In the evening of December 5 of that same year, St. Bernard’s beautiful stone church was destroyed by fire. It had been built in 1911, when the original structure had burned. The tragic loss of a church was destroyed by fire. It had been built in 1911 when the original structure had burned. The tragic loss of a church was keenly felt by the whole community, and all churches offered help. Tony Anderson offered the Pontiac Theatre for Sunday Masses. Weekday services were held in the Methodist Church, which Rev. Daniel Partridge had offered to Msgr. Noel Zimmerman at seven o’clock the following morning—a witness of the spirit of, which has prevailed in the village I the last few years.

A fund was started in all the churches to purchase an organ for the new church, which was to be built. November 2, 1969, the new St. Bernard’s was dedicated by the Bishop of Ogdensburg. During the rebuilding, there was a remarkable growing together in the life of the local churches. During the service the Rev. Daniel Partridge received a medal from Pope Paul in recognition of the kind hospitality afforded St. Bernard’s congregation by the Methodist Church. Bishop Brown was present at this service.

An Ecumenical Service marked the 90th Anniversary of St. Luke’s, October 17, 1969. The Rev. Daniel Partridge gave the address and the lessons were read by Msgr. Zimmerman and Rev. Lawrence Maitland De Sormo, historian of the Adirondack, presented slides and commentary of “Early Days in Saranac Lake” In the Parish House during the social hour. Service of Holy Communion was to be held on St. Luke’s Day at 10:00 A.M.

After many years of faithful service, Robert Rankin, due to poor health resigned as treasurer of the Memorial Foundation Fund and parish Treasurer, F. Eugene Young was appointed to succeed him and continued in that post until 1974 when illness forced him to resign.

Bunny Beardsley resigned as Head of the Primary Department of the Sunday school. At a Service Group Supper, she was honored for her 18 years of service and presented with a gift from the group.

Louis Kains was the guest of honor at the Service Group Family supper, April 6, 1970. The occasion was his retirement from his post as organist and choir director after serving the parish for 23 years. Tom Cantwell spoke of Mr. Kains' contribution to the community not only in the church but also as Director of Oratorio Society. He also paid tribute to Mrs. Kains who was always a great help with the choir. The choir had fond memories of special rehearsals before Christmas at the Kains' home and the parties that followed. Others who were missed when they left the parish were Marjorie Smith who was an active member of the Service Group and St. Anne’s Guild and choir mother, for many years and Ralph Wiles who was a faithful member of the choir and Oratorio Society. Miss Smith lives in Rutland and Mr. Wiles in Florida.

There are special Sundays in the church year which are marked for offerings such as United Church Offering and Church Periodical Sunday of two appeals which Fr. Hill stressed especially, is the Good Friday Offering, which goes to the church work in the Holy Land and Near East. Contributions are a major source of support for the Anglican Bishopric in Jerusalem. The second is the Presiding Bishop’s Fund, the official channel of the church for world relief and long-standing universally respected agency for the Episcopal Church. That Sunday was in March.

The year 1971 marked a change of time of Sunday services. Instead of services at 9:30 A.M. and 11 A.M., the hour was changed to 10 A. M. with the Church School attending the first part of the service before going to the classes. In November with the request of the Bishop, the new Trial Rites were used for a three-year period. Fr. Hill had a special service, November 30th to study the new rites. Many repairs, repainting and re-roofing were accomplished as a result of a good response of an appeal for renovation funds.

Father Hill observed his 40th Anniversary of his ordination to the Priesthood with the celebration of the Eucharist, followed by a reception in the Parish House.

In April 1971, a Greek Orthodox service was held in St. Luke’s Church on a Saturday morning. The Rev. Parry Paraschou of the Greek Orthodox congregation of Watertown conducted the service. Some years ago, regular Greek Orthodox services were held in St. Luke’s Church and in appreciation of this privilege, this church presented St. Luke’s with the two brass candelabra, which stand on each side of the Altar. Anne and Tony Anthony were married by Orthodox rites at St. Luke’s and their daughter Sevasty was baptized in the Greek Orthodox tradition in 1956.

On October 31, 1971, the 150th Anniversary of the Church Missionary Society was celebrated with a special service of thanksgiving. The offering was sent to the Navaho Indians, Utah.

The Rt. Rev. Wilbur E. Hogg of Portland, Maine, was elected Bishop of the Albany Diocese, succeeding Bishop Brown upon his retirement, and was consecrated Bishop on March 9, 1973 in all Saints Cathedral, Albany. Prior to his consecration, Bishop was at St. Luke’s for a Deanery meeting in February. He again visited St. Luke’s, May 26 for confirmation and celebrant at the Eucharist.

It became necessary to replace the organ. A special fund was raised, which was largely augmented by a bequest from the Will of the late Anne Gallagher. On September 14, 1973, George Reynolds, professor of music in North Country Community College, gave a recital on the recently installed Allen Organ. There was a special evening service for this occasion and the public was invited.

Betty Isele was the organist and choir director at St. Luke’s after Mr. Kains retired and remained until the spring of 1978. Upon her resignation, Virginia Daniels took her place. 

Recent memorials were a Pascal candlestick given by Elizabeth Anderson in memory of Harriet Delafield and white funeral Pall, a gift of Carl and Ruth Smith in memory of Arthur Alliason. Mr. Alliason served on the Vestry and as church warden and was very active in the Service Group and was a good friend to all.

The Service Group had ceased to function as a service to the church and interest in the monthly suppers had dwindled so it was decided in 1973 to discontinue the meetings. The budget Box had taken its place as a fund raiser. We remember the good fellowship and many interesting programs enjoyed over the years.

Stanley Daniels, a faithful churchman, retired as sexton of St. Luke’s after 15 years of service.

The year 1973 marked Fr. Hill’s last Christmas celebration as rector of St. Luke’s. The Festival Eucharist on Christmas Eve was preceded by a Service of Nine Lessons and carols on Sunday afternoon December 23rd. This ancient service tells of the prophecies preceding the birth of Christ, culminating in the Adoration of Shepherds and Magi. The lessons were read by representatives of our parish life, thus affording a wonderful opportunity for the Parish to worship together as a family in preparation for Christmas.

At the Annual Meeting in January 1974, Fr. Hill spoke of the two outstanding events of the year, the installation of the new organ and the memorial window for Madeline Smith. This January 12th marked the 95th Anniversary of the first service conducted in this original building. Upon the retirement of Stanley Daniels as sexton, Mr. Cantwell commended his many years of faithful service to the church. Mrs. Kerley, treasurer of the Budget Box, commended Mrs. Carl Smith for her management of the shop.

On June 30th, 1974, Fr. Hill celebrated the Eucharist for the last time as rector of this parish on the occasion of his retirement from his rectorate after 14 years of devoted leadership at St. Luke’s. The message he left with the congregation of over 200 at the 10 o’clock service was “The Importance of Christianity moving ever forward.” Following the service, a reception was held in the parish house. Thomas Cantwell, senior warden had words of deep appreciation and affect for Fr. Hill as he presented Fr. and Mrs. Hill with a retirement gift from the church family and friends enclosed with a sketch of the church by Marion LeJeune. The Hills also received gifts from the three guilds, the Sunday School and a gift from the Interchurch Council, presented by the Rev. James Kane of St. Bernard’s Parish.

A true description of Fr. Hill, taken from “The Adirondack Daily Enterprise” is “In the Rev. Peter W. O. Hill, one sees a man wholly at peace with himself, though not necessarily at peace with the condition of the world. His sonorous, cultural voice is sometimes freight with sorrow as he ponders the forces of evil and the godlessness of Communism. At other times on lighter subjects, his gray-blue eyes sparkle with amusement and the quality of his voice changes to light hearted lilt that is as engaging as music.”

Church Wardens serving from 1958, when Seaver Miller retired to 1974 Jefferson Newbold, Dr. Edward Packard, Col. John R. Bedell, Collier Baird, Dr. Clayton Steward, Arthur Alliason, William Distin, Albert, Dreyfus, Dr. Francis Trudeau, Mott Chapin, Thomas Cantwell, Ellsworth Wilcox.