Historic Sites of Manitoba: St. Luke’s Pembina Crossing Anglican Church and Cemetery (Municipality of Pembina)

In the early 1880s, several families settled near the place where the Boundary Commission of 1873 had crossed the Pembina River. In 1885, these pioneers established the Parish of St. Luke’s Pembina Crossing. Originally, Church of England (Anglican) services were held directly across the road from this site in the Valley Stopping House. After the Pembina Valley School was built in 1885, services were held there until 1886. The picturesque poplar log building, originally a general store built in May 1880, was in use until 1920 when it was replaced by a new building which opened on 26 September 1920. The following year, by an unfortunate accident, it burned down although most of the furniture and fittings were saved. In 1922, it was replaced by the present structure, a municipally-designated historic site as of 2011.

For the first 18 years, the Parish was served by Reverend Edward Powell Nicholl. For 28 years, the church Warden was Richard N. Lea. Both pioneers rest in the churchyard which was consecrated by Archbishop Robert Machray in 1894. The burial in the cemetery took place in 1896, of John Cyprian Lea. A plaque inside the church commemorates four parishioners killed during the First World War.

The St. Luke’s cemetery and churchyard are maintained by volunteers, most of whom have family buried here. Services are held twice a year, a Rogation service in the spring and Narvest Thanksgiving in the fall.

Old St. Luke’s Pembina Crossing Anglican Church

Old St. Luke’s Pembina Crossing Anglican Church (no date)
Source: Carol Hooper

St. Luke’s Pembina Crossing Anglican Church

St. Luke’s Pembina Crossing Anglican Church (no date)
Source: Carol Hooper

Interior of St. Luke’s Pembina Crossing Anglican Church

Interior of St. Luke’s Pembina Crossing Anglican Church (no date)
Source: Felix Kuehn

St. Luke’s Pembina Crossing Anglican Church

St. Luke’s Pembina Crossing Anglican Church (June 2013)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

St. Luke’s Pembina Crossing Anglican Church

St. Luke’s Pembina Crossing Anglican Church (August 2018)
Source: George Penner

Aerial view of St. Luke’s Pembina Crossing Anglican Church

Aerial view of St. Luke’s Pembina Crossing Anglican Church (July 2022)
Source: George Penner

Interior of St. Luke’s Pembina Crossing Anglican Church

Interior of St. Luke’s Pembina Crossing Anglican Church (August 2018)
Source: George Penner

Interior of St. Luke’s Pembina Crossing Anglican Church

Interior of St. Luke’s Pembina Crossing Anglican Church (October 2021)
Source: Rose Kuzina

First World War commemorative plaque inside St. Luke’s Pembina Crossing Anglican Church

First World War commemorative plaque inside St. Luke’s Pembina Crossing Anglican Church (May 2019)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.14972, W98.56039
denoted by symbol on the map above

First World War Casualties

Name

Occupation

Service

Rank

Birth Date

Death Date

Christopher Benoni Nicholl
[Manitou, Pharmacy]

Chemist

5th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Lieutenant

15 December 1882

30 July 1915

Hubert Mansell Nicholl
[Manitou]

Mechanic

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

10 July 1871

11 September 1917

John Edward Severn
[Next of Kin, St. Johns]

At College

16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Sergeant

16 February 1899

4 October 1918

Vernon Nicholl Severn
[Next of Kin, St. Johns]

Banking

43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Lieutenant

28 May 1890

26 October 1917

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: Richard Nathaniel Lea (1845-1917)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Pembina Crossing (Municipality of Pembina)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Municipally Designated Historic Sites

Sources:

We thank Carol Hooper, Felix Kuehn, Ed Grassick, George Penner, Lindy Sharpe, and Rose Kuzina for providing information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Darryl Toews.

Page revised: 12 July 2022

Historic Sites of Manitoba

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