SUNDRE – Decades before the town was even incorporated as a municipality in 1956, settlers had already begun the difficult task of establishing a foundation for the community.
Among the early backbones that helped lay the groundwork to build, support and sustain Sundre was the local United Church, which on Sunday, June 11 hosted a centennial celebration attended by about 80 people including some past congregants who despite no longer living in town still feel a bond with the community.
“It was a service of a lot of nostalgia,” said Joyce Wicks, a member of the leadership team who’s been involved with the church since the 1980s, later adding the service opened with Holy, Holy, Holy and “integrated a lot of hymns that were traditional by the eras.”
“We had a phenomenal service that was about two hours long, but that’s because we did some pieces of history,” she said, adding that past congregants who’d over the years since moved away but still have connections to the community were glad for the opportunity to return and re-connect with familiar faces over music and food.
Wicks told the Albertan on June 22 during a follow-up interview at the church that its roots were planted even prior to the official formation of the United Church of Canada in 1925.
The earliest settlement in the region dates back to 1893 when David McDougal from the Morley area brought his corrals here because of drought conditions in Morley at the time, said Wicks.
By 1907, Nils Tilford, who would go on to be known for establishing the NT Hagen brand, purchased McDougal’s ranch, opened a general store, and decided to name Sundre after his birthplace in Norway, she said.
The earliest Sunday school programs were introduced in 1923 by Jennie Heaton, whose husband Joe built a creamery in 1919, she said.
A couple of years later, there was a “significant” development in 1925 when the Presbyterian, Methodist, and Congregational churches agreed to form the United Church of Canada. At the time, an overseeing minister from Olds United Church delegated student ministers to provide services in Sundre for five months every summer, she said.
“The buildings that were used, were what was known as Hagen Hall, which is approximately Cedar’s Pub right now,” she said.
During the turbulent period of the Second World War, Tilford donated in 1943 two lots at the church’s current location.
“He really wanted to have a church built,” she said, adding the United Church Women started raising money that same year in support of the endeavour.
That effort involved hosting fundraisers such as bake sales and chicken dinners, but without any of the high-tech amenities and conveniences readily available today, such as power and running water. Yet their tireless dedication ultimately led to the first portion of today’s building being finished in 1945, she said.
“And that was the very first part that you see here on the upper part of the back sanctuary. That was the only church for the entire community; this was it,” she said. “Later in the ’60s there were some other denominations starting, but this was the only game in town (until then).”
Throughout the roughly 10-year period between 1945-1955, the church was able to tap the skills and background training of a Lay minister from England by the name of JR (John Rae) Jackson, who with wife Ann moved about 10 kilometres north of Sundre in 1926 when he was already 50 years old, bringing with them nine children; seven boys and two girls, said Wicks.
“So, that was the beginning of all the Jackson descendants in this community, which are many,” she said, adding there was plenty of legwork involved in attempting to track down as many of them as possible to extend an invitation to join the centennial celebration.
JR was already about 70 when he as a result of a shortage of available ministers decided to help out for a period of what he’d anticipated would only be a few months, she said.
“It turned into 10 and a half years,” she added.
Long before the marvels of modern travel, the hilly trip to Sundre from Olds by horseback and horse-drawn wagons was an arduous trek not for the faint of heart.
“The road conditions were so terrible,” said Wicks.
When JR had first arrived in 1926 following the potentially perilous transAtlantic trip from England and the ensuing cross-Canada rail passage from Québec City, he found the final stretch to Sundre to be quite challenging.
“He felt like he was going to the end of the world with every hill,” said Wicks.
Yet that didn’t stop JR from attending funerals, taking sick calls, and providing services while still helping out around town.
By 1955, the church expanded with the addition of the sanctuary. At the time, Muriel Eskrick, who was the editor of the then-Sundre Round Up as well as the Presbytery rep, played a pivotal role in promoting further growth.
“Muriel was very influential in bringing a fully ordained minister to Sundre by the name of Reverend Terry Anderson,” said Wicks.
Although Anderson served relatively briefly for three years until 1958, his energetic and outgoing leadership style helped build some momentum that enabled other ministers to continue, she said.
“The church grew like crazy from ’55 to ’58 when he moved on,” she said.
Another pivotal moment in the church’s history was in 1978 when Rev. Keith Howard, a fully-ordained 24-year-old musically inclined father with a young family, brought with him roughly 20 families at the same time, she said.
“The services were uplifting,” she said. “He was bright and talented, and it then brought other bright talented people.”
Howard was the inspirational presence that motivated Wicks – who was raised Anglican – to join the church.
“This was the place that all the young families and kids were coming, and I had young kids,” she said. “So, many of us having all similar aged kids all at once became a social Christian, faith-based group.”
Among the initiatives Wicks got involved with alongside the help of some supportive parents was a monthly, secular youth group that would go bowling in Olds, swim at the wave pool in Calgary, go roller skating in Red Deer, or just simply have supper and watch movies right here in Sundre, she said.
“I did that for about eight years,” said Wicks, adding she eventually became director of nursing in Olds and so stepped away from the Sunday school program but nevertheless remained involved with the church and continued playing the piano monthly.
In 1987, Pat Spence donated a Baby Grand piano in memory of his wife Dolly, a centrepiece that remains in use today, she said.
“This piano is a focal point for music in our church,” she said, adding the instrument is put to good use by for example the Sundre Community Choir as well as piano recitals and entertainers for programs like Sundre Seniors Socialize.
Another majorly influential leader was Edith Mjolsness, the sister in law of Chester Mjolsness, who spearheaded the effort to upgrade pews and add soft padding.
“A congregant’s donation of a sizeable amount in 1985 – $25,000 interest free – would finish off the whole hall,” said Wicks.
Although 1985 saw the building’s last expansion, it certainly wasn’t the last investment in maintaining and improving the church, which since has had the face of the structure redone, its leaky bell tower removed, and kitchen renovated.
“Out of this little (building), we do a lot in the community,” she said.
Last July, she said the leadership team decided to return to a single point charge and brought back services to Sunday mornings following eight years of being a two-point charge with Olds and providing afternoon services.
“That became a self-limiting decision; it was not helping us in a lot of ways,” she said. “So, we’re having to be bold and are going forward with our morning services and being as creative as we can be in having extra musical talent.”
That process has been facilitated courtesy of a part-time pulpit supply of ordained or trained ministers, including but not limited to the musically talented Rev. Janice Beaudry, who since last year has on multiple occasions been back in Sundre.
Looking ahead, Wicks said the church’s leadership team intends to continue efforts to partner with other community groups like Cooking for Kindness as well as deliver existing programs such as Sundre Seniors Socialize.
Additionally, the leadership team strives to keep a finger on the pulse of local issues to identify needs that might be addressed through outreach.
“There’s a wealth of possibilities in Sundre. It’s full of possibilities and talent; and new talent coming in all the time,” she said. “We have a plan going forward to be functional and continue to exist as our pioneers did, who worked so hard because they wanted to help make (the community) better.”
A special display at the Sundre & District Museum featuring items from the Sundre United Church will remain on exhibit until July 15.
