The St. John's Anglican Church is celebrating its 120th anniversary in Olds this year and on May 15, a special display was held at the Mountain View Museum and Archives featuring relics of the church's past.The display also featured a presentation from Gary Jefferies, a church administrator, about the church's history in Olds. Anne Burchill also played the flute for those in attendance.Outreach has been fundamental to the church over the years. Bringing people together for a common cause, whether it's supporting local clubs or providing flood relief, has allowed the church to keep going, Jefferies said.“Because of the outreach we're able to stay strong instead of always looking in,” he said. “Any organization that always looks inward is never going to grow.”Jefferies is a longtime attendee of the church since 1980.The congregation includes about 40 regulars but he said that Olds is still a town that cares about faith, as shown by other churches that have thrived.“Well it certainly was in the past and I think it still is otherwise we wouldn't see the churches that are all surviving today. They would be closing their doors and none of them seem to have done that,” he said.Jefferies said church leaders have had discussions on how to stay relevant. They hope to continue being a welcoming place for people to worship.“Giving folks an opportunity to express their faith and to come in and join us and experience faith and worship and decide which way they want to walk at this time,” he said. “Anyone that walks through the door, we can certainly minister to them with a friendly and caring congregation and maybe continue that role into the future.”“We certainly see ourselves being here for quite a while.”The display at the museum will run until May 30.The church will also hold a tea to celebrate the anniversary on May 24 from 2 to 4 [email protected]
