Historic Sites of Manitoba: Ferndale Methodist Church / Ferndale United Church (RM of Macdonald)

Link to:
Clerics | Photos & Coordinates | Sources

In August 1901, local Methodists decided, after having used Ferndale School for services since the 1880s, to build their own church nearby. A building was erected the next year, serving congregants from the Ferndale, Golden Valley, and Donore districts. It became a United Church after unification of the Methodist, Presbyterian, and Congregational churches in 1925. A new church was constructed during the summer of 1949.

The church continued to be used for weekly services until a farewell service was held on 30 June 1991, after which the remaining congregants went to Starbuck United Church. Special memorial services in the building were held occasionally, and it remained at the site until February 2009 when it was sold for one dollar and moved to a nearby site for use as a workshop.

A metal commemorative sign at the former church site was installed in July 2020. A stone monument near the former church site, also for the Ferndale School, was installed in October 2023.

Clerics

Period	Cleric
?-?	John Fitzpatrick
?-?	Leonard Bygrave
?-?	Rev. Horn
?-?	J. McNair
?-?	J. Wilson
?-?	G. McNeill
?-?	Scott Leith
?-?	Lloyd Cleworth Stinson (1904-1976)
?-?	G. Wilkie
?-?	G. Dyker
?-?	Mr. Smith
1935-1937	Herbert Thomas Reynolds (1885-1951)
?-?	A. L. Watson
?-?	Harold Wyman
?-?	Marion Johnson
?-?	George Fay
?-?	A. B. Simpson
?-?	C. Manning
?-?	A. Suitters
?-?	O. Hodge
?-?	R. Kendall
?-?	A. Lucy
?-?	R. Mattock
?-?	A. D. Bennett
?-?	P. Laedler
?-?	Rev. Cook
?-?	Judy Crease
?-?	William Lindley “Bill” Whetter (1911-2009)
?-?	Peter and Elizabeth Moffatt
?-1980	Linda Murray Gaston Vialard
1980-1983	Ted Dodd
1983-1987	James “Jim” Hatherly
1987-1991	Heather Moore

Photos & Coordinates

Removal of the former Ferndale United Church (February 2009) Source: Len Goldsborough Former site of Ferndale United Church (2010) Source: Gordon Goldsborough The former Ferndale United Church building at its present site (September 2020) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Commemorative sign near the former site of Ferndale United Church (July 2020) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Ferndale School and United Church commemorative monument and sign (October 2023) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.72400, W97.51610 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Ferndale School No. 498 (RM of Macdonald)

Sources:

Hugging the Meridian, Macdonald: A Manitoba Municipal History, 1881-1981 by Betty Dyck, 1981.

We thank Katherine Macedo, Margaret Porter, Sandy Robers, Erin Acland (United Church of Canada Archives) and Rev. Jim Hatherly for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Leonard Goldsborough.

Page revised: 19 October 2023

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