In the early years of the century the Presbyterian,
Methodists, and others interested met at the
home of W.L.Thompson for church services.
They also met in the school a few times with Rev.
Whiteman of Cardston conducting the service.

In 1907 Rezin Thompson, father of John Coffee
Thompson and grandfather of John M. Thompson,
donated some land in the Spring Coulee townsite
for a church. It was built by O.G.Olund and William
Sheffield of Cardston with local help. In 1909 it was
dedicated by Rev. Ferguson who was connected
with the Home Mission Board of the Presbyterian
Church of Canada, and assisted by Rev. Whiteman
of Cardston who was the first minister. The first
church board members were Henry A. Walter,
H.E.Kelley and J.C.Thompson.

FLASHBACK: September 1909
The Presbyterian Church will be dedicated next
Sabbath In 1916 Rev. Inglis was minister of the
church and Dick Matson received a certificate
for perfect attendance from the Presbyterian
Church. Dick was caretaker at the time and said,
"I dusted the pews and mother laid the fire!" Verda
Matson also has a certification from the church for
perfect attendance.

In 1920 the minister was Rev. Barrett who had
lived in Australia. He was grandfather of Kay Van
Horne who, with Stuart her husband owned the
store in Spring Coulee during the 40s. Rev.
Barrett, as did some of the other ministers, came
to Spring Coulee on Saturday afternoon by using
the CPR workmen's cart. They would return to
Magrath after the service Sunday.

A very popular minister was Rev. Harry Wood. He
was in charge in 1925 when the church joined the
United Church of Canada. He took as many as
30 young people at a time from Magrath and
Spring Coulee to Waterton to camp in tents. Tom
Beswick can remember going to the lower lakes
with Rev. Wood and Leo Chapman to catch fish for
the campers to eat. Besides his wife, Vella Jolliffe,
Mrs. Dustin and probably others assisted with the
supervising.

The minister in 1927 was Rev. Claxton. Rev. O.R.
Lavers and his wife Margaret ministered in 1935-36.
He was from P.E.I.. They had three sons - James,
George, and Tom. James taught school in St. Mary's
for a short time but died shortly after in Namao.
Tom and James were both musical. Tom took an
active part in musical performances in Lethbridge
for many years. He still resides there. George became
a surgeon and is now retired in California where he
practices medicine.

Dorothy and Harold Marston of New Brunswick came
to Magrath in about 1937 and stayed about eight
years. They were very well liked by everybody. Mr.
and Mrs Marston took many youth to Waterton to
camp in tents. He worked very hard while there. He
would take the group on hiking and fishing trips. He
would also sit propped against a tree for hours some
nights watching a certain tent. He had two girls who
were hoping to sneak to the the townsite after "lights
out". Harold was chief cook as well and felt really
badly when some church board members came to visit
and they criticized him for wearing his cap while
preparing the lunch in the camp kitchen. The new
church was built while he was in Magrath. He worked
right along with the other crews. They had three sons.
The youngest one Stewart, was drowned while they
were living in Whitehorse. Harold died when preaching
in Edmonton of a heart attack soon after learning that
Dorothy had cancer. She died a few years later while
living with another son in B.C.

Little is known of the early Sunday School but
without a doubt there were classes. In 1919,
Ralph Thompson brought his bride, Leona to
Spring Coulee. It was a very cold winter so there
were not regular services held in the church.
Leona had been teaching SS classes in Spokane
before she was married and missed working with
the children. Therefore, she had a class at her
home of the Loveday children-Olive, Annie and Billy.
There were a few others also, including the Rusk
children.

In the summer of 1920, Mrs. Crocker who lived in
the station house and Mrs. Jean Kelley held Sunday
School in the church until the New Curriculum became
available in 1964. From then on, except for special
services, it was held in the Memorial Hall.

The roster of church and Sunday School leaders
and teachers would fill pages because over the
years nearly everyone helped in some way. A few
names that must be mentioned are Mrs. Jean Kelley,
Mrs. Vella Jolliffe, Ralph and Leona Thompson
and Bill and Geneva Wood. The last three Sunday
School superintendents were Mary Yvonne Hohm,
Roslyn Beswick, and Keith Hunter.

Besides the regular S.S. classes there were many
groups which if not officially part of the church, were
being taught by the same people. Some of the more
important groups were Cubs C.G.I.T., Knights of the
White Cross, Scouts, Sunshine Girls etc..

Many donations were made to the church. Mr. Rezin
Thompson father of John C. Thompson and grandfather
of John M.Thompson, gave the land on which the
church and Memorial Hall were built.

The Sunday School room was added in 1936-37.
Donations and local help made this possible. Jesse
Sherman Sr., Bill Wood, Leo Chapman and Jack
MacKenzie and many, many more donated their help.

In November of 1938, the large pulpit Bible was
given in memory of John C. Thompson and Jesse
Sherman Sr. by their wives, Mrs Christine Thompson
and Mrs. Mae Sherman.

When John C. Thompson died in 1938 he gave in
his will $1200.00 for the support of the minister and
$1200.00 for the support of the general expenses of
the church with instructions that it was to be invested
and the interest used perpetually for these purposes.
The money was invested in government bonds
and the interest is collected each year for the
Spring Coulee United Church.

The pulpit and two chairs and the communion table
were given by the children of Mrs. Clara C.
Thompson in 1948.

The cloth of the pulpit and the cloth of the
Communion Table were donated by Mrs. M.E.
Potter.

Mr. and Mrs Wm. Wood coated the collection
plates in memory of Mrs. Minnie Culp.

The pulpit light was donated by Mr. and Mrs.
Herb Walter in Memory of H.A. Walter.

The cross in the church was donated by Mrs.
Karl Seliger in memory of her husband, Karl,
who died while serving the Magrath Spring
Coulee charge in August 1959.

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