Big festivities are being planned for the centennial celebration of the Athabasca United Church.
The last weekend in May will be full of fun family activities at the church.
ìItís the buildingís anniversary, not the congregationís,î organizer Mavis Jacobs said.
ìThe congregation was 100 years old 104 years ago.î
The dedication of the church occurred on May 18, 1913.
In honour of the special day, Jacobs said a concert is being held.
ìOn Saturday, the original May 18, 1913 dedication of the building will be celebrated with an afternoon strawberry tea, many childrenís and youth activities, and a community dinner,î Jacobs said. ìA highlight is a special Saturday evening concert in the Athabasca United Church building by the ìUnited Voices of Edmontonî, a combined Robertson-Wesley, Knox-Metropolitan and Willan Chorale choir that toured in the United Kingdom in 2011.î
The event is meant to involve the whole community.
ìThis celebration is to honor and celebrate the Athabasca United Church building and the remarkable role it has played in the community of Athabasca,î she said. ìConstructed in 1912 and 1913, at the height of Athabascaís strategic role as a gateway to northern Alberta and the western Arctic, it was one of very few buildings to survive the great fire that destroyed most of downtown Athabasca.î
ìMembers and friends of the church along with Athabascans from far and wide are invited to share in celebrating the remarkable history, recent exterior restoration, present community use and future vibrancy of the building,î she said.
Information and tickets are available from the Athabasca United Church office by phoning 780-675-2341, emailing [email protected], or visiting the group on Facebook.
