Christmas Eve at St John's Anglican Church Chapleau with Ken, Mike and Ian circa 1952

Once upon a time, Michael McMullen, my cousin, and Ken Schroeder, my good friend, shared an exchange of emails about their role at the midnight service at St. John's Anglican Church where Michael had to fight an itch. Ian Macdonald, another old friend, recalled his role as operator of the chimes and ringer of bells.

Michael asked Ken: "Do you remember the Christmas Eve service (midnight I believe) in either 1952 or 1953 that you and I were charged with standing in the middle aisle and determining when people could go up for communion? 

Ken and Mike

"As I recall the church was packed. One reason that I remember it so vividly is that I had to scratch the back of my leg and was too embarrassed to do anything about it while on duty (and display). The relief to do that downstairs afterwards has been etched in my mind ever since!"

Ken replied: "Funny how some things just stick .." Ken advised us that he has now been promoted to stand guard at the foot of the two steps at their church in Hamilton. "Sigi (his wife) lets them out, one side at a time, and I wait to catch  anybody that falters on the steps .....good job ....."

Ian Macdonald recalled his role: "As an aside, my assignment at St.John's for the Christmas Eve service was operating the chimes. It was a job I inherited from Bob Linklater  who was then studying for the ministry at U of T.

ian Macdonald

 

"You may recall that  the chimes were actually a recording which was played on a set of large speakers in the St.John's belfry connected to a record player and amplifier in the ante room off of the Vestry. There was a real bell in the belfry in addition to the "virtual chimes" which I heard only on very rare occasions. I'm not sure but I think that Miss Herner donated the  sound system. You probably know better than I."

The service at St. John's  was in 1952 or 1953 when Rev. E. Roy Haddon was the Rector.  As an aside, at that time Michael's father Keith, was the People's Warden and my mother Muriel, and Ken's mother, Edith "Teddy" Schroeder, were in the choir. Yes, Mrs. Grout and her sister Miss Sophie Herner donated it. Below, in a photo taken at the party at the home of Brigitte and Pellow in October, 2014, you can see Ian (third from left in back row), Mike (fifth from left back row) and Ken (on extreme right seated). I am at opposite end seated on Frank Broomhead's knee.. Some of the others in the photo were likely at St John's too.

This anecdote appeared in a longer story several years ago. I just thought it deserved to stand alone!

Best wishes to all for the holiday season and Christmas