Okotoks was incorporated as a village in 1893 and by 1901 671 people called Okotoks home. Okotoks officially became a town on June 1, 1904. In those early years, Anglicans began gathering as a worshipping community at the Okotoks for Orange Hall or the Victoria Hall with services led by Canon G.E. Gale, Rev. J. Wace and Rev. W. James in 1901. On May 3, 1905, the community was issued title deeds as the Parish St. Peter, by Bishop William Cyprian Pinkham, the first bishop of the Diocese of Calgary, who was called ‘Chief Holy Rest’, by the Blood Indians, Canon Gale was installed as the first Rector.
Interestingly, in 1891 the Sheep Creek post office what this settlement was referred to as by the settlers wasn’t called Okotoks until first called was named Okotoks, which comes from the Blackfoot word “Okatok” because of the Big Rock which they used as a reference marker in their journeys. The Sarcee called this area “chachosika” meaning valley of the big rock. The Stoney name is “ipabitunga-ingay” meaning “where the big rock is”. In a very real way, St. Pete’s is the parish of the Rock, near the Big Rock.
The summer of 1905 saw a flurry of activity as the main part of St. Peter’s was built, on Stanley Avenue (behind the post office), the tower and chancel were built later. The building was dedicated to the Glory of God on October 22, 1905 by Bishop Cyprian. Three services were held that day including Communion and Baptism, 130 people attended in the morning and 180 in the evening.
By 1906, Okotoks enjoyed telephone service and electric lights with Natural gas arriving in 1912, but it wouldn’t be until 1952 that residents were able to enjoy a public waterworks and sewer system.
The women of St. Pete’s have always been a significant part so much so that the Living Church notes that in 1909 the effort of women’s chancel guild has given substantial aid towards paying off the debt on the church.
The period following the Great War was not a happy one for the Anglican Church in western Canada, and St. Pete’s was no exception with nine priest in 24 years. (1914-1938) The congregation having a life of its own continued, serving its community, helping to define the values and standards of Okotoks.
516 people were living in Okotoks in 1911 the nearest thing to a squire that Okotoks had was Colonel Alfred Wyndham, a well-connected Englishman who came to the west to serve in the suppression of the Riel Rebellion of 1885 and remained to ranch, retiring to Okotoks in 1910 and dying here in 1914. His wife Carline lived on in Wyndham House until she died in 1933. The Wyndham family played a unique part in the leadership of St. Pete’s, and in the life of Okotoks.
In churchmanship the Wyndham’s were distinctly High; both Mrs. Wyndham and Miss Seymour had been baptized by Bishop John Strachan, the first bishop of Toronto. He had indeed called Jane Seymour “his little Jacobite,” some indication of the elevation of her political views. Priests came and went, some High, some Low, some Broad, some merely confused, and yet there was not a word of criticism of the Incumbent that ever passed the lips of the family. Miss Wyndham kept a Sunday School going, maintained the altar linen in good order, polished the altar vessels and arranged whatever flowers came to hand. Her brother Alec was a perpetual Rector’s Warden; dealing with the erratic furnace, ringing the bell for every service, and lighting the altar candles. Lewis Thomas observed of Alec Wyndham that no matter what the liturgical preference of the current priest, at every service, he would march stiffly up to the altar, pay it his reverence and light the altar candles: “There was, in the duck of his head and the precision of his about-turn as he made his way back to his pew, something that said to even the most evangelically inclined that this much at least of Catholic faith and practice would be maintained at St. Peter’s.”
By 1921 St. Pete’s was a mix of townsfolk and ranchers, with a town growing to 760 residents. It included the doctor, the editor of the newspaper and an Englishman, of genteel antecedents and some substance, who carried an increasing responsibility for the direction of the affairs of the town based on sheer character and his conviction of the individual’s responsibility for the welfare of his fellow men. Some of the merchants also attended, bank employees and teachers came and went, but in the church and its organizations many of the most faithful supporters were drawn from less prestigious occupations. The parish relied on the financial support of the congregations for its ongoing ministry.
Lewis Thomas notes that the Wyndham’s, gave the High Church wing much of its effective force. Yet when it came to the functioning of St. Pete’s they worked very effectively with allies drawn from other layers of the town’s social structure. Despite the divisions of economics, social status, and churchmanship the congregation formed a tightly knit and cohesive group, sustained by mutual loyalties and respect that cut sharply across that differentiated them.
Historians note that attitude profoundly formed the culture of Okotoks, even though it was a society that was horizontally and vertically stratified. The horizontal lines are not easy to discern, for they are drawn through a community that was, in Alberta terms, more than ordinarily homogenous in ethnic origin and religious affiliation. They had relatively little to do with economic status. They had a great deal to do with the quality of life which individuals enjoyed or to which they aspired.
Certainly, the horizontal stratification was largely determined by social congeniality, itself very much a matter of common values. Yet, despite its horizontal fragmentation this was a closely knit society. Whatever the private discriminations, the town’s institutions, and particularly the churches, cut across the strata and held the population together in mutual respect and esteem. This was by no means a one-way relationship, from the top down. From time-to-time Miss Wyndham, among her many roles a member of the school board, would trudge sturdily up the hill to conduct a personal investigation of the school. The school janitor knew that, if his work was well done, he could rely upon her substantial support against any uncooperative trustee, teacher, or pupil.
The Parish Hall was moved-in from off-sight and set in place on a newly constructed basement in November of 1948. Before St. Pete’s had a parish hall, they used St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church as a parish hall. The first rectory was bought for Rev. and Mrs. Alderson in 1913 and was sold in 1952. The rectory at 6 Knight Street was purchased in 1954 and sold in 1994.
To commemorate 75 years as a Parish (1905-1980) it was proposed to commission stained-glass windows to be installed in the altar wall the church (the altar was against the wall). The task was given to E.D.R. Hunt Stained Glass Studio, Calgary with the request that the windows should glorify God, commemorate the faithful departed and inspire the present generation of parishioners to enjoy and glorify God in worship, witness, and work.
Between the Rector, Rev. Dr. Graham Witcher, the Artist, Mr. Robert Hunt, and an open Bible, the theme suggested itself as it was decided to design windows which recall the three of the sayings of Jesus to Simon Peter, the Rock, and some local relevance.
The central window, FISHERS OF MEN, depicting Peter as a working man at the time of his call, whose life was turned right around by the challenge and commission of Jesus. The window to the left of center depicts the view westward from Okotoks towards the Okotoks Erratica, ‘Big Rock’ and the Rocky Mountains, reminding us of the eternal truth of Peter’s recognition that Jesus is the Christ. The window to the right of center depicts the view from Okotoks eastwards towards the Prairies including the Sheep River and a few sheep and a cow reminding us of the pastoral quality which should mark our Christian Community that is founded on truth, marked by love, impelled to share.
Early in the design process, Mr. Hunt sold his business and moved to British Columbia, entrusting the design refinement, and crafting to Mrs. Gerry Pogson. She enlisted her husband John in the painstaking work of crafting and installing the windows. The service of dedication was held on March 29, 1981, with the Venerable Waverley Gant, the Archdeacon of Macleod, being the guest preacher.
In 1985, a need was identified in the Okotoks area for an outlet to provide an emergency food service for the community. Through the efforts of 12 key volunteers and five churches, the Okotoks Inter-Faith Food Bank was formed. The IGA and Thriftway grocery stores placed food baskets at their doors for shoppers to donate food into. From this humble beginning, the dedicated volunteers began providing food to those in need twice a week from the basement of St. Peter’s Anglican Church. As demand grew, the Okotoks Foodbank moved to the United church in the early 1990’s, then in 2014 to a standalone location of 1900 square feet. And in 2020, mid-pandemic the foodbank moved to its current location with over 10,000 square feet. Many churches, schools, local businesses, and organizations continue to work together to provide emergency food assistance to families in need, in Okotoks and surrounding areas.
On September 15, 1991, the parish turned sod on property adjacent to the Sheep River where the parish currently resides. This property was a gift of Mr. Bob Waller, a parishioner. Construction began with the footings installed October 4, 1991. A mild winter enabled construction to proceed, and concrete was poured December 20, 1991. The first interior floor was poured December 28, 1991, with work continuing through January 1992.
The parish deconsecrated the building on Stanley Ave at the end of April and as a family, walked over to the new building to write scripture on the (unfinished) walls.
The congregation officially moved on Saturday, May 2, 1992, with the first service on May 3, 1992, 87 years after it was officially formed as a parish. The Celtic Cross was constructed by Mr. David Hunt and installed outside the main entrance doors May 6, 1992, and the new facility was dedicated to the Glory of God on May 31,1992, by XXXXX. The first wedding was held May 16, 1992, when Miss Kathy Hebson wed Mr. Dale Coutts, with Fr. Paul Orritt officiating. The first funeral was held, July 17, 1992, for Mary Irene Woods.
All the furnishings came to the new location, except the bell that is being stored until funds are available to build a bell tower. The stained-glass windows constructed in 1980 were installed at Easter 1995.
In 2001 the first of a series of financial offerings was made to St. Pete’s by G. Douglas Mackie which enabled the parish to add over 2000 square feet to our facilities, as well as make upgrades to the kitchen, and the parking lot was enlarged and paved. It was at this time that an acre of property was added to the west of the church.
On June 16, 2005, the Sheep River flooded, and the parish needed to relocate for six months while the main floor of the church was gutted and refurbished. Flooding of the Sheep River in this area was nothing new as it had flooded its banks in 1902, 1915, 1940, and 1963. Thank-you to St. James Catholic Church that graciously offered their church building for St. Peter’s use during this time. December 16, 2005, the congregation moved back into its facilities, grateful to be home again.
In subsequent years, the Sheep River flooded two more times, most notably in 2013, thankfully our facilities were spared any damage. Since 2013 flood remedial work was done in the river valley to prevent future flooding. And in the summer of 2022, we regraded our backyard to facilitate sandbagging, if required, addressing any nagging concerns should flooding reach the facility, St. Pete’s is prepared.
In 2004, the Town of Okotoks celebrated its 100th anniversary and was home to 12,187 residents. Ten years later, in 2014, the population more than doubled to 27,331 and in 2021 the population at 31,413 residents. The Town expects to secure its water supply by August 2024 and is projecting significant and unprecedented growth in the 25 years following.
St. Pete’s continues to work out of this history, seeking the flourishing of Okotoks, with many community groups meeting at St. Pete’s. We are continuing to live out of this history while preparing to serve a growing and changing community. As we are an Anglican worshipping community striving to follow the way of Jesus by: Proclaiming the love of God in Jesus Christ, as Risen Lord; Offering hospitality, joy, and hope; Practicing the love of God and neighbour; Baptizing in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; and, Serving though the power of the Holy Spirit.
