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A congregation of about 50 parishioners and former parishioners from Solsgirth and Birtle attended the final service held at St. Stephen's on October 13th, 2002. This Thanksgiving service was led by the Rev. Laura Hermakin with assitance from Bishop Jim Njegovan of the Diocese of Brandon.

Following the Eucharist, a statement from the Bishop secularizing St. Stephen's was read by Jim Nickel, the people's warden. Some of the liturgical ornaments were removed from the sanctuary and taken to the back of the church symbolizing that the church is no longer a consecrated church building.

After this part of the service, the bishop and congregation proceeded outside to the memorial cairn. The bishop dedicated this cairn to the glory of God and in loving memory of the pioneers who built this "treasure" in 1906 and in the memory of all who have worshipped there since that time.

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The members of the church at the cairn dedication service.
October, 2002
Solsgirth, Manitoba