United Church of Canada; Vermilion, Kitscoty, and Mannville Alberta
First United Church Vermilion
Welcome to the First United Church in Vermilion.
We have been here since 1905 shaping our town positively with the message of Christ.
Everyone is welcome here to experience the love of God.
Our Sunday worships are full of life. This is seen in out lovely choir, an amazing organist, solos, Scripture reading and great sermons.
After our Sunday worship we always have a time of refreshment and interacting with each other.
Our church has hosted various events but the most important of these is the Cantata which is made of people from our town and the surrounding areas.
You will not regret attending our performance every end of November and the first week of December. We hope you will find a sacred space with us here.
Worship With Us
Sunday Service 11:00 am
For information regarding services in Vermilion call the church office at 780 853-4161.
OR
Email the church secretary for the pastoral charge at vermilionriverpc@yahoo.com
Learn more about renting our building for weddings, funerals and other events here.
Keep in touch
Follow the First United Church's Facebook Page for more announcements, event invites and to keep in touch.
Church History
The First United Church has its root from the Methodists and the Presbyterians.
The Methodist church was built in 1905 and the Presbyterian Church was built in 1906.
When the United Church union was finalized in 1925, here in Vermilion the Methodists and Presbyterians joined together in 1906.
At that time the two communions became one and elected to retain the Presbyterian Church for their sanctuary as it was the larger of the two.
Even so, it was necessary to spend some $3400 (a rather considerable sum in 1925) to enlarge and renovate the building to accommodate the increased number.
No further work of consequence was needed until 1948 when a basement was dug to the west.
The entire building was then shifted onto the new foundation.
This provided much needed additional Sunday school space and kitchen.
By the early 1960’s, it was becoming evident that a new sanctuary would soon be required.
Plans were drawn up and work begun on our present church building and completed in 1968 on the original church site.
The older structure was retained as a Christian education centre.
Continued deterioration of the old building finally made it necessary to begin tearing it down.
The work of demolition had not gone far when it was noted that the lower part of structure was still sound.
At that point our member Art Boggs drafted plans to replace the roof and rearrange the floor plan resulting in our present church hall.
Work on the hall was completed in 1972 when an unexpected but most welcome bequest from the late Hugh Service not only lifted a rather considerable burden of debt but made possible the construction of the bell tower.
The bell which had called worshipers to the church from the old steeple now sounds from its new home in the tower.
Ten years later in 1983, a disastrous fire drove us out of the sanctuary and for several months, services were held in the Cultural Art Center next door to the Senior Citizens Centre.
The interior was completely refinished resulting in our having one of our loveliest church buildings in this part of Alberta.