Melfort Evangelical
Covenant Church
The roots of the Evangelical Covenant Church of Melfort sprouted during the homestead
era of the North Star and Fairy Glen districts. The majority of these early pioneers
emigrated from Sweden or Norway and grew up in a Lutheran home. Characteristic
of these settlers was their hospitality and warm reception of each other in their small
one or two room homes. Many traveled long distances by horse and buggy, by team and
democrat, or by grain box sleighs to visit with one another. Regularly these gatherings
concluded under the feeble light of a coal oil lamp as they studied and discussed the
scriptures.
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It is now over ninety years since Brockington
Mission Covenant Church felt its first heart-beat.
On July 7, 1908, a group of Christian pioneers
gathered at the home of George Morberg, with
Rev. C.O. Hofstrand, a Covenant minister, to
organize "The Scandinavian Christian Mission
Congregation of Melfort".
After having worshipped and studied the scriptures in each others' homes for the earliest years, this group joined the Canada Covenant and the Covenant Church of America in 1910. This was also the year that the men of the congregation and other interested friends cut and hauled logs from the forest to Lars Hendrickson's mill, where they were sawed into lumber for their envisioned church. It came into reality on the two acres donated by Mr. and Mrs. August Malm for this purpose, in the year 1913. With many hours of hard labour and a vision in their hearts, those staunch pioneers erected the sturdy church that stands yet today. The cemetary was staked out in 1915, and here rest many of these early pioneers. On June 27, 1939, the minutes were read for the first time in English; for many years the scriptures were read both in English and Swedish. Pastors serving during those early days were: Hofstrand, Dahlgren, Bjorklund, Funcke, Sanden, Gillstrom, Anderson, John Bergstrom, Stanley Hanson, and Eric Josephson.
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From its humble beginnings, Brockington Mission Covenant Church extended into other communities, Norden, Viking, Fairy Glen, and certainly Melfort, where a large and ever-growing body of believers now worship in a new, large, modern church. In 1956 the Brockington congregation decided to begin holding services in Melfort to better serve the whole community. On September 26, 1957, a business meeting was held and by unanimous vote it was decided to dissolve the Brockington church. Superintendent Leonard Quarnstrom led a meeting at Gordon Campbell's house on October 8, 1957, to officially organize the Evangelical Covenant Church of Melfort.
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It was January, 1956 when the first service was held in Melfort at the Brunswick School and in May of that same year regular services began in the Elk's Hall. During the years that followed services were held in various places and in 1960 a church was built on Bemister Avenue. The congregation grew over the years and by 1986 we were in need of a larger facility. For four years we worshiped in the North East Leisure Centre, continuing to see the church grow. Many plans began taking shape for the building of the church we have today. The Covenant Church on Bemister was sold in 1989. We moved into the multi-purpose facility that we enjoy today in the fall of 1990, and it was dedicated on December 2nd of that same year.
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As our story continues, our mandate stays the same, to "Know Jesus Christ and to make Him Known". Why not come and join our "family" and become a part of our ongoing story of faith.