On Sunday 16th June, 2024 worshippers gathered at the present site of Holy Trinity Anglican Church on Great Northern Road in Sault Ste. Marie for the last time. It was a bittersweet day for this community where Anglicans have gathered for worship since 1918, in a little white church at Huckson’s Corner, Tarentorus. The existing church was built in 1959 with a new wing added in 1986.

This much loved building will soon be demolished to be replaced with a new apartment building. Plans for this have been underway for this project for close to five years with members of the faith community preparing for it. Yet, when the time for change arrives it is always difficult.

In an interview with Soo Today, the incumbent of Holy Trinity, Rev. Susan Montague-Koyle noted: “It’s symbolic. The building is gone; the church is not. The church is the people, it’s us — not the building. This is a very strong community.”

The good news is that in a time of housing crisis Cara Corporation is expanding its affordable housing at the site of Holy Trinity with this new state of the art building which will house 108 apartments. This will mark Cara’s fourth major development. More than half of the new tower’s main level will feature a brand-new church space under the Holy Trinity name.

As it will take close to two years for the new apartment complex to be built, Holy Trinity Anglican Church has now moved across the parking lot to take up residence on the ground floor of the Cara Community apartments in the Trinity Centre.  It is a beautiful space for this community to gather for worship, fellowship and meetings.

At the end of Sunday’s service the community made a symbolic walk from Holy Trinity to their new place of worship where a prayer of blessing was offered. We pray that God’s faithful people at Holy Trinity will continue to be strong in their faith and joyful in their service of others in this time of great change.

“O God, from living and chosen stones you prepare an everlasting dwelling place for your majesty. Grant that in the power of your Holy Spirit those who serve you at Holy Trinity may always be kept within your presence. This we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.” (BAS page 672)