Located at 128 – 10th Avenue North, Trinity United Church in Creston, BC is a Community of Faith in the Pacific Mountain Region of The United Church of Canada.
Our congregation is led by Rev Ken Jones. We also have Licensed Lay Worship Leaders who provide a monthly Sunday Service.
Although the building you see right now is new, having been built in 2017, the church has been an icon in this town since 1906. Keep reading for a bit of interesting history…..
In 1906 the original church was built with the help of the congregation members. It was placed on top of an old Tamarack tree stump, and this was thought to provide extra support. The walls were supported by posts and rails, all made of wood, and as the building aged, it began to sink as the wood slowly broke down. It ended up that the old tree stump became more prominent and created a large hump in the middle of the church floor. In the long run, this would not be sustainable.
In 1906 lighting was provided by gasoline lamps connected to a pressure tank. The tank had to be pumped up by hand and only lasted part way through the sermon when the lights would dim. Someone would have to leave the service to pump it up again! In 1929 electric lights were installed.
The first congregation sat on seats of planks laid across nail kegs or stumping powder boxes. Pews were ordered in 1912 from Cranbrook. The Ladies Aid group raised funds to support improvements to the church by making and selling ice cream and home cooking. These funds were used to plaster the interior walls of the church. It was said the church walls were “plastered in ice cream”!
In 1957 a new church hall was constructed as it had become clear that our little old church could no longer serve the congregation. They raised the building, a basement was excavated, and cement foundation and walls were poured. The church itself was constructed in 1961 and opened in 1962 and was the largest church in Canada at 100′ x 42′, rising to 36’9″ and seated 330 people!
In the early days, the Minister got around by horse & buggy, and in 1917 the Minister’s salary was $450/year plus $100/year for his horse.
A manse – a special dwelling just for the Minister – existed where the Catalpa Apartments now sit.
Fast forward to September 22, 2015! The church was having some work done to its roof when a fire broke out! The upper area of the roof was being used to store old papers and documents, and a spark landed among them, and it started to burn. It went fast and the north half of the church was destroyed, while the south half remained intact. It was rebuilt in 2018 and is the structure you see now, which includes not only a large sanctuary but also a commercial kitchen! The south half is now Trinity Treasures Thrift Store.