St. Paul's Anglican Church in Point Edward is hosting its annual Mariners' Service online Sunday.
Archdeacon of Lambton-Kent and Rector Kristen Aikman said like all churches, 2020 dealt a blow to everybody and all services have been held online, with only a few in person.
"I think the last Mariners' Service was the last service we did fully in person, in the main build part of the church," said Aikman. "We've had to pivot and we're worshiping in our homes now, but we've also had to go strictly online, which is how this year's service will be since Lambton is still in the red zone according to the province."
The Venerable Aikman said in previous years the church would be packed, so the online service might attract new faces.
"Hopefully we'll see some folks that don't normally get a chance to listen to us, or come from far distances. We have some folks that come from Goderich and other places in the United States to come and visit and celebrate with us as we mark the beginning of the shipping season."
The service, which celebrates the church's close relationship with ships, shipping and the railroad, will be available on the church website, YouTube channel and Facebook at 7 a.m.
"We have a great speaker, his name is Brock Robbins. He's a coxswain of the R.C.S.C.C. (Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps) Repulse 132, which is the cadet corp. here in Sarnia."
St. Paul's Church was a gift in 1868 from the manager of the Grand Trunk Railway.
From 1868 until 1902 the church stood at the corner of Livingston and Victoria Avenue in Point Edward, where its tall thin steeple would reflect the light from the Fort Gratiot lighthouse in Port Huron and assist in guiding ships from Lake Huron into the St. Clair River.
The inter-faith service is held each year before the beginning of the navigation season on the Great Lakes.