presented the film as a gift to the church. The actual burning of the mortgage document was described in the Ottawa Journal of October 25, 1962:

"AH. Halvorson handed the mortgage to G.C. Chapman and the docu-ment was ignited by Robert Carson, the church's oldest member. The ashes were caught in a tray held by R.AL. Hill and Peter Sinclair."

The renowned Women's Association, in its usual competent fashion, made plans for the opening dinner well in advance of the affair. The decision was made at its' meeting of October 26, 1953 to order 225 sets of dishes and to prepare for five hundred settings. The price of tickets was set at $1.50 per adult and fifty cents for children. 2 The date for the dinner was tentatively set for March 3, 1954 but was changed to March 5th when it was discovered that the earlier date was Ash Wednesday. The first sitting was arranged for 5:30 p.m. and six hundred adult and several children's tickets were printed. The quality of the dinner was in keeping with the traditional reputation of meals prepared by Wesley's ladies. Accounts of the opening dinner include the menu...

tomato juice apple pie and ice cream
turkey tea, coffee, milk
potatoes rolls and butter
turnips radishes, celery, pickles
gravy cranberry sauce and salads

...and the whole operation was under the general supervision of Mrs. J. C. Robinson, the association's president. . Other churches obligingly loaned utensils, glassware and dishes for the occasion and Morrison-Lamothe Bakery offered to cook the turkeys. Flowers were donated by a number of local florists. The ladies' shopping list of groceries secured in preparation of the event included:

4 bags potatoes
4 gallons milk
2 gallons cream
2 pounds tea
25 pounds sugar
10 pounds cube sugar 7 pounds flour
20 pounds butter

1 pound powdered savory 10 pounds salt
1 pound pepper
1 dozen eggs
5 bunches celery
3 boxes Dreft dishwashing powder
2 boxes Ajax cleanser

Approximately six hundred diners were served during three sittings. Those awaiting their turn at the dinner table were entertained in the church sanctuary by the organist, William Keizer joined by a vocal soloist and a trumpeter.

Wesley's opening dinner of 1954 was as successful as its first in 1909. This time, donations of one thousand dollars to the Building Fund and $300. for the General Fund were realized and duly turned over to the church by the Women's Association.

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X

During the fund raising, building and opening of the new Wesley Church. the congregation enjoyed a fellowship and shared a will to achieve rarely seen within the church since the erection of the first building forty-five years earlier. At that time, the Ottawa Methodist Social Union was instrumental in the realization of the building. This time, the people of Wesley, their friends and committees built the church and, for several years thereafter, made Wesley an important part of their everdyday lives. Two services each week, a flourishing Sunday School and mid-week activities attracted a loyal congregation. Or-ganizations functioning at the time included the Women's Association, Woman's Missionary Society, Onward Mission Band, C.G.I.T., Explorers, Tuxis and Trail Rangers, Couples' and Young Adult Clubs and an impressive Men's Association-product of the several groups and committees who worked together during the canvassing for funds and building of the church. Their several endeavors created a busy church family whose grateful members availed themselves of their handsome new building. In March of 1954, another group was added to the activities at Wesley when Miss Ethel Dempsey (Mrs. John Ogilvy) was granted Session approval to use the hall for Boy Scout meetings. Miss Dempsey was leader of the 19th Ottawa Troop.

"The new church was in use for only a short time when an unfortunate situation arose. The choir, under the direction of Col. McRory, with William Keizer as organist, was a splendid assembly of singers. Long hours of rehearsal were spent prior to the first services in the new church so that music befitting the opening could be presented. The music was eminently pleasing and the Session was quick to formally thank the two men for their work. 1 The choir was a large one and therein lay the problem. In the old church, should more seating be required to accommodate the choir, it was a simple matter to place addi-tional chairs on the platform. The new church was designed with a chancel choir however, in which the choir is divided into two groups facing each other from either side. The ideal situation would have the sopranos and altos on one side with the tenors and basses on the other, beside the organ console. The choir completely filled both sides of the chancel and its size forced the altos to spill onto the sedilia. (the pew behind the Communion table). With space thus limited behind the table, it would be necessary for those people to move out to allow the minister and elders to dispense Communion - not a happy situation and not one that appealed to the altos nor the director. The choir directors suggestion that the Communion table be moved forward was not acceptable to the minister, due to its having been consecrated in the position it held and relocating it would, as pointed out in an explanatory talk on the significance of the Communion table in the Protestant Church, be tantamount to sacrilege.2 The director then requested of the Session that the problem be addressed and when the Session's Music Committee suggested that the men of the choir be seated where the altos were, he saw that plan as no solution and he tendered his resignation. 3 The choir immediately became reduced in size and overcrowding has never been a problem since. Numbers remained respectable, however, until a few years later, when it became too small to use both sides of the chancel and of the few newcomers that took their place in the choir, none stayed for more than a short time. In contrast to the shrinking of the choir, the Session arid Committee of Stewards moved to increase their numbers arid the congregation grew to the point that when Rev. Love retired in 1958, membership in the church had more than doubled what it had been in 1952.4

The church's interior lent itself to the discrete placement of memorial plaques and small items presented to the church in memory of past members. At the tront of the nave, at either side of the chancel, were mounted the church's two honour rolls; on the left, those who served in the armed forces during

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the first world war and those of the second world war, on the right. The hope expressed by Robert Carson in his early writings was fulfilled, i.e.:

"The names inscribed in the honour roll 1914 to 1918 (lately relegated to the rear of the church) will, we trust, find a place of honour in the new church. "

The north and south walls were lined with windows simply begging to be transformed into stained glass art. Such was the prospect of receiving fmancial gifts to be used in memorials to departed Wesleyans, that the Quarterly Official Board on June 23, 1954, decided to form a Memorial Committee. T.A Clark was named chairman of that committee, 5 and whether that first committee became defunct is not clear, but on January 11, 1956, the same motion was passed by the Official Board and another Memorial Committee was set up under the chairmanship of George Chapman with representatives from the Session, Stewards, Trustees, Women's Association, Woman's Missionary Society and Sunday School. They agreed that every window in the north and south walls of the sanctuary should eventually be converted to stained glass memorials - the north windows depicting Old Testament subjects and the south windows, New Testament. The first stained glass window to be installed was offered by Gertrude Emond in memory of her late husband, Frederick, killed on the field of battle in 1918. An active worker in the church and long time teacher of the Sunday School's Primary Department, Mrs. Emond was the first person in Wesley ever to be enrolled in the Volunteer Workers' Fellowship of the United Church of Canada - the recommendation of the Session in view of her long and faithful work in the Sunday School. 6 The window appropriately depicts the Master holding a small child with the admonition: "Suffer the little children to come unto me..."

XI

In 1955, the house beside the old church, owned by Mrs. Holtz, became available for lease and Wesley chose to rent it for a manse at $115 per month. The church agreed to make minor repairs and the men of the congregation painted the rooms of the manse and tiled the kitchen floor. The house served as home for the Love family until Rev. Love's retirement in 1958 and for his successor's family until 1964. At that time, a house at 18 Burnham Road was purchased at a cost of $16,500. The money to buy the house was raised through a mortgage which was paid in full by 1969. The United Church Women (U.C.W.), the former Women's Association, made handsome contributions toward the discharge of the mortgage. 1

The move into the new church left an empty building whose future had to be decided. It was of little use to anyone in its present condition and to renovate the old church to be used as a hall or functional centre of any kind would cost money that the congregation simply did not have. In addition, should the building be improved for anything other than a place of worship, the property would be taxed accordingly. An interim solution was found when the Ottawa Grand Opera Company was given permission to store stage scenery and properties in the building. The company bestowed conservative financial gifts upon the Trustees from time to time which were placed in a special account at the Bank of Nova Scotia. The account was to be drawn upon to pay any expenses necessary in the minimal maintenance of Wesley's first church which had now become a large storage shed.

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The arrangement lasted until July of 1963 when a tender was accepted from Noel Lepage Construction in the amount of $850. for the demolition of the old church.2 Although congregational approval had been granted in 1960 for demolition, it was the report of the fire inspector in declaring the structure a fire hazard and recommending its repair or removal, that ultimately brought about its demise. 3 By the fall of 1963, a vacant lot marked the site of Ottawa East's 1909 Methodist church. It became by convenience, rather than by official designation, an area for the parking of vehicles.

In the long list of clergy and laity who have served Wesley, it is seen that even though some terms were of limited duration, all were dedicated and showed a desire to see Wesley survive and flourish and its successive congregations maintain a dynamic presence in Ottawa East. With due regard and respect to all of our church's clergy, it could be said that two of the most outstanding ministers at Wesley served during what was arguably the most critical period in the church's history up to that time. They were the Rev. A. J. Love, who led a small, determined congregation into a new church, and the minister following him: the Rev. Dr. H.W. Pointen. Dr. Pointen's genuine desire to see Wesley remain strong and influence an ever increasing number of people, held together the largest congregation Wesley Church has known. He served Wesley for eleven years, the longest active ministry of anyone before or since. To speculate upon how long he might have remained active in Wesley's pulpit is of little consequence since during the summer of 1969, just a few hours after one of his characteristic visits with an ailing church member, death suddenly and without warning, took him from his congregation. A memorial plaque presented to his memory by the UC.W. hangs on the north wall of the nave, where it was dedicated April 9, 1972. In addition, a stained glass window and a library recall his ministry at Wesley.

Among the activities prevalent at Wesley during the fifties and sixties were the young people's groups. Aside from the continuing work with the Sunday School, thought was given on many occasions to the organization of boys' and girls' midweek activities. Indeed, so frequently is mention made in Session records of the establishment of such organizations, it is difficult to follow the actual tenure of each. In 1947, T.A Clark had organized a Tuxis and Trail Ranger group and mention has already been made of the Wesley Boys' Choir. A Junior Choir was formed some time later (c. 1962) and under the direction Tom Davies, practised prior to Sunday morning services with Mrs. Ethel Dale assisting at the organ.4 In May of 1953, Session approval was granted Mr. Parker Smith to form a Wolf Cub Pack and to use the church hall for a Den. In November of the same year, he was also given Session support in organizing a boys' group using material to be obtained from the Ontario Boys' Work Board headquarters. Through following years, continuing efforts were made to maintain boys' activities under various leaders. including L.T. Day, Glynn Davies, James MacFarlane, Cedric Dale, Eric McFee and others. However, it became increasingly difficult to carry on boys' work in the church as interest waned in the sixties; not only at junior levels, but throughout the congregation as a whole. During the summer of 1961, Glynn Davies arranged with Rideau Park United Church to have a small group of boys from Wesley join with theirs in regular activities. Wesley would be required to supply transportation to Rideau Park once a week. Mr. Davies' canvass of church members in the form of a questionnaire concerning boys' work yielded disappointment when only two replies were received. The following year, James MacFarlane sought help from the Session in programming and expanding the activities of his Tyro group, led by Brain Park and Allan Smith.

In January of 1960 a Young People's Union was organized to replace one which had become defunct. It existed as such for one year and then was reorganized as the Wesley Young Adult Club, a name thought to be more descriptive of its membership. The club's activities included Bible study, a short devotional period at each meeting and various social events, including week-end camping trips. Probably the most visible contribution made to the church by the group was the publishing of a monthly church

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magazine called The Wesley Informer. Its pages contained organizational news, announcements, edito-rial comment and items of interest to Wesley's congregation. Publication ceased when the club broke up in January of 1963. Its financial balance of $123.48 was given to the church treasurer to be used toward the cost of a drape or panelling currently being considered to be placed at the front of the sanctuary. 5

The Sunday School carried through the turmoil of the many groups forming and dissolving with a membership in excess of one hundred and an average attendance of between 70 and 90. During 1957 and 1958, a Young Worshippers' League was promoted under the management of Andy Halvorson and the direction and leadership of Glynn Davies. Sunday School pupils (and others) between the ages of eight and sixteen years were encouraged to attend regular Sunday worship services. Those attending with a regularity of 85% or better, were awarded pins and certificates-not to be confused with the Robert Raikes system of diplomas and seals. awarded for regular Sunday School attendance. The apparent Session interest in having more young people attend Sunday services no doubt stemmed from a realization that church attendance in general was gradually falling off, so much so that on September 27, 1955 - less than two years after the opening of the present church building-the Session had discontinued the Sunday evening services: "...until such time as the Session decides attendance is likely to be high enough to warrant resumption".

Girls' work at the opening of the present church building and through subsequent years, while not constant, did not seem to face the crises encountered by the several boys' groups-prompting the many references made to boys' work in the Session's records. The Explorers and Canadian Girls In Training (G.G.I.T.) existed at times concurrently and at other times, either one or the other, depending upon the availability of girls of suitable age. As in the case of boys' work, certain church members displayed a dedicated interest in leading the groups from time to time. Names prominent in that regard are: Irene Bennett, Dorothy Wallace, Jean Duncan (Hopkins), Evelyn Bourne and Beryl Gregory. Several others are to be found in the organizational lists following this narrative history. 1973 saw the last year of operation of the Explorers and the disappearance of all youth and young people's activities at Wesley, with the steadfast exception of the Sunday School. 6

As in the case of the first church many years earlier. Men's Associations came and went but much work was performed about the church within or without formal organization. Names like William Irvine, Robert McQuattie, Cedric Dale, Andy Halvorson. James and Erwin MacFarlane and many others appear in records of work done to or at the church by men. The skills of such tradesmen as George and Cyril Chapman, Parker Smith, Noel Lepage and Tom Davies have over the years been used to advantage for the church. It is perhaps unfair to mention some and not all who have contributed their time and effort in this way, but just as it is so obviously impossible to identify everyone who has aided in one way or another, so it would seem equally unjust to purposely overlook mention of those who so regularly and prominently made themselves available for such service. In truth. most of the members of the various boards in recent years, as in times past, have given a helping hand in performing volunteer projects ranging from hedge trimming (the Men's Association originally planted a Chinese Elm hedge that bordered the lawns) and grounds maintenance to carpentty, electrical sad heating plant repair, installation of protective panes over the memorial windows, painting, carpeting and tiling and other sometimes menial tasks. not so readi-ly apparent to the casual observer. The Sunday School chalk and tackboard system in the church hall, however, was designed and the installation supervised by a woman: Ann Elizabeth Hill.