The Parish of Lachute / The Parish of the Lower Laurentians

The Rev. Joseph Abbott arrived in St. Andrew’s East in 1818 in response to a request made by the Seignior, Sir John Johnson, to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. Work on Christ Church began in 1819 and the initial part of the building was completed in 1820 and consecrated by Bishop Stewart of the Diocese of Quebec, in 1829. The building was extended and altered to meet the needs of the growing community and as funds were available in subsequent years. The building is a typical example of the “English baroque classical” style of Wren.
It is recognized as one of the first Gothic style structures built in Quebec and was classified as an historical monument by the Quebec Government in 1985.

It became the ‘mother church’ to a number of Anglican congregations in the area, including Lakefield, Lachute, Grenville, Hudson and Hawkesbury, Ontario.

The congregation diminished as commerce moved to other centers with the onset of improved transportation and by the end of the last century had virtually disappeared. In 1999 a service, considered as the ‘final service’ in Christ Church was held and it was anticipated that the building would be demolished with its place marked by a suitable cairn.

The building has never been deconsecrated and at the service in 1999 the community was challenged to develop a new ‘vocation’ for it. Individuals and groups, with interest in the history of the building, became involved and in July 2000 the Quebec Minister of Culture and Communications awarded the first special allocation, from the “Fondation de patrimoine du Quebec”, toward the restoration of Christ Church. That was the first of a series of allocations from that Ministry and these, supported to a small extent by individual contributions, led to the complete restoration of Christ Church beginning in 2000 and coming to completion in 2005.