2023 marks the 150th Anniversary of the building of St Andrews Church located at 4680 North Island Highway; often referred to as the Mother Church of the north island.
St. Andrew's, the Mother Church of the Comox Valley, began in 1863 as an Indian Mission Chapel. Rev. Jules Xavier Willemar and his Anglican congregation decided that the log cabin church they shared with the Presbyterians was too small to accommodate the growing settlement. A new Anglican church, named St. Andrew's, was built in 1873 at the bottom of Mission Hill, while the Presbyterians built their church, also named St. Andrew's, at the top of the hill. Both churches can still be found on their original site, although St. Andrew's Anglican has been moved back twice to accommodate the expansion of the North Island Hwy. St. Andrew's Presbyterian is now Living Word Reformed Episcopal Church and is located in front of the Civic Cemetery.
St. Andrew's Anglican is still an active church and is part of the Parish of St. John the Divine, Courtenay. It was restored in 2004 onto a new foundation, along with a professional restoration of its organ and two notable stain glass windows.
Visitors and Anglican parishioners from around the valley enjoy summer Sunday services at St. Andrews at 8 am from mid June until mid September.
We invite you to join us on June 17 (on-site) as we gather at St Andrews, Sandwick to acknowledge our shared history and commemorate 150 years of ministry at St Andrews. We will have a Celtic inspired Eucharist led by our bishop at 11 am in the church. Cemetery tours, music, food and speakers will fill the days schedule. See schedule below.
10am - Cemetery tour
10:30am - Comox Valley Pipe Band
11am - Celtic Eucharist with Bishop Anna
12pm - BBQ and games for children
1pm - Speeches from Wedlidi Speck and Ross Dingwall
1:30pm - Dagmar and Friends Music Concert
2pm - Cemetery tour
Please bring your own lawnchairs. There is limited parking available in the church lot, however, you can park along McQuilllan Rd and around the Sanwick Memorial Cairn (access via Back Road off Ryan Rd). No parking is allowed along Dingwall Road, so car pool as much as possible. See map below for parking and event poster below.