ROCKINGHAM – For 15 years, the residents of Rockingham and the scenic surrounding area have gathered once a year for the celebration of the restoration of the lovely and thought provoking Rockingham Church (formerly known as St. Leonard’s Anglican Church).
Built and consecrated around 1875, the church was once a thriving house of worship. In the 1940s, the board and batten church was abandoned for several decades before a major restoration took place in 1973. The building was saved in 1995 by the newly established organization Friends of Rockingham, and the annual celebration pertains to the structural repairs that were carried out in 1999 and 2000 to this designated heritage site.
Each year, the Friends gather for a few hours of hymns, prayers, music and guest speakers who share a piece of their historical knowledge with those in attendance. The day commenced with Rev. Trafford playing the organ and Kenneth Stewart Ramsden playing the fiddle. Canadian Clock Museum owner and founder Allan Symons was on hand to give a brief history of Canada’s many clock manufacturers and sellers from the early 1800s to current times. Psalms were read and hymns were sung as the celebration came to close with the ringing of the bell.
Get your August 12, 2015 edition of The Valley Gazette to read the full story.