BASHAW-MIRROR PASTORAL CHARGE

Bashaw United Church + Mirror United Church

A Community Living God's Love, Sharing God's Love.

About Us

Our Pastoral Charge Mission Statement

We seek to follow in the way of Jesus Christ by

providing Worship, Sacrament, Education and Encouragement to our church family and to the community;
ministering to all those in need, including the lonely, the bereaved, the sick and the troubled;
reaching out to youth, young families and the elderly in an inclusive ministry.

All this to the Glory of God.

April 2002

History of the Bashaw United Church

Bashaw United Church will celebrate 100 years as a congregation in 2011. The first services in the area were conducted by Methodist ministers in 1902, originally in the F.J. Wilcox home and later in the Manfred School.. In 1911, construction began on a church building in the town of Bashaw. When the United Church of Canada was formed June 10, 1925, the local Methodist congregation became part of the new church.

In the late 1950's, the Bashaw congregation joined with the Matlock-Little Rock and Mirror congregations to form a three-point charge. Matlock-Little Rock closed in 1969.

Our church received a major renovation in 1952, but by the 1970's the condition of the church and the size of the congregation made replacement a necessity. A bequest from the estate of the late George Mottet along with savings from the church's building fund made that dream possible, and land was purchased directly across the street from the old church (which later became a home). Sod was turned June 1, 1986, and members of our congregation built the current structure over the following year. The first services were held Christmas Eve, 1987, and the dedication service May 1, 1988.

Bashaw United Church has served the spiritual needs of hundreds of people of all ages over the years. It offers a place for worship and learning with a spirit of openness and a deep desire to live God's love in our community and in the world. In recent years, our outreach to the community has included: an annual Family Fun Day in September; a summer children's program in August; the theatre productions A Christmas Carol, Jesus Christ Superstar and Tom Sawyer in cooperation with the local Majestic Theatre and Bashaw Adult Learning; and providing space for local groups.

History of the Mirror United Church

The town of Lamerton was located to the southwest of Buffalo Lake. It was one of eight preaching points on the Buffalo Lake Mission of the Methodist Church. The congregation met for a number of years above a store on the main street until a church was built there in 1904. Money was raised to purchase building materials, the work and the lot were donated, and the church was dedicated in May of 1905 without debt.

The church moved to the south side of Mirror in the fall of 1911 (Lamerton was abandoned by 1912 in favour of the railway town Mirror, two miles to the southwest) and to its present location in 1920. A new front was put on the church in 1953 and the inside was refurbished with new pews and other improvements. The church was completely renovated again in 1988 with a bequest from the estate of George Mottet.

In the late 1950's, the Mirror congregation joined with the Matlock-Little Rock and Bashaw congregations to form a three-point charge. Matlock-Little Rock closed in 1969.

Mirror United Church celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2004. Over the years it has served the changing needs of the local community, during its days as a key railway centre between Edmonton and Calgary and, after the conversion to diesel locomotives made the stop unnecessary, as a hamlet serving a diverse rural congregation. It offers a place of worship and fellowship - a community of faith faithfully serving its community. Some of the events that take place each year include an annual rummage sale, monthly Saturday afternoon teas, the seniors' community Christmas dinner, and suppers with the local library and other community groups.

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BASHAW-MIRROR PASTORAL CHARGE