Parish of St Marys and Kirkton, Ontario, Canada
St Paul's Anglican Church
Kirkton, Ontario N0K 1K0


The first church here, a frame structure, was built here in 1862.   Previously there had been a log church near Woodham.

The current brick building was built in 1900.   The bell that hung in the first building is still in use today.

Rectors of St Pauls

1941-51   Canon R W James
1951-53   Rev M R Griffin
1954-56   Rev R A C Mills
1956-61   Rev P L Dymond
1961-66   Rev L A Bennett
1966-69   Rev S J Bell
1969-72   Rev H R Rockby-Thomas
1973-75   Rev R N Savary
1976-79   Rev Mary Mills
1980-82   Rev G W Smith
1983-86   Rev P A Derrick
1986-87   Rev F B Braby
(Source: My Roots are in Blanshard 1839-1989 Stratford: Beacon Herald)

Rev Mary Mills, rector from 1976 to 1979 was the first female priest in Huron Diocese. She began her career as a bookkeeper then taught business courses at Glencoe District High School, eventually becoming head of the department.   Rev. Mills was ordained to the diaconate in 1969 but continued to work in the secular field. On November 30, 1976, in St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, Ontario she was ordained a priest, with St Paul's Kirkton becoming her first charge.

Mary Mills (nee Laker) married Richard Mills in 1957.   He already had 5 children, including Walter Mills.

Walter Mills was rector of St James Anglican, St Marys from 1983 to 1995. When Rev Walter Mills was inducted at St James in June 1983, the Rev Mary Mills was guest speaker.

 

St Paul's Anglican, Kirkton
Walter Mills and Mary Mills Walter Mills and Mary Mills
  Rev Dr Dalice Sim  
In 1999 the congregations of St Paul's, Kirkton and St James Anglican, St Marys merged.   In May 2001 Rev. Dr. Dalice Sim became rector.

Rev. Sim was born in Auckland, New Zealand.   She studied Mathematics at the University of Auckland. She then earned a doctorate in biostatistics from the University of Washington, U.S.   She worked for several years at the University of Arizona's cancer center in Tucson before coming to the Robarts Research Institute, London, Ontario as Director, Clinical Trials Resources Group.

In London, Ont., Rev. Sim began theological studies at Huron College.   She was ordained deacon in May 1993 and priest in November of that year.   From 1993 to 1996 she was priest-in-charge, Trinity Church Norwich and St Mark's, Scotland.   Before coming to St Marys and Kirkton, Rev Sim was priest-in-charge, Church of the Hosannas, Hyde Park and St Jude's Mount Brydges. 		 
   

The parish is part of the
Diocese of Huron.
Kirkton is located in South-Western Ontario at at the border of the municipalities of Perth South and South Huron.   It is about 15 minutes north-east of St Marys, 2.5 hours west of Toronto.

 
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