Our History
The United Church of Canada
The United Church of Canada is the largest protestant denomination in this country, serving more than 3 million Canadians in 3820 congregations. It is a uniquely Canadian institution, having been formed in Toronto in 1925, when Methodist, Congregational and some 70% of Presbyterian churches in Canada decided to amalgamate, along with the General Council of Union Churches (originally an amalgamation cornerstone in the West that grew into a stand-alone organization). Each of these churches brought with them a rich history, and many of the terms and structures, as well as the spiritual foundations in the United Church today reflect each of these traditions.
For more information, go to: http://www.united-church.ca
Highlands United Church
In 1912, the Highlands area was just being developed, and members of this growing community wanted a church of their own. By the end of 1912, the first building: Highlands Methodist Church, was built. This building still belongs to the church, and is the official manse, though it has been extensively modified and is today being rented. The congregation soon grew out of this church, so much so that, during the summer 1913, services had to be held at the local curling rink while a new building was being built! This “little white church” was itself outgrown, and on December 11, 1923 the current Highlands United Church held its first service.
During World War II, Highlands’ own minister, the Reverend T.R. Davies, served in war-torn Europe. During this time, he began to collect pieces of stained glass; fragments of windows from bombed-out churches. He carefully recorded the history of each piece, and they were later put together to create Highlands’ renowned Memorial Window. Please click on the picture to go to our Memorial window page.
But even with the minister away, Highlands remained an extremely active church. There were both junior and senior choirs at the time, and the church had a huge Sunday school. Please click on the pictures for a larger image (including names).
The church has continued to grow and evolve. An addition in the 1950’s gave us the front entryway, parlour, and upper hall, to accommodate a growing membership. In 1970 a Neutel organ with 862 pipes was installed, to ensure that the glorious music could be heard throughout the Church building. In 1992 a built-in Baptismal Fountain was installed, and a Grand Piano purchased for the Sanctuary. Most recently, in 2001, an elevator was installed to serve members and visitors with decreased mobility, and upgrades were made to the office space and heating system.
The ongoing growth of Highlands United Church is made possible by the hard work and dedication of the Highlands congregation. We look forward to enjoying a thriving faith community for years to come.