Cardale Church celebrates centennial
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- Published on Monday, June 22, 2015
By Sheila Runions
Banner Staff
According to Footprints & Chalk Dust, the history book of the 1981 Cardale Reunion Committee, it was in 1915 that pioneers of Cardale Methodist Church agreed to build a permanent place for worship. They had previously been meeting in Cardale (founded in the late 1880s) hall but by November 1915 their beautiful brick structure was built and ready for use. When Methodist, Congregational and Presbyterian congregations agreed to amalgamate in June 1925, United Church of Canada was born.
At that time, the congregation named itself Zion United Church, Cardale; in the late 1980s Cardale United Church became its common name. Thus, Cardale United Church celebrated its 100th anniversary with an afternoon service on June 14. Pews there hold 107 people but chairs were added in the back and the stage held a choir, musicians and guest speaker making a total of 127 people who filled that church before the 2 p.m. start time. They travelled south from Virden, north from Erickson, west from Hamiota and east from Winnipeg and Selkirk, and most points in between, as well as Alberta, Saskatchewan, Washington state and England.
Cardale has no minister so is served by congregation members Wendy Radcliffe and Clare Branson, who each completed the sacrament elder course in 2013. Wendy is considered the primary worship leader so she officiated the service. John Shaw “grew up in Cardale church” and travels from Brandon approximately once a month to conduct a service in his former hometown; he agreed to act as guest speaker for the centennial service. When he read 2 Corinthians 5:6-17, and specifically verse 7 to walk by faith, not sight, he voiced his suspicions that, “One hundred years ago Cardale pioneers were acting in faith, with the prospect of a large debt to pay for this building. People 100 years ago did not depend on government grants to survive, including during the Great Depression. Because of that struggle, this church is still here today; it’s not because of handouts but because the congregations have struggled to survive. We often need to struggle to be all God wants us to be, and too often we want God to take away all our problems, but this will not make us better and stronger.”
He referenced the parable of talents (money) and gave credit to congregants past and present who were using their talents (financial or physical) “in this church for the past 100 years to make it survive. We’re here to celebrate the survival of this church for the last 100 years. We give thanks for the people who sacrificed much for building this house of prayer.”
When he spoke of what Christians call the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) by teaching the world about Jesus, he expressed concern.
“It’s been said the Christian faith is only one generation away from extinction. Are we doing our part of letting the world know? We need to take the responsibility to go into all the world and preach the gospel. I’d like to think back on all the people in the life of this church who did small deeds with their little flame [of faith which can start a forest fire]. Let’s commit ourselves to a new century of service.”
Cardale United Church will soon recess for summer (last service is June 28) but in fall, that fire will be reignited for weekly gatherings. The current congregation averages 20-25 and Sunday school has four to six children. The choir averages eight ladies, although 10 sang two special numbers on this day. Both were accompanied on organ by Allan Hyndman and piano by Joy Wilson and one song featured a flutist, Wendy Rose. Their first selection was the tune of A New Day but revised lyrics, written by sisters Kay Haggarty and Joy Wilson in honour of the celebration, were sung.
The service also included a candle lighting ceremony for past, present and future; those candles were lit by Gordon Espey, Melva Ramsey and Sharon Rimmer (with three-month old daughter Jessica) respectively. Greetings were read from former ministers Jen Dresser and Tim Crouch, who wrote that the service was “not a celebration of the building, but of 100 years of a community’s ebbs and flows, of births and burials, weddings and baptisms.” The church in Cardale has been shepherded by 31 ministers, four of whom returned for the service: Elwood and Marie Fawcett, Lydia Glawson and David Barrows.
A decorated cake made by Laura Neely-Carter was cut by Ethel Fortune and Edith Kerr, using a knife originally owned by Maria Shaw, “John’s grandmother, and great-grandmother to many Shaws present today,” said Wendy. “This knife has been used to cut the cakes in all our anniversary services.”
RM of Oakview reeve/church board chairman Brent Fortune brought greetings. Ross Shaw donated a plaque to mark the centennial. Cardale United Church Women (UCW) supplied a large floral arrangement “to honour all the people who helped to keep this church alive and well throughout the years.” Long-time organists Allan Hyndman and Audrey Peters were each given a gift for their decades of faithful commitment. Ushers Jim Fortune and Kay Haggarty were assisted by Gordon Espey and David Rimmer in collecting the offering.
Following the service, people crossed the church lot to enter Cardale Rink for a time of fellowship. Here they could purchase hasti-note cards (a UCW fundraiser), enjoy the cake or cupcakes (all made and decorated by Laura), peruse old ledger books and/or photo albums and simply visit; the hum in the rink’s viewing lounge was happy and loud.
