Our Story

St. James the Apostle Anglican Church has served its community since September 29, 1869.
The church was consecrated by Bishop A. N. Bethune on September 1, 1870.
The church was designed by Mr. John T. Stokes, an architect, civil engineer and Clerk-Treasurer
of East Gwillimbury.

“How it all came to pass.  The early church in Sharon.”
From 1833 to 1835, The Township of East Gwillimbury was visited several times by the Rev. Adam Elliot, the first travelling missionary of the Home District.  Beginning in 1866, a group of Anglicans met regularly for two years in Watson’s shed of the Mansion House located behind 18041 Leslie Street.

On the 13th day of May in the year 1867, the land on which the (present) building stands was purchased from Wm. Selby for $130 in the name of John T. Stokes, architect.  The name of the church is reported as St. James the Great but was changed shortly thereafter to St. James the Apostle.  The first service was held in the new church on the Tenth Sunday after Trinity, September 29, 1869.

St. James the Greater Apostle (first century)
Like his brother, St. John the Evangelist, James occupied a prominent position among the Twelve.  Coming second or third to Peter in the official lists, he was also singled out, with Peter and John, to be a privileged witness of the raising of the daughter of Jairus, the Transfiguration, and the Agony in the Garden (Mark: 5:37; 9:2; 14:33).  A fisherman of Bethsaida, of a family, perhaps, of more than ordinary means – his father, Zebedee, could afford hired men (Mark 1:19-20), and his brother was personally known to the High Priest bestowed by Christ (Mark 3:17), suggests that the brothers were impetuous and hot-tempered, and we may see this exemplified in different ways in the two incidents described in Luke 9:54 and Mark 10:35-41.

James was put to death by the sword at the command of Herod Agrippa (Acts 12:2), probably in the year 42.  Towards the end of the second century, Clement of Alexandria, relying on the information of “those before him” states that the apostle’s accuser was himself converted, and suffered at the same time as James.
In a booklet, "Symbols of the Church", it says:
"The scallop shell is the symbol of pilgrimage and stands for this apostle's zeal and missionary spirit"