04. On to Springbank

On to Springbank

 

The decision to relocate to Springbank and Braeside was made in 1962 but the Ground-Breaking and Cornerstone-Laying Ceremony was postponed until July 12 of 1964.  The Woodstock-Ingersoll Sentinel-Review pictured the scene:

“Rev. Ian. Williams, rector of the Church of the Good Shepherd, Woodstock, is shown amid the construction of the new Bethany Lutheran Church giving the sermon at the cornerstone laying ceremony which took place yesterday.”

            

 

 

  An informal reception for members, visitors and friends was hosted by Rev. D. E. Resmer, the pastor who had replaced Pastor Cronmiller in the previous year.  The site of the reception was the parsonage at 196 Edgewood Drive, conveniently up the street from the new building site.

 

                What became of the church building at 62 Graham Street?  The County of Oxford purchased the Graham Street property with the intention of creating a magistrate’s court with the beautiful little building.  By 1965 it had become the United Pentecostal Church of Woodstock and it was transformed again in later years to become the Children’s Library of the adjacent Carnegie Public Library.  Thus it was a venue as much appreciated by parents and children for the activities and story-reading as for the lending library facilities.  At the time of this writing in 2014, the beautiful little Gothic structure is gone and the property is reduced to the status of a parking lot for the Court House across the street.

So—a new church building on Springbank Avenue...but that would necessitate Change!

It is also interesting to note a new expense other than the planned Building Fund program.  The Parish Bulletin of Feb. 1^st, 1959 stated:

                “Our parish became self-supporting at the end of 1958.  This means we no longer receive Salary Aid from the Board of American Missions...”

 

1964  -- Bethany in Perspective: -the first Canadian Social Insurance Numbers were issues, the Oscar awards selected My Fair Lady  as the top movie, Rex Harrison in the role of Professor Henry Higgins as the best actor and Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins as the best actress.  Jeopardy debuted on TV.  The Nobel Peace Prize went to Martin Luther King Jr., and on April 17, 1964, the Ford Motor Company revealed the Ford Mustang.  The world was a different place and life at Bethany Lutheran Church was an intriguing part of it.

The Dedication of the new Bethany Lutheran Church chapel and church school was conducted with much pomp and ceremony on February 21^st, 1965.

 

 

  The Sentinel-Review detailed the service in this way:  

“Officiating at the ceremony was Rev. A.W. Lotz of Kitchener, synod president.  The service included addresses by guest speakers Rev. Otto Reble of the Board of American Missions...and Rev. A.W. Schweitzer of St. Mark’s Church, Kitchener. ...Special service for the new church are scheduled for the coming week, with Wednesday evening to be set aside for a community service  attended by local clergy.  Rev. Edward Hackbusch of Walkerton, will be the guest preacher.”

Others participating in the services were Rev. V.N. Cronmiller, Rev. N.L. Lange, Mt. Zion, Waterloo; Rev. J.S. Neff, St. James, Hespeler (all former pastors of Bethany); Rev. Resmer, the present pastor, Rev. Fred Zinck, Dean, Southern District of the Eastern Canada Synod and Rev. Robert Binhammer, St. Matthew’s , Brantford.  Bethany’s Junior and Senior Choirs and St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, Brantford added musical celebration to the ceremonies.

               

 

 

 

 

The question ‘Where?” had been answered; Bethany and its congregation had a home.

                Somehow throughout the turmoil and excitement the Church members and their Council managed business as usual, debating issues and concerns, electing new councillors, appointing chairpersons and relishing services in their new domicile.  On the Tuesday evenings from September to October, Bethany’s Parish Education Committee exercised its outreach with “Night School of Religion”, a Community Service Project featuring Emil Lange of Waterloo University College and hosted by Richard MacKenzie, the Committee chairman.

In that year Pastor Resmer elected to accept a ministry in Pennsylvania.  On Thursday, March 9 of 1967, a Special Meeting of Church Council was called, chaired by Dr. Lotz, the Synod president, for the purpose of calling a new pastor.  The minutes of that meeting state:

                “Dr. Lotz outlined the procedure in extending a call...the Board is required to take the initiative in recommending a name to submit to the congregation.  Only one name can be submitted and a 2/3 majority ballot of the congregation constitutes a call...”

                In the meantime, business as usual.  Pastor Forrest Mosher of Tavistock saw to it that services were conducted correctly.  Malcolm Finch was pleased that the Junior Choir had received 82 points (2^nd place) in the Woodstock Music Festival.  Earl Chambers recommended a storage shed be obtained for lawn equipment and purchased mirrors for the organ and for the pastor’s study.

                After two months of deliberation and interviewing, on Friday, May 5^th, 1967,

                “              A special meeting, with Dr. Lotz presiding, was held on the above date for the purpose of extending a pastoral call to the Reverend Clyde Wentzell of Spryfield, Nova Scotia.  The motion to adopt was made by Alex Thompson, seconded by Morris Mortimer and was carried by a vote of 74 to 2.”

 

And so began the first of Bethany’s Bluenose periods.