Nelson United Church History
St. Paul's Presbyterian
In 1867, gold and silver were found in the area and Nelson (as the town would be called) grew quickly as a result of the frantic mining activity. Our Church history begins in the year 1888, when John A. McDonald, a Presbyterian student minister from Queens College, Kingston, Ontario, having traveled by boat, pony, and on foot, preached the Gospel to some twenty people in a tent.
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| St. Paul's Church (line drawinig by Inwood, 1980) |
Although his visit only lasted a couple days, he paved the way for Rev. Thomas Rogers who, in late 1890 or early 1891, held services in the sitting-room of the International Hotel and then in rooms on the 2nd floor of the R.E. Lemon General Store. The "First Presbyterian Church", on the corner of Victoria and Kootenay Streets was dedicated in June 1892, and in 1900 was renamed "St. Paul's Presbyterian Church". The Congregational Church constructed a building on the corner of Silica and Stanley Streets in 1898 and this was known as "St. Paul's Church." (The building, after going through a number of incarnations, is now the Evangelical Covenant Church.) In 1912, the Presbyterian Church purchased this building and the original Presbyterian Church was sold to the First Church of Christ, Scientists, in November, 1912.
Trinity Methodist Church
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| Trinity Methodist Church, Josephine at Silica, circa 1905 |
The "Saddlebags Parson", Rev. James Turner, of the Methodist Church, came to Nelson in 1891 to hold services in a small frame building on Baker Street, near the present Bank of Montreal. In 1897, during the ministry of Rev. John Robertson, Trinity Methodist Church, a wooden structure, was built on the corner of Josephine and Silica Streets. This was the first church built on the present church site.
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| Trinity Methodist Church |
In 1908 the Methodists re-built Trinity Church with marble from the quarry at Marblehead, in the Lardeau. The church was dedicated the next year and on January 15, 1915 fire destroyed all but the granite foundation and the marble walls. By the fall of 1916, the new "Trinity Methodist Church" was dedicated for worship.
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| Trinity Fire, 1915 |
A pipe organ from Turner Memorial Church in Vancouver was installed in 1922 as a memorial to those killed in the First World War.
On June 10, 1925, the congregation of St. Paul's Presbyterian and Trinity Methodist voted to enter Church Union. St Paul's United and Trinity United continued to serve their separate congregations until 1956, when they combined under the name "St. Paul's-Trinity United Church" using the old Methodist building located on Silica Street. A small number from the Presbyterian congregation, however, chose to re-purchase the original Presbyterian building, and re-named it "First Presbyterian Church." (This historic building continues to serve as a Presbyterian church today.)
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| Trinity Sanctuary and Pipes |
Fire raged through the St. Paul's-Trinity United Church building on April 17, 1967 and precious records were lost; the interior of the building was destroyed. Once more the congregation re-built on the granite foundation, utilizing the marble exterior walls. The reconstructed building was dedicated March 9, 1969.
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| This is the Order of Service for the Dedication of St. Pauls-Trinity Church Building Sunday, March 9, 1969 |
Fairview United Church
As the City of Nelson grew, the need for a second United Church was recognize. In 1956 the new congregation of Fairview United met in the Hume School gymnasium with Rev. Allan Dixon as the first Minister. On May 4, 1958, with the Rev. H.R. Whitmore as the new minister, "Fairview United Church" was dedicated to serve the communities of Fairview and the North Shore. The members set about being a "Friendly Church for Friendly People."
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| Fairview United, painted by Verna Wright, 2001 |
In 1967 the North Shore Hall was opened, sponsored by Fairview United. This hall was eventually sold to the Regional District of Central Kootenay.
Quoting Rev. Allan Dixon, Fairview's first Minister, who wrote to us at the time of this union in 1955, " You have had 40 years of growth and development in the Christian faith and have had a lasting effect on many lives...the church location is but a vehicle for the spirit, as the body is a vehicle for the soul. Church history in Nelson has been made richer by your sojourn at Fairview."
Nelson United Church
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| Nelson United Church, 602 Silica St. |
The decades of the 80's and 90's were difficult ones for the United Church. Declining Sunday Schools and attendance, changes in the social make-up of Nelson and re-evaluation of priorities meant challenges for both Fairview and St. Paul's-Trinity congregations. To meet these challenges it was determined that the two churches amalgamate. On July 1, 1995, by the amalgamation of Fairview United Church and St. Paul's-Trinity United Church, with the Rev. David Boyd as it's first minister, Nelson United Church was constituted. The two congregations met appropriately, half way, in Gyro Park for an inaugural meeting before processing to their "new" church at Silica and Josephine.
With the proceeds of the sale of the Fairview United Church building, renovation and upgrades were made to this building: new administration, meeting rooms, and storage areas have been added.
On July 1, 2000, Rev. Christine Dudley joined the staff to provide an additional half-time ministry to its congregation.
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| "1908" Cornerstone |
Since it was built, the present building has had four names: Trinity Methodist; Trinity United; St. Paul's-Trinity and, now, Nelson United Church. The cornerstone, dated 1908, commerates the orignial marble building.
For additional historical information and annectdotes of our past, click here.
The Nelson United Church Memorial Organ
Fire has been no stranger to the buildings that have resided at 602 Silica Street. Sadly, the fire of April, 1967 completely destroyed the pipe organ which had been installed in 1923 as a memorial to the men who died in World War 1. Fortunately, insurance coverage enabled the then St. Paul's-Trinity congregation to build a new pipe organ.
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| The Pipe Loft, Nelson United Church Sanctuary |
The Keates Organ Co. of Acton, Ontario, built the new pipe organ especially for the rebuilt church of St. Paul's-Trinity. The organ has three divisions – two manuals ans a division of pedals – of thirty ranks comprising 1625 "speaking pipes" ranging in size from 16 feet to 2/16 of an inch! The metal pipes are built from an alloy and provide excellent tonal production; the wooden pipes are made of California Redwood kiln-dried lumber. The organ is thought to be one of the finest between Calgary and Vancouver.
Tonally, the organ reflects basic principles of design which have been traditional for many years in the great and historic organs of Europe. These principles include the use of moderate wind pressure to avoid stridency and harshness of tone, and a skillful scaling of the pipes within a rank to give each stop a distinctive timbre, while permitting a proper blend when various stops are combined.
Click here for more about this organ
There is a plaque with the organ that bears the inscription:
In memory of those St. Paul's-Trinity Church, Nelson, who fell in the two World Wars.
And in honour of those who daring to die, lived.
Thanks to Dorothy Wayling for this historical research.