In the 1800s the Anglican congregation of Long Beach worshiped at a church chapel and school on the hill between the present church and the old Anglican cemetery. The first recorded service in Long Beach was the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, administered on October 6, 1884
The chapel deteriorated with age and was taken down with parts of it taken to a spot of land near the beach where it was used to build a Fisherman’s Union Hall.
St. Mark’s Anglican Church, c1954 (Photo credit: Shirley (Smith) Jennings
In the 1890s the first church of St. Mark’s was built by the men of the congregation who gave a great deal of free labour. The interior of the church was completed by James Avery, a carpenter from Deep Bight. He also made the church pews and some of the furniture for the church. Mr. John Barfett from Long Beach made the lectern desk. He was a lay-reader for many years before he moved to Toronto. The Font in this little church was the gift of Mary Ann Vey (wife of John Vey). This church had a central wood stove for heating purposes.
The first baptism in the church – Edgar Avery, son of John and Bertha Avery (U.C.) on February 25, 1899.
The first marriage – John Baker of Ganny Cove and Enid Cramn of Hatchet Cove on December 6, 1900.
The first funeral service – Bertram Gosse, husband of Mary (nee Vey) of Long Beach, age 24 years, on February 12, 1899.
Last baptism in the church – Sandra Smith, daughter of John and Ethel Smith of Long Beach.
Last marriage – Grace Vey of Long Beach and Leslie Dean of North West Brook (formerly of Southport).
Last funeral – Henrietta Vey, wife of Wilson Vey of Long Beach (and mother of William Vey who supplied all this information on St. Mark’s).
St. Mark’s Anglican Church, built 1976. (Photo credit Wanda (Jennings) Garrett)
By the early 1970s the structure of the church was in a state of disrepair and the congregation decided to build a new church. The men started cutting and sawing logs for material for the church. The A.C.W.A. kept busy collecting donations and holding fund-raising projects such as cold plates, etc. With everyone helping, the new church was soon completed and on August 20, 1976 the corner stone for the present St. Mark’s church was laid. The rector at that time was Rev. David Hewitt. The official opening of the church was held on December 12, 1977 by Bishop Seaborn and the consecrated was held on April 26, 1981.
Most of the furniture in the church was donated. The altar, font, lights and organ were taken from the old church and placed in the new one. The new church has a finished basement with a kitchen, bathroom and meeting and social area.
The bell in the old church belonged to St. Mary’s Church, Hodge’s Cove and was used for a short time and then replaced with chimes. The bell was loaned to St. Aidan’s Church, Queen’s Cove and was later returned to St. Mark’s as a keepsake. The bell is presently hanging in a gazebo in St. Mark’s church yard.
The old church was sold to Abe Smith of Little Heart’s Ease who used the lumber to build a house.
First baptism in the new church – Chadwick Spurrell, son of Henry and Elaine Spurrell, Long Beach
First marriage – Lloyd Vey, son of William and Mary Vey, Long Beach to Donna Keeping of Fortune.
First funeral – George Smith of Long Beach (formerly of Island Cove), husband of the late Amelia Smith.
St. Mark
Something about St. Mark – this evangelist is usually identified with John Mark, whose mother’s house in Jerusalem was a meeting place or the apostles and with the young man, described in Mark 14:51, who followed Christ after His arrest and then escaped capture. He was the companion of both Paul and Peter, an associate of St. Barnabas, as well, it is believed by some, as an interpreter of St. Peter. It is likely that St. Mark wrote his Gospel in Italy, perhaps at Rome. The symbol of St. Mark is a lion.
Clergy
The following is a list of those clergy who have served in the Parish, and at St. Mark’s.
Rev. H.C. Shears
Rev. A.E. Tulk
Rev. W.K. Pitcher
Rev. M.K. Gardiner
Rev. J. Prescott
Rev. W.A. Butler
Rev. G. Templeton
Rev. R. Fowlow
Rev. M.B. Way
Rev. S.R. Shepherd
Rev. A.F. Rowe
Rev. C. D. Sparshott
Rev. J.L. Quinton
Rev. O.C. Dickinson
Rev. J. Pike
Rev. H.M. Batten
Rev. M.C. Jones
Rev. J.W. Taylor
Rev. J. Rogers
Rev. Gordon Ethridge
Rev. Morley Boutcher
Rev. Geoff E. Peddle
Rev. David Hewitt
Rev. R. Eadie
Rev. Doug Barrett
Rev. John Courage
Rev. Wiseman
Rev. Ed Samson
Rev. Edward Mercer
Rev. Nelson Chatman (2004-2009)
Rev. Collett
Rev. Hewitt (January 2010 – August 2010)
Rev. Jessie Broaders (September 2010 – 2012)
Deacon Rev. Myrna Vey (2005 – )
Rev. Allan Frye (2012 – 2013)
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Reprinted from the Western Star, 1907-10-09
Visitation Voyage, 1907
We went on board and were soon on our way for Long Beach, which is a very small settlement some three miles from Hodges Cove. Here a similar service to that which took place at Hodge’s Cove was participated in, wiz.: the consecration of a church. On this occasion the petition was read by Mr. John Vey, consented to by the Bishop and solemnly consecrated to the glory of God and in memory of St. Mark. The Bishop will consecrate no church unless furnished with a Holy Table and Font. Congregations can do without pulpits, they can get on with out a Lectern, it is even possible to read the service without a Prayer Desk, an organ and even an organist may be dispensed with : but no congregation can do without the Sacraments. Baptism, the initiating sacrament of the Church is of such importance that every well arranged church must be furnished with a suitable Font for the administration of the same. The Font in this little church is the gift of Mrs. John Vey, who is always ready to help on any Church work.
After the church had been solemnly set apart, the candidates who had been prepared by Mr. Gardner came forward, and in the little Church of St. Mark, they dedicated their bodies to the All Holy God. Yet another service here — the consecration of the cemetery. Short, simple, but very solemn was the service which forever set apart the little plot upon the hill as God’s garden, and the last resting place of a Christian.
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