History

In the early 1930's, after a lapse that followed Church Union in 1925, a Presbyterian witness was in evidence in the form of a small Sunday School that was meeting in Ottawa's West End "Y" on Gladstone Avenue. It was called St. Stephen's and continued until late 1943. A survey was carried the next summer showing there were sufficient Presbyterians in the area to form a congregation. In October 1944, a new church was according established named St. Stephen's, and it continued to meet in the "Y". A Board of Managers and a Session were elected by the new congregation's members, and in July 1945 its first minister, the Rev. George H. Sparks, was inducted.

In building our Meeting Place at Parkdale Avenue and Sherwood Drive, Watson Balharrie was the architect and A.I. Garvock, Ltd. the Builder. The sod was turned in August 1946 by the then Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, the Rt. Rev. W. Gordon Maclean. The cornerstone was laid by Prime Minister Mackenzie King in May 1947. ( Click on Extract from the diary of Prime Minister MacKenzie King for his comments on that event.) The current Moderator of the General Assembly, the Rt. Rev. C. Ritchie Bell, dedicated our completed church building, with seating for 350 people, in October 1947.

The gift of a home on nearby Hamilton Avenue Avenue was to be used as a manse. After much discussion and legal advice, Session and Board decided instead to sell the house and apply the proceeds to Building Fund. A bronze at the Sherwood Drive entrance indicates that the adjacent wing was made possible through this gift.

Over the years, several enhancements have been made to the fabric of St. Stephen's Church Building. These have included the replacement of the original organ in the chancel, a number of stain glass memorial windows in the sanctuary and in 1999, the completion of universal access facilities that enable all parts of the church to be easily reached.

Ministers	Years
Rev. George H. Sparks	1943-1971 (served until his death)
Rev. Ian Hay	1972-1975
Rev. Graham Kennedy	1976-1995
Rev. Charlene Wilson & Rev. John Wilson	1996-2007
Rev. Douglas Kendall (Interim Moderator)	2008-

The above summary was outlined by Betty Campbell, one of St. Stephen's earliest members. Full details of the history of our congregation, up to 1989, are contained in the book, "Ottawa West Witness - Nearing a Half Century at St. Stephen's Presbyterian Church Ottawa".

This history book was created by History Sub-Committee of St. Stephens's Policy and Planning Committee, and was published in March 1989. The Sub-Committee comprised David McJanet (Convener), Betty and Alex Campbell, Tom Foulkes, Harry Millar, and Al Taylor with the addition of Charlie Mavor and Clem McClemens.

Extract from the Diary of Prime Minister MacKenzie King

Laurier House
Tuesday, May 6, 1947

I came back to L[aurier] H[ouse] at 10 to 6. Dictated this diary while resting in bed, prior to going to lay a cornerstone at St. Stephens Presbyterian Church, the ceremony which takes place at 7:30.

When I got to Parkdale Street [sic], where the ceremony of the laying of the cornerstone of St.Stephens's Church was to take place, I was surpised to see large a gathering out of doors. Fortunately, the day had been fine, but I was much alarmed when I discoved that no hats were being worn and that ceremony out of doors was going to last about a hour. I had fortunately taken a warner overcoat and ran the risk of sitting with my hat off, which however was none too good. It was an impressive ceremony out of doors, like an old covananter meeting.

The programme was a little too long. I met the assembled Clergy present before going with Mr. Burnett and Mr. Sparks to the platform. When it came to laying the cornerstone, Garvock I think made a mistake in handing me a hammer as well as a trowel. I used both. When asked by the photographers, gave them a second of the hammer, somewhat to the amusement of myself and others.

[This diary material was supplied through the courtesy of Maureen Hoogenraad of the National Archives of Canada.]

The above as extract from "Ottawa West Witness - Nearing a Half Century at St. Stephen's Presbyterian Church Ottawa" created by Histroy Sub-Committee of the Policy and Planning Committee, St. Stephens's Kirk Session, Ottawa, March 6, 1989. David McJanet (Convener), Betty and Alex Campbell, Tom Foulkes, Harry Millar, and Al Taylor with the addition of Charlie Mavor and Clem McClemens.