Bishop supports removal of church

Preservation group hopes to save structure

The Bishop of the Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador Rev. Geoff Peddle is supporting the removal of the 1894 church in St. Philips.

In a four-page letter given out in the new Anglican church at Sundays service, Peddle writes hes been considering the old churchs fate for longer than just the nine months he has been dealing with the issue as bishop.

The fate of the church has been a point of debate and even contention in the community since the last service was held there in 2003 following the construction of a new building on the same piece of property.

In March 2010, the community awoke to find that somebody had pulled the steeple off the church and left it on the ground.

Stephen Sharpe with the Church by the Sea says this newest development doesnt change the fact that his group is going to continue to rally for the preservation of the structure.

We are still interested in saving that church and putting the steeple back up, he said.

Sharpe said the letter wasnt something his group was expecting.

Were kind of disappointed in the letter. We had discussed partnerships and this sort of thing and we thought that before a letter came out like that ... Id thought that we may of had some kind of a stronger heads-up on it.

In the letter, Peddle identified with Sharpes group and what its trying to do.

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Bishop supports removal of church