The Annual UEL Service continues the tradition of honouring the memory of Loyalist Settlers.

On Sunday, 13 June 2010, a service was held at St. Alban the Martyr United Empire Loyalist Memorial Church, to celebrate the 226th Anniversary of the landing of the group under the command of Major Peter van Alstine known as the Adolphustown Loyalists. The cornerstone for this beautiful stone church west of Kingston, Ontario was laid in 1884 at the time of the Centennial celebrations commemorating the 1784 landing of the Bay of Quinte Loyalists.

The Mohawk Choir

Rev. Forneri, the minister who guided the building process of this memorial church paid attention to every detail in his effort to ensure that the completed church would be a fitting tribute to all Loyalists who had resettled in the country that was to become known as Canada. He worked tirelessly to raise the necessary funds for the building and interior furnishings and decoration of the church but as he wrote to a parishioner at the time, he did not intend to rest his labours until a thousand dollars had been set aside to ensure a yearly lecture could be given on the Loyalist theme to keep the story of the "brave Loyalists" fresh in our memory. There is no record that the fund was ever established and certainly it does not exist today but the small number of parishioners of St. Alban's work hard and with the help of generous contributions from supporters, ensure a memorial service is held in the church each year on the Sunday closest to the June 13 landing date of the Adolphustown loyalists.

More than 120 persons were in attendance for this years service which followed the Book of Common Prayer of the United Church of England and Ireland of 1662. Rev. Father Bradley D. Smith, Chaplain of Christ Church, Her Majesty's Chapel Royal of the Mohawks, served as cantor which greatly added to the beauty of the service and as the Tyendinaga choir sang Faith of Our Fathers in the Mohawk language those in attendance were visibly moved.

The Reverend Father Bradley D. Smith, Chaplain of Christ Church,
Her Majesty's Chapel Royal of the Mohawks and The Rev. Joyce Blackburn

Our guest speaker this year, Rev. Canon David Smith is both a distinguished member of the Anglican clergy and a loyalist descendent. His family settled in Fredericton, New Brunswick in 1783 and descendents lived on the same land they had been initially granted until David Smith, the last descendent in the line, came to our area as incumbent of the Mary Magdalene church of Napanee in 1999. Canon Smith described how preparing for his talk had taken him on a journey of discovery as he explored his own Loyalist roots. His talk provided all present with new insights and a renewed appreciation for the Loyalist experience, just as Rev. Forneri had intended when he initiated the yearly remembrance service so long ago.

A tea, complete with fine china tea cups, crystal punch bowls and flower bedecked tables, was held in sparkling sunshine on the lawn of the old rectory next to the church, following the service. As pleasantries were exchanged everyone present agreed that this service is a tradition well worth preserving.