St. Aidan's - Baker Lake, Nunavut

St. Aidan's Anglican Church, Baker Lake
The first service held in Baker Lake itself was conducted by Archdeacon A.L. Fleming (later Bishop) Sunday, August 7th, 1927. Prior to this date a Church of England missionary, the Rev. G. Buckland, had been stationed at Chesterfield Inlet at the turn of the century. Even before this the Inuit from the coast had been in contact with the missionaries at Eskimo Point (Arviat) and Churchill. The first missionary at Baker Lake, Rev. Ben Smyth, had the task of erecting the mission house in 1927 and the Rev. W.J.R. James finished the Church in 1930. Both buildings were the gifts of kind and interested friends.

Baker Lake contacts a tremendous area. It is the only inland Inuit mission in the Diocese.

The Anglican Clergy of Baker Lake

Rev. Ben P. Smyth                               -       1927 - 1930
Rev. Canon William John Rundle James    -       1930 - 1962
Rev. Alan Whitton                               -       1963 - 1972
Rev. Timothy Kalai                              -       1973 - 1975
Rev. J.Chris R. Williams                        -       1975 - 1978
Rev. Brian Ford                         -       1978 - 1985
Rev. Larry Robertson                    -       1985 - 1992
Rev. Steven Boot                                -       1993 - 1996
Rev. Lucassie Nakoolak                  -       1996 - 2001
Rev. Bobby Patsauq                      -       2001 – 2003
Rev. Jean Simailak                              -       2003 - present

Rev. Jean Simailak

David & Rev. Jean with their adopted baby son.

Services
Sunday
9:30am  English Service
11:00am         Inuktitut Service (1st Sunday Holy Communion) with Sunday School
2:00pm  Senior Sunday School
7:00pm  Inuktitut Service (3rd Sunday Holy Communion)
Tuesday
7:00pm  Youth Service
Wednesday
12:00           Holy Communion at the Hospice
7:00pm  Ladies Bible Study

Youth Mission 2005

The following are photos taken during the mission held in Baker Lake in 2005. Plans are underway for another mission in April 2006.

Baker Lake singers and Bishop Larry Robertson


Confirmation candidates with Rev. Jean, Bishop Larry and Capt. Ron McLean in the background.

Dancing for God!

Both young and old participated in the mission.

Youth Bible study taking place during the mission.