In March 1840, the Anglican community inaugurated their new church. It was dedicated in the name of Grace MacTier, Peter Pangman's wife and the mother of John Pangman, initiator of the project and donor of the land.
The modest building, like many Anglican churches, is built of wood. The interior walls and ceiling are made of plaster and the space lodged about 80 people. As was the tradition, a special seat at the front of the church was reserved for members of the Pangman family. Later, in that same year, the Anglican community of Terrebonne also built its church, which took the name of St. Michael.
Grace Church once also served as a school. A nearby house accommodated the teacher and was later used to board the pastor in charge of celebrating Mass. Some documents speak of a presbytery; however it was destroyed by a fire several decades ago.
Until 1970, the church remained open to the public at all hours so that the faithful could gather there, but this privilege was revoked following acts of vandalism. In 1976, the community ended regular service, settling for an annual commemoration. When the second Anglican church in Mascouche, St. Margaret's Church, established in the mid-20th century, closed, the community decided to restore Grace Church.
To preserve the memory of St. Margaret's Church, the pews, a stained-glass window, and its bell were moved to Grace Church. It was then that Grace Anglican Church resumed its weekly service with the 2006 Thanksgiving Mass. Grace Anglican Church is said to be the oldest Anglican place of worship on the North Shore, in the Montreal area, and in the Lanaudière region.
Photo: Collection Archives Lanaudière / Fonds Aimé-Despatis