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Alberni Valley United Church History
Alberni Valley United Church is the newest and the oldest Christian
congregation in the Alberni Valley. This new congregation was established on
June 30,2001 a result of First United Church and St.Andrew's United Church.
Yet our history spans over 116 years in the Valley.
"A worship service was first held November 13,1886. It was conducted by the Rev. Alexander Dunn and was held in a small hut near Mr.Saunder's store on the south side of the Somass River. He was a Prebytrian missionary. The first church building was completed in 1892 and sat at the corner of Elizabeth and Johnson."The Methodist Church was established in the early 1900's, worshipping first at the corner of Third and Angus, and then moving to a building on Argyle and 4th in 1912. The United Church of Canada was formed in 1925 with the union of the Methodist, Presbyterian, Congregationalist and Union congregations. Both St. Andrews and First entered union with enthusiasm working together as a joint pastoral charge, sharing services of one minister until 1946 when they had grown to such an extent thet they each required their own clergy. The two congregations, each with their own minister, grew during the ensuing years. However, in the late 1980’s, First Church suffered a loss of many members and Saint Andrew’s Church faced its own challenges. The two congregations began to negotiate to join together in 1998. Countless discussions were held about the character and location of a possible amalgamated congregation. In April of 2001 we decided to amalgamate and then sit with the decision of the building with pregnant anticipation until a decision was made in January of 2002 to make the Church Street location the home of the new congregation. Since then we have worked to have our congregation reflect the values, the aesthetics, and the faithfulness of both founding churches. Today we are a vibrant, active group of God’s people seeking to live the reality of Christ’s hope for the world. We are passionately committed to the people of this regional district sharing their joys and sorrows, enthusiasm and interests. We are dedicated to enthusiastically seek out issues of social justice, both locally and globally, and acting out the message of hope of the gospel. Our worship reflects the character of the congregation in nature yet respectful of the traditions that inform us. The nurture and development of a dynamic relationship with God is a priority for both the adults and children of the congregation. Children and adults join together in worship and congregational activities, growing in our appreciation for one another and the gifts each offer. We strive to be a people where each person is valued, and all can find a place to use the gifts God has given us to share the divine love with everyone. "First United Church" by Rev. Dave Verkerk |