A History of SPUC
It was 1957 when Rev. John Wing of the Clover Bar Pastoral Charge assembled a group of
21 people to discuss the possibility of establishing a church in their community, the hamlet of Campbelltown. Shortly thereafter the
Board of Home Missions appointed student minister David Gilchrist to conduct the first church service in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Chappell. Rev. Wing was responsible for organizing the first Women’s
Association and that fall the first tea and bazaar was held.
Summer services were held in people’s homes while the children met in the garage of Mr. and Mrs. C. Otto. In the fall, the Anglican Parish Hall was rented for church services and the Sunday school classes met in the homes of the teachers. Late in 1957, Art Kloepfer became the new student minister. He was in attendance on March 30, 1958 at the Service of Constitution held in the Sherwood Park School auditorium. The Rev. Dr. G. M. Hutchinson conducted the service for the 21 charter members. Those charter members present were: Tom Chappell, Isabella Chappell, Rose Marie Cromie, Violet Cromie, Jean Dawdy, Levern Dawdy, Mary Grommers, Mary Jones, Margaret Jordheim, Donald Martin, Mae Martin, Marjorie McMaster, Cliff Otto, Anne Otto, Cyril Poxon, Grace Poxon, Dorothy Self, Floyd Suffern, Joan Suffern, Ruth Towers and Marjorie Walton.
Dennis Hogan, a new student minister who replaced Art Kloepfer for the spring and summer, organized the first Vacation Bible School. In the fall of 1958, Mark Bedford became the first full-time lay minister. The teacherage of the Salisbury rural school became the manse. In 1959, worship services were moved to the Campbelltown School auditorium and both senior choir and C.G.I.T. were begun.
It was also in 1959 that the “United We Build for the Future” campaign was undertaken for the construction of Stage 1 of a three-stage plan. A hall with seating for 270 people with a basement (now Memorial Hall) was completed by 1960 at a cost of $40,000 and a manse was purchased at 939 Birch Avenue. The Explorers group was formed and was followed by the Cubs in 1961. In February 1961 Rev. G. B. Hutchinson, Rev. G. B. Johnston, and Rev. I. MacMillan conducted the Service of Church Dedication.
Many changes took place in the 1960s. Several groups were formed, including Men’s Group, a Coffee House for youth, junior choir, Couples’ Club, Hi-C, and U.C.W. By 1962, the church was no longer large enough to accommodate the Sunday school but moving half the group to the new wing of the Campbelltown School solved the problem. That year the first edition of ANIK (the church newsletter) was distributed.
In 1963, Rev. Jim Elliott became the first ordained minister to serve the congregation. It was during that year that the Wye congregation voted to join Sherwood Park United and by the following year that was accomplished. In 1964, a part-time secretary was hired and the United Church Observer’s “Every Family Plan” was implemented. The formation of the Sherwood Park Interfaith Committee (Anglican, Lutheran, Roman Catholic and United) was an important event in 1966 that was followed by interfaith and worship experiments, including the Live-Love Mission Festival that continued into the 1970s. Canada’s Centennial was celebrated in 1967 along with the 10th anniversary of the church and the completion of the minister’s study in the basement.
In 1968, Rev. K. J. Challoner replaced Rev. Jim Elliott as minister. The 1970s became a time of great activity with modern worship introduced. The new “Red” hymnbook was published by the Anglican and United Churches in 1971 and later that year Songs for a Gospel People (green book) was printed.
The first church mortgage was burned in 1972 with every family participating in a Hard Times Dance at the community hall. Admission was a piggy bank filled with at least $25 in quarters. The organ was replaced in 1973. In 1974 the Sunday school finally received a permanent home with the completion of Stage 2 of the building project (the Activity Hall) at a cost of $42,000.
There were other important happenings in the 1970s. The church parking lot was paved, choirs were organized for all ages and Kerygma Bible study, and Laity Alive programs were sponsored. A Vietnamese family (the Mus) was also sponsored.
Rev. Jeff Challoner left in 1974 and Rev. George Rodgers accepted the call. In 1975, the Board was restructured and the building fund debt was substantially reduced. The front entrance was improved and enlarged in 1976 and that year Mary MacFarlane began an eight-month student internship.
By 1977, church numbers had grown to 484 families, which made it necessary to have two Sunday services. To meet the increased demand on the ministry, Linda Gow, a diaconal minister, was appointed as Leadership and Program Coordinator. The debt on the new wing and parking lot was retired.
The congregation staged two major musical productions, Memories (1980) and Patchwork Joy (1981). Both productions were intergenerational involving a major portion of the congregation. In 1980, a contest was held that resulted in the current fish logo. Irene Greenwood and Bob Weight served as summer interns in 1980 and 1981.
Following a major fund-raising campaign in the fall of 1981, construction began in June 1982 on Stage 3 of the building project, a new sanctuary to seat 470 people at a cost of $635,000. That same June Lynda Gow left and Rev. Jim Allan accepted the call for a new minister.
The completion and dedication of the new sanctuary took place in conjunction with the celebration of the 25th anniversary of Sherwood Park United Church on April 17, 1983. It was also a memorable year for Rev. George Rodgers who completed his Doctor of Ministry degree. Several new happenings took place in 1984. Rev. Dr. George Rodgers became president of Alberta and Northwest Conference and Gerry Wallace was accepted as a candidate for ministry (Gerry was ordained in 1987). A mission statement was adopted, the first annual memorial Sunday was held, new chairs were bought for the sanctuary, a mini-copy system was purchased, and church office hours extended until 4:30.
In 1985, the Church Council replaced the Official Board as the primary administrative body. Rev. Dennis Butcher came to replace Rev. Dr. George Rodgers in 1986. Other important events in the late 1980s were the Developing the Caring Community seminar, the development of the Care Network and the formation of the handbell choir. The manse was sold in 1986 and that year stained glass windows were installed below the cross at the front of the church.
In the summer of 1990, Rev. Brenda Gibson replaced Rev. Jim Allen. During the first half of the 1990s, there was a great deal of activity. A talent showcase called A Touch of Class (1993), a visioning process, the sponsorship of a second refugee family (The Trachs), new work in volunteer coordination, the return of a second Sunday service and involvement in an annual Ecumenical Mission. For a number of years Family Camp was held at Pigeon Lake early in June with as many as 150 people participating in a variety of activities.
In 1994, several congregation members collected pledges and spent the night on the church roof in a highly successful “Look Up” campaign to raise money for a new roof. The old stained glass windows by the Fir Street entrance were removed and re-formed into the current cross in 1995. Furnaces were also replaced that year.
During the spring of 1995, many of the members were involved in the production of Esther. That fall David Watt was hired as a Youth and Young Adult Minister (YAMYAM) and Judy Campbell was accepted as a candidate for ministry. In 1996 another play The Acts of an Apostle, the story of Paul, proved popular. It was also in 1996 that the new hymnbook Voices United was available in the pews. Many of these were purchased as memorials as were the former hymnbooks. After the resignations of Rev. Dennis Butcher and Rev. Brenda Gibson in 1997, Rev. David Guzzwell came to serve the congregation for one year. Healing and youth services became part of congregational life as well as participation in the church slowpitch league.
Rev. Hugh MacGregor accepted the call in 1998. From 1999 to 2001 Jo-Anne Kobylka, a diaconal minister, who worked with youth and young families, assisted him. In 1999, Roslyn Richardson was endorsed as a candidate for ministry and another refugee family was sponsored (Maryana & son Miki). Two fund-raisers have been contributing generously to the church coffers, the stadium football concession booth, and the annual Cookie Walk (since 1998). Improvements have been made to all three halls and the kitchen updated with the addition of a dishwasher.
Rob Reed arrived in 2001 as a Youth and Young Family Resource person and is preparing to study for diaconal ministry. The children and youth program has been quite active with many different options a vailable for folks in grades 7 to 12. Youth representing SPUC attend youth rallies, the annual meeting of Alberta and Northwest Conference and Tuxis Youth Parliament.
Sherwood Park United continues to look beyond the walls of the sanctuary to carry God’s love to those in the community and around the world. Through the work and guidance of the Outreach Committee and the Stewardship Committee, much work is being done to help people in Strathcona County, Edmonton’s inner city, and various other places in Canada and overseas. A major focus for the first years of this new millennium has been “No Room at the Inn,” a program designed to combat homelessness in downtown Edmonton. The open offering from the Christmas Eve services has been directed to this cause. The fall of 2004 saw the renewal of a second Sunday morning service. “Diverse Expressions” is a departure from the usual worship service. With several worship teams planning and leading worship, each Sunday is different.
Sherwood Park United continues to be a vital, energizing presence of God in its community. Its members and adherents take God’s caring and compassion from this congregation into the many and varied places where they live out their faith.
In the summer of 2006, Rev. Hugh MacGregor accepted a call to Grace United Church in Edmonton. Dr. Rev. George Rodgers was appointed Interim Retired Supply while the search process was on for a new minister.
In August of 2007 a call was extended to Pastor Anne Laird and Reverend Liz Carter-Morgan to form a ministry team. The future looks bright as we prepare to celebrate 50 years as a congregation of the United Church in Sherwood Park.