NELSON UNITED CHURCH
"We dare to live the Way of Jesus,
Embodying the Love of God"
TRINITY METHODIST CHURCH
As told by Edna Whiteley (nee Steed)
Our local Methodist heritage began with the establishment of a congregation in the year 1891, holding services in a small frame building on Baker Street, near the present Bank of Montreal. Introduced to the area by the beloved and famous missionary Rev. James Turner, who came to be known as the “Saddle-Bags Parson” because he travelled and served the area on horseback with one saddle bag filled with his personal effects and the other bag filled with his Bible, hymn book, etc.
By 1897, Nelson had grown into a fair-sized community, and during the ministry of Rev. John Robertson, Trinity Methodist Church, a wooden structure, was built on the corner of Josephine and Silica Streets. This was the first church built on the present church site. The same Church that Evelyn MacDonald’s grandfather and sons put the roof on. It is interesting to note that even then the congregation could boast of a strong Board of Stewards, excellent choir and active workers. In 1898 Trinity Methodist Church became self-supporting.
By the turn of the century, The Nelson Methodists numbered 162 under the ministry of Rev. James H. White.
In 1906, Rev. R. Newton Powell was settled and under his ministry, in 1908 the Methodists re-built Trinity Church with marble from the quarry at Marblehead, in the Lardeau. The foundation stone was laid in 1908 and the dedication ceremony was held March 7, 1909.
The Iwylle, moored at a Methodist picnic near Kaslo
About this time, the Tinity minister, a minister from Grand Forks, and Mr. A.D. Emory (grandfather of Bob Emory's) were directed to produre a boat for Mission work on Kootenay Lake. A 55 ft. cabin cruiser was found and purchased for $1200. It was interesting to note that the Methodist Sunday schools of B.C. took this expense as a project and raised most of the monies for that boat named "Iwylle". The Iwylle cruised to all the little settlements, road camps and mines all along the lake much like the Crosby did at the coast.
A fire destroyed all but the granite foundation and marble walls on January 15, 1915. By the fall of 1916, the new "Trinity Methodist Church" was dedicated for worship.
Through the efforts of the Ladies Aid and the Young People's Organization, a pipe organ from Turner Memorial Church in Vancouver was installed in 1922 as a memorial to those killed in the First World War.
Another vessel–the Broadcaster– under Rev. Kinney continued to serve our Lake shore, holding services at Ainsworth, Riondel, Crawford Bay, Gray Creek and up into the Lardo. In 1935, the Broadcaster made its last trip to Argenta and Johnson's Landing before being returned to the Pacific Coast.