United Church of Canada -- Celebrating 90 years

On June 10, 2015, along with churches across the nation, we celebrated the 90th Anniversary of the beginning of the United Church of Canada.

Churches were asked to ring their church bells 90 times to mark this celebration. Well, we didn't have a church bell. So 20 people gathered outside the Oyen United Church with pots, pans, wooden spoons, school bells and cows bells to make a joyful noise.

After clattering and clanging 90 times, we moved into the church to have some birthday cupcakes and share some of our earliest church memories.

How wonderful to hear of trips by horseback to church, of Sunday School truancy, of the community importance of church -- a chance to meet your neighbours, of favourite old hymns, of favourite new hymns, of family generations married in the same church (but not by the same preacher!).

Some folk just remember the feeling of home when they were welcomed.