We visited the church and the labyrinth in early spring and it was still pretty much covered with leaves. B scrounged around and managed to find a rake at the church, then spent all of 20 or 25 minutes getting the place looking somewhat photogenic.
The second oldest church in Kaslo, St. Mark's was completed in 1895 and hosted its first service on November 10th of that year. Behind the church, at the back if its grounds is a labyrinth, built for all to use for relaxation, exercise and contemplation.
St. Mark's Anglican Church was formally recognized as a heritage property by the Village of Kaslo on July 26th, 2011 and listed on the Canadian Register on August 22nd, 2012.
From The Churches of Kaslo.
Sunday services at 9 a.m.
The first service of the Church of England was held in Kaslo on May 30, 1892 by Reverend A. J. Reid. Reverend Reid continued to conduct services wherever possible in Ainsworth, Kaslo and other small settlements until a permanent church was built on land granted by the Kaslo Municipal Council. The first service was held in the newly completed church on Sunday, November 10, 1895. A vicarage was added to the church in 1899 and pews installed in 1901.
Reverend H. B. took over the mission in Kaslo in February of 1899. Although later promoted to Archdeacon of Kootenay, Rev. Beer and his wife continued to reside in Kaslo until his retirement 30 years later. Two beautiful stained glass windows were installed in 1938 in memory of the couple.
On July 19, 1910, a joint funeral service was held for 5 miners who died in a fire at the Lucky Jim Mine at Retallack. A sixth miner died a week later. A beautifully carved font, still in use today, was donated to the church in their memory.
In July of 1934, the parish of S. Mary Stafford in England donated $500.00 to cover the purchase price of a missionary boat for use on Kootenay Lake. The boat, named the S. Mary Stafford in honour of the donors, enabled the resident priest to visit and conduct services in the out-lying districts of Johnson´s Landing, Argenta and the Lardeau Valley.
During the severe winter of 1944, the roof of the church was in imminent danger of collapse from the weight of accumulated snow. Duplicate rafters were quickly installed along with two iron rods that ran through the walls of the church and the collapse was averted.
Through the years, the Church Committee and the Ministry Support Team have faithfully kept the church in repair, taken care of the grounds, looked after the finances and served members of the congregation in many capacities.
For 111 consecutive years, St. Mark´s has served an important role in the community of Kaslo.