in handy here (for once)!
The Ind, of all papers, should be making fun of this sort of cultural/historical muddling, rather than perpetuating it.
... written by Walter Pierce, Managing Editor , November 23, 2009 - 06:12 pm
You're a quick study, Belliveau. In my haste to get the story posted this morning, I failed to turn on my irony detector. My snark gauge, meanwhile, is reading "low" due to the time constraints occasioned by this compressed holiday week.
... written by Wow... , November 23, 2009 - 07:13 pm
Sure there's some historical irony here. But, it's a beautiful old building that will likely serve the congregation in Abita Springs quite well.
It's all good.
... written by Keemosabi , November 23, 2009 - 07:30 pm
All churches are ironies.
... written by Morrow , November 23, 2009 - 10:15 pm
Note to Pastor: The Anglicans stole the property of the Acadians beginning in 1755. The Anglicans wanted the French Catholics to denounce their religion and when they weren't their property was stolen and they were shipped to distant locations WHERE MANY DIED. This church, probably isn't tied to the Acadians, unless it housed some of the thieves and murderers who stole the land. The name of the region was changed from Acadie to Nova Scotia. I'm not near as thrilled as the pastor about this church, and certainly not considering what some of my ancestors suffered at the hands of the Anglicans. I think the pastor should re-think the Acadian connection. Its a beautiful church, no doubt, and I can appreciate the beauty of it and its age, but I just don't think many Acadian decendants will be so enthused.
... written by Belliveau , November 23, 2009 - 11:17 pm
No harm, no foul. And, ok, I admit it--I appreciate the snark more often than not.
... written by NORTHSIDIAN SHOTGUN , November 24, 2009 - 01:57 am
Morrow, its all part of the big picture, like a giant puzzle in progress, and many hands sortin thru the pieces, every piece is ah kalidescope of hues, each piece is priceless, one day the puzzle will be assembled by all the different hands, keep in mind that each hand represents a culture, some cultures you and i will know and understand, while other cultures will be unknown to you and i, every single piece represents a sovereign nation, the holder of the last piece will complete the puzzle and dominate the world !!!!
SIANO:33.4 HE will return that all will be ONE !
... written by Abita Springer , November 25, 2009 - 03:58 pm
As a native of Abita Springs and a Catholic Acadian descendant, I can assure you that the church has found a beautiful new home, considering that the alternative plan was to destroy it. That said, were I a native of Granville Centre I would be heartbroken to have such a large part of its history knocked down and carted away. But I agree with Morrow that the minister's equation of this as honoring his wife's Acadian ancestry is founded in ignorance. England's government and the Anglican church are responsible for the tens of thousands of French Catholics who died during their forced banishment from Nova Scotia.
... written by Peter Coffman , December 05, 2009 - 02:49 am
I'm jumping late into this discussion, but for the record: the alternative was NOT to destroy the building. The alternative was to sell it to the Annapolis Heritage Society, which would have used and maintained it exactly where it was. Why the Church did not embrace this option is something that they and only they can explain. Belliveau: you are correct, this church had absolutely nothing to to with the Acadians. Nor does it have anything to do with the Baptists of Louisiana. In fact, if the good folk of Abita Springs knew just how much trouble the church's original patron, Bishop Charles Inglis, went to to ensure that his churches did NOT look Baptist... well, they might want their money back.
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An almost 200-year-old Anglican church in Nova Scotia is about to be disassembled, packed into freight containers and shipped to Abita Springs where it will be reassembled and serve a Baptist congregation of 80 souls. All Saints Church, built in 1814 in Granville Centre, will be rebuilt in Abita Springs’ historic downtown as First Baptist Church. When it’s completed it will become the oldest standing church sanctuary in the state.
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An Anglican church reconstructed in Louisiana to be a Protestant church?
The Acadians were almost all Catholic, and they were subjected to ethnic cleansing by New Englanders (largely Protestants) with the approval of the British throne (think Anglican here).
The editor's trademark snark could have come in handy here (for once)!
The Ind, of all papers, should be making fun of this sort of cultural/historical muddling, rather than perpetuating it.