Restoring Oldest PCC Church in Western Canada
John Whiteway and June Thompson are two of the Friends of Historic Kildonan Church, a group dedicated to restoring the Presbyterian church built by the Selkirk settlers back in 1854.
Closed for more than 20 years, Old Kildonan Presbyterian Church, the oldest stone church in Winnipeg, will once again be open to the community.
After two town hall meetings last spring confirmed community support for the project, a citizen group was formed to help the restoration process.
Since then, the Friends of Historic Kildonan Church have secured private and public grants to begin restoring the church building.
A study completed in November will help the church and community decide how to make the heritage site self-sustaining. Renovations are expected to begin in the spring.
“The historical significance is phenomenal,” said June Thompson, chairperson of the Friends of Historic Kildonan Church and a former English and history teacher. “It has to be maintained for future generations.”
Selkirk settlers, who immigrated to Red River, Man., from Scotland in the wake of the Highland Clearances in the early 1800s, built the church in 1854.
The congregation worshipped there until 1988, when they moved to Kildonan Community Church, which is located on the same property. —Seth Veenstra
Elder and Ecumenist Passes Away
John MacFarlane was an elder, a talented treasurer, and a strong believer in ecumenism. He passed away on Jan. 29 at the age of 96.
For more than two decades, MacFarlane worked with the Caribbean and North American Area Council, which at the time was a regional body of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches. From 1984 to 2002, he was the group’s treasurer.
“His sense of vision for CANAAC and WARC in those days was remarkable,” wrote Rev. Dr. Setri Nyomi, general secretary of the World Communion of Reformed Churches, the organization that succeeded WARC in 2010. “Among other things he was an ardent advocate for ensuring that the contributions of Caribbean churches were not judged simply on the basis of their financial contributions. Each church, no matter what their financial standing, was valued for all the ways in which they contributed.”
CANAAC represents 20 WCRC member churches in the Caribbean, the United States and Canada. The WCRC boasts a total membership of 230 churches in 108 countries.
At home in Ottawa, MacFarlane was elected elder at St. Andrew’s in 1958. He sang in the choir for more than six decades, convened the worship committee, was a representative elder to presbytery for 36 years, and in 1995 he became presbytery moderator. For a time, he also chaired the finance committee of the Synod of Quebec and Eastern Ontario.
“John knew every dimension of this particular congregation, but allowed himself to be grown into a vision of the larger Church of Christ,” said Rev. Dr. Andrew Johnston, minister of St. Andrew’s. “John lived with the strength of knowing that his life was a gift of God, in which he could serve God in work and worship and world, and that this life is but the beginning by the promises of God.”
His family, friends and church celebrated his life with a funeral service on Feb. 2. —Connie Wardle
Vancouver Church Plans Condo Development
In downtown Vancouver, the congregation of Central Presbyterian plans to replace the church building with a 21-story condo tower. And they plan to stay.
“We’re a typical church: land rich and cash poor; a small congregation sitting on $10 million dollars worth of property,” said Rev. Jim Smith, minister at Central.
Central’s building is used by two other congregations: Christ Alive, a community church, and Galilee Korean Presbyterian, as well as Montessori and karate schools, a daycare and a number of community groups.
“Currently, the building is in use from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. We’re out of time and space,” said Smith.
Rather than sell the property to a developer and move, Smith said Central decided to leverage the value of the land into a new facility.
“What the development will give us is a church building that is about a third larger than what we have right now and a space that will also be much more usable,” said Smith.
It will also give them the chance to offer affordable housing to local residents—a dream they’ve had for a number of years, said Smith.
“We see a need for more affordable options,” reads a statement the church gave at a community presentation. “We want to provide a housing program that offers a mix of affordable housing options through a Central nonprofit housing society.”
To fund the project, a fifth of the space will be sold as market value condos. The remaining apartments will become affordable housing, available at either 75 or 50 per cent of the standard rental rate. A property management group will oversee both types of housing on the church’s behalf.
“So it isn’t costing us anything to do this. We get the church portion, which includes some retail space, the 45 apartments and a share of the parking—and no mortgage,” said Smith.
There was, however, the initial cost of the proposal. With the help of the synod and Canadian Ministries, Central was able to raise $30,000 to hire an architecture firm.
“We’re plowing new ground here. We’re trying to find a 21st century vision inspired by the pioneer communities. Back in those days the first building in a new community was the church; but it was also a courthouse, community centre, school, a place for meetings, and place of refuge. Our congregation understands that the foundational question the gospel presents us is, ‘does the church exist to serve its members, or are the members there to serve the community in Christ’s name?’ For us, it’s not about preserving our culture; it’s about rolling up sleeves and serving our community. And that’s an attitude that’s absolutely vital for the life of the church.” —SV
Texas Church ‘Buys Back’ Guns
While they aren’t beating swords into ploughshares, First Presbyterian, Dallas, is grinding pistols and semi-automatics into recyclable metal.
For more than a decade the church has hosted Gun Buy Back events, where they purchase community members’ firearms and then destroy them.
“We see it as a reflection of our community ministry,” organizer Rev. Bruce Buchanan told the Dallas Morning News. “We’re providing an opportunity for people to make their homes safer.”
This year’s event happened a month after 20 children and six adults were shot in Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.
The church event was countered by gun enthusiasts who held a firearms auction in the empty lot across the street, offering more money for each gun. The church offered $50 for handguns and up to $200 for semi-automatic weapons. It bought and destroyed 100 guns. ¦ —with files from the Dallas Morning News
