St. John the Divine, Arva, Ontario

21557 Richmond Street, Box 129, Arva ON N0M 1C0

Sundays at 10:30am - Book of Alternative Services and
Book of Common Prayer with Music and Choir

Nursery, Sunday School, and Youth welcome at this service

Present Building Erected in 1875

The present brick church, with certain fittings and decorations, including the fast pews, being carefully retained, replaced this frame church, gradually completed, in 1875.   A parish hall was added in 1978, and 2006 saw completion of an extensive restoration and renovation campaign.   Music has always made a rich contribution to worship services at St. John's, and the parish purchased a new organ last year.

Meanwhile, the burial ground has provided a final place for generations (Dr. Jared noted a resolution, in 1853, that the charge for the opening of the burial ground would be ten shillings for all members of the Church of England who did not contribute to St. John's, one pound for nonmembers of the Church of England, and at the discretion of the Rector and Churchwardens, free interment for paupers).   Responding to current increasing choice of cremation, St. John's a few years ago added a columbarium to its nondenominational cemetery.

A Rectors' Board records the names of a lengthy succession of clergy who have ministered to St. John's.   As the population of London Township grew, St. John's helped provide direction and became identified as 'mother church' to six new parishes (including St Luke's, Broughdale and St. George's, Middlesex Centre).

St John's Today

Women have always played key roles at St. John's, both as members of Parish Council, and through the Anglican Church Women and Chancel Guilds.   Youth groups bring together enthusiastic young people from the parish and surrounding community.   A recently formed Men's Brotherhood draws good numbers to monthly breakfasts.

Recent years have seen increasing emphasis on lay ministry, with members taking leading roles in worship services, and in making home visits as Eucharistic ministers.   Children of the Sunday school take prominent roles in periodic youth services.

Outreach programs range from partnership with a parish in the companion Diocese of Mthatha, South Africa, to support of the Daily Bread emergency food service at St. Paul's Cathedral and a number of other social service programs.

Past and present are strongly linked in the annual presentation of 'The Geary Award' by the Rector and Parish Council to an individual or individuals.   The award acknowledges "a life lived with Christian faith, devotion and selflessness, reflecting the qualities possessed by the settlers of the original London township, whose first gathering at the Geary barn, July 28, 1822, led to establishment of the Anglican parish of St. John the Divine".

Identification of the person (sometimes a couple) is not made known until the Sunday service when a citation is read and a framed certificate presented.