Saskatchewan Anglican

The newspaper of the Dioceses of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon and Qu’Appelle

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St. Cuthbert’s Church in the village of Dysart now houses historic stainedglass windows which illustrate the history of Rupert’s Land (much of Western Canada) and the Diocese of Qu’Appelle. The windows were saved from the former St. Matthew, Regina.
By Rev. Ed Dunfield
Photography: 
Rev. Ed Dunfield

Historic stained-glass windows installed in St. Cuthbert, Dysart

DYSART (Qu’A) — A small rural church is now graced with historic stained-glass windows, rescued from a large deconsecrated church. These windows illustrate the history of the huge area called Rupert’s Land and the Diocese of Qu’Appelle.

St. Matthew, Regina, had 16 small stained-glass windows lining the nave. St. Matthew was one of the five Regina churches that amalgamated in 2020, forming the new parish of Immanuel. Dysart is a village situated north of the Qu’Appelle Valley, about 90 km northeast of Regina. It is part of the Touchwood Trail parish.

After the deconsecration of the St. Matthew’s building on Winnipeg Street in Regina, Rev. Ed Dunfield saw the windows and thought of St. Cuthbert, Dysart. After measuring the windows and the window openings at St. Cuthbert, it was determined that they would fit.

With the bishop’s permission, the historic windows were relocated to St. Cuthbert. Two parishioners of St. Cuthbert, Brian Bradshaw and Stephan Mottershead, installed the windows, which “took the better part of a day,” reports Dunfield.

The congregation of St. Cuthbert is thrilled to have these stained-glass windows, which enhance the beauty of their church.

Rev. James West, the first missionary priest sponsored by Hudson’s Bay Company, travelled from Norway House, in present-day Manitoba, to establish a mission at Fort Qu’Appelle in 1820.
A “vanner” is shown visiting a farm family as part of the Sunday School Mission. Rural children received lessons through Sunday School by Post” and were visited by the “vanners” during the summer.
Two Sisters of St. John the Divine and two students stand outside the Qu’Appelle Diocesan School in Regina, which the sisters operated as a boarding school for girls.
Rev. Robert Wolfall (l) celebrated a service of thanksgiving when Admiral, Sir Martin Frobisher, (r) thought he had discovered the North-West Passage in 1578. This is the first recorded Anglican service in what is now Canada.
This window represents all the ordinations that have taken place in the Diocese of Qu’Appelle.

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