History Of Our Congregation

Bethlehem congregation was founded by Rev. H. J. Boettcher, while serving Grace Lutheran Church. His Walther League canvassed the City Park Annex area in October, 1928. As a result of the canvass, a branch Sunday School was started in a deserted store on the comer of 66th Street and 120th Avenue.

In the fall of 1932 the first services in both German and English were conducted in the store. Property was bought on the southwest corner of 119th Avenue and 65th Street in 1934. Construction on a house of worship was started at once, but not fully completed until 1943. By 1935 services were conducted regularly in this first church of the congregation. Formal organization of the congregation took place February 20, 1938. At this time many Slovak families had taken up residence in the area and an occasional Slovak service was conducted.

During this entire period Pastor Boettcher was serving the congregation, as well as eight other preaching stations. On August 22, 1939. Rev. V.L. Meyer of Nelson, B.C., was called to serve as pastor of Bethlehem, and also to serve as District Mission Director. He accepted the call and was installed as the first resident pastor of the congregation on October 22, 1939.

On November 6, 1945. Rev. Meyer accepted a call to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Boise, Idaho. Rev. Arthur Appelt, who had retired from the active ministry, served the congregation as vacancy pastor, assisted by student pastors.

Overcrowded conditions prompted the congregation to inquire about suitable lots to build a larger church. In 1951 three lots were purchased on the corner of 59th Street and 118th Avenue. Work on this second home of the congregation was begun immediately.

In the spring of 1953 the congregation was urged by the District Mission Board to call a candidate (one who has just graduated from the seminary). On July 5. 1953, word was received that candidate Kenneth Mueller had accepted the call. Candidate Mueller was installed on September 6, 1953.

The Lord blessed the work of pastor and people. Soon the old church was very much overcrowded. These conditions prompted the congregation to move into the new church before it was completed. The first services were held in the basement of the new church on December 20, 1953. Dedication services were held May 15, 1955.

Rev. K. Mueller received a call to Edgerton, Ohio, on November 8, 1955. This call was accepted. Rev. W. Wangerin, President of Concordia College, served as vacancy pastor. A call was extended to Rev. W.P. Schoepp, who was serving the Ponoka parish. Rev. Schoepp accepted the call and was installed February 12, 1958.

Under the blessing of the Lord it soon became apparent that this larger church on 59th Street and 118th Avenue would soon be inadequate. Sunday School facilities were quickly outgrown and double services were started September, 1956.

A building committee was appointed in May, 1961. Since the property was too small for expansion, the congregation derided to relocate. The congregation applied for an expansion loan from the District Church Extension Fund. This request was granted. The new site on 117th Avenue and 98th Street was purchased in May, 1982. Work on the new building began at the end of June, 1963. This new building was dedicated to the glory of God the First Sunday of Advent, December 1, 1963.

In the fall of 1966 Rev. Schoepp accepted the call to serve St, Paul’s Lutheran Church in Lethbridge. During this vacancy the congregation was served by the Rev. L. Yoonce of Concordia College.

Rev. Guenther B. Schoepf accepted the call to Bethlehem and was installed in October, 1967. In early 1970 Pastor Schoepf accepted a call to St. Lorenz, Frankenmuth, Michigan. He moved to Michigan in March, 1970.

Rev. L. Stahlke served as vacancy pastor from April to July, and Rev. L. Eckert served from July to November. In August, after a second call from Bethlehem, Rev. K. Keller accepted. He was installed November 1, 1970. In 1979 Rev. Keller resigned so that he could serve with Campus Crusade. During this vacancy Bethlehem was served by Rev. Barlog of Concordia College.

Rev. D.C. Rousu accepted Bethlehem’s call in February, 1975* and was installed April 20. 1975. On March 22, 1977. Rev. H. Dalimann was called to serve the Evangelism and Youth ministries. In November, 1986, Rev. Rousu resigned, and Rev. H. Dalimann was released.

Bethlehem was vacant for a lengthy period from November, 1986 to April, 1988. During this period Bethlehem was served by many preachers, with Rev. Q. Krispin of Concordia College as vacancy pastor. In March, 1988, Rev. Paul Dorn of Big Rapids, Michigan, accepted the call to Bethlehem. He was installed April 24, 1988.

SONS OF THE CONGREGATION

The following are in full-time church work either as pastors or teachers:

• Fred Albert
• Darrell Becker
• Wallace Becker
• Paul Frantz
• Marvin Krebs
• Mark Lobitz
• Terry Richardson
• Mark Schoepp
• Harold Witte

Names are those identified by the anniversary committee.

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS

1938

At this very early stage in Bethlehem’s history, the Bethlehem Ladies Aid was organized. Mrs. Henry Baron was the first president.

1938-1942

Although exact dates are not available, annual talent quests were sponsored by Bethlehem during these years. These talent quests included such things as a competition Bible quiz between Concordia students and Bethlehem members, short stories, and arts and crafts.

1941

The City or Edmonton Board of Health ruled that outside toilet facilities must be provided or the church would be closed in the spring of 1941. Due to a shortage of steel the congregation was granted permission to continue holding services in the church until further notice.

1951

The women of the Ladies Aid of Bethlehem Lutheran Church organized as the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML) on December 21, 1951. The late Mrs. J.G. Johnson was president. Mrs. Harold Witte presented the aims to the group—missionary, education, Inspiration, and service.

Furnishings for a mission station, namely Bethlehem Lutheran Church, was adopted by the District as a project at the convention of July 2. 1952. A cheque for $1,100 was presented to Rev. Kenneth Mueller at the convention of the District’s LWML at Concordia College June 30, 1954.

1967

During the summer, while vacant, Bethlehem hosted its most successful Vacation Bible School with 155 children enrolled. Children had to be turned away due to lack of space and a shortage of teaching staff. This large enrolment provided many contacts for the Evangelism Committee.

1972

This year proved to be a major milestone for Bethlehem congregation. Under God’s continued blessing this was the first year since its beginning in 1938 that no subsidy was requested From District. We had become self-supporting.

1976

The vision for a Christian day school at Bethlehem was first shared with the congregation by Pastor Don Rousu at a parish planning retreat in September of 1976. By 1979 eleven children from families of Bethlehem were enrolled In Christian schools. The fall of 1979 saw the striking of a task force to investigate the feasibility of a school as a ministry of the congregation at Bethlehem. Committees were set up to look into facilities, cost, promotion and curriculum for a proposed school.

In January of I980 the voters assembly approved a recommendation that Bethlehem congregation sponsor a school in the church building using the Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) curriculum beginning the fall of I960. Over the following months the church basement was transformed into a bright, cheery learning centre and kindergarten room. Classes began September, 1980, with 43 students and two teachers. Over the eight years that Agape Training Centre was in existence, some 200 young people received Christian instruction, love, and nurture. During these years our Lord brought together a talented and loving staff of teachers. They were:

• Wilma VanderKooi 1980-85
• Fred Morck 1984-88
• Candace Dallmann 1980-86
• Annette Haan 1985-88
• Mary (Nedela) Kennedy 1981-84
• Betty Ann Kehler 1980-88
• David Eifert 1982-88
• Jim Higgs 1980-88

The operation of this ministry would not have been possible without volunteer help from many parents and other adults serving in both a para-professional capacity as monitors and as general helpers in numerous ways. One of the highlights of the eight years of the school came the second year (1981) when the student population had almost doubled and it was necessary to find additional space.

The Beverly Heights (E.P.S.B.) facility miraculously became available to US in late August. By school opening in September, we were completely moved into the building where we remained until the ministry was closed in 1988. During its existence 11 students graduated from the high school program.

They were:

• 1984 – William Gibson
• 1985 – Darren Reeder, Shane VanderKooi and Arlene Harsten
• 1986 – Shelley Borowicz, Lisa Kehler, Gina Rousu, Rosie Aardema, Shelley Teske and Todd Teske
• 1988 – Peter Aardema

1988

In 1988, we celebrated not only the 50th anniversary of Bethlehem’s organization as a congregation, but also the 25th anniversary or the dedication of the present building. PRAISE GOD FOR HIS GOODNESS TO US! Fred Frank, Historian Bethlehem Lutheran Church Edmonton, Alberta

Brief History – since 1988

In 1993 the congregation determined that the existing building needed to be updated and, if possible, expanded. In 1994 Barry Johns Architects was engaged to prepare a preliminary feasibility study for this project. It was determined that the site would allow an expansion of the building. A building fund drive was conducted in 1994 with pledges from the membership totalling $305,000 to be gathered over the next three years. In 1996 the congregation decided to proceed with the building project using volunteer labour under the direction of “Labourers for Christ,” a Lutheran Church-Canada volunteer organization which helps congregations build buildings. Ground-breaking was held in May, 1996.

On October 23. 1997, the renovated existing building and the addition were dedicated to the glory of God. Thousands of volunteer hours had been contributed over the length of the building project Members of the Building committee were Ernie Teske, Robert Kaminsky, Lisa Mol, Wally Wensel. Robert Bruglemans, Sandy Tymchuk, Ted Ulmer and Tim Ulmer.

The Catholic Church in Beverly

Until 1916, Catholics living in Beverly celebrated their mass at private homes and by traveling to North Edmonton. On special Sundays, Beverly Catholics made pilgrimages to North Edmonton for Mass – first at the Swifts Packing Plant where worship was held by the Franciscan Fathers of the North Edmonton Monastery, later in a little chapel, and then a larger church St. Paul Catholic which was built near the monastery. In January 1915, Archbishop Emile Legal asked the Franciscan monks to oversee the Beverly mission and Rev. Father Martin Dietrich was placed in charge.

On Sunday, January 31st , 1915 the first mass in Beverly was celebrated in a private home and local residences, including that of the Haverstock families, became the places of worship for the next year. The following year, Rev. Father Ethelbert arrived from the east and began, lending his help in districts overseen by the Franciscans, In Beverly, he built a tiny white church measuring 22 feet by 40 feet at 3635 116th Avenue. With a bell tower, brass bell and white exterior the church resembled old English Gothic architecture. The first service in the new church was given Sunday, March 19th, 1916 by Rev, Ethelbert and on that day a special choir from North Edmonton sang. The Edmonton Journal reported that, while small, the new church was very pretty and already a credit to Catholics in Beverly. Archbishop Legal blessed the new church on May 28th, 1916 and, according to the Franciscan monks, it was dedicated to “Our Lady of the Seven Joys.”

Five years later, on July 31st, 1921, the little white church was blessed by Archbishop Henry Joseph O’Leary: He gave it a new name – St. Mary – and dedicated it to “Our Lady of the Mines.” Beginning in 1925, Beverly was served from the Sacred Heart Parish and then in 1930 it became part of the Cathedral Parish and St. Joseph’s Seminary. From 1935 to 1940, Rev Father Louis Charles Walravens, o, Praem, came regularly to Beverly. For about a year early in the 1940s, the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, residing at the Provincial House on 110th Street, took charge of the Beverly mission, In 1942, the Redemptorist Fathers from St. Alphonsus Parish were summoned by Archbishop John Hugh MacDonald to serve the Beverly Mission and seven years later the Franciscan monks again undertook to minister to the Beverly Catholic population.

In September 1951 the church paid $1,000 to Mrs, L. Ostapiuk for the land and building situated at 4603 118 Avenue. The transaction was completed the following month when a further $500 was paid and the building became St, Mary’s Parish Hall. In July 1953, the old St. Mary’s Church was sold and improvements began at the Parish Hall to make it suitable for a church.

St. Mary’s was established as a parish with Rev. Henry B. Peel as its resident pastor August 15th, 1953. Rev. Peet moved into the Parish Hall, where he lived until 1961. Water and sewer systems arrived in Beverly at last and, at a cost to the congregation of $900, they were installed in the Parish buildings. With tremendous growth in Beverly’s population, it was only a matter of time until the 160 seat temporary church in the Hall site was no longer sufficient. And so, in 1955, the Beverly Catholic Church purchased four lots at the southwest corner of 40th Street and 115th Avenue from Henri and Yvonne Prince for $3,000. A building fund was started in June 1959 and, in just seven months, it netted more than $5,000 from parishioners and supporters.

The new church, a modern open beam brick and frame structure with seating for 500 and a rectory wing, was designed by George A. Jellinek. It was built for the modest sum of $75,000 under the guidance of Rev. Cornelius Landrigan and blessed and dedicated to St. Paul the Apostle on Sunday, December 16th, 1962 by Rev. Edmond F. Donahue, Dean of Edmonton Centre. Rev. Landrigan celebrated the first mass in the new St. Paul’s church with Rev. Donald Steinn of St. Edmond’s Parish as master of ceremonies and music provided by seminarians from St. Josephs Seminary.

The Maranatha Christian Reformed Church of Beverly was organized April 30th, 1953 and early services were conducted in the Beverly Theatre and Slovak National Hall. A church booklet commemorating the 25th anniversary’ of the congregation in 1978 recalled the interior of the hall left much to be desired “A platform sufficed as pulpit’ and some planks lying on crates supplemented the few pews we used to sit on.” The consistory quickly decided to buy 125 chairs and, in just a few weeks, they were filled to capacity. Running out of room, but with precious few dollars available, the congregation came together at an August 17, 1953 meeting to evaluate a proposal from the consistory for a new structure with at least 500 seats and a future capacity of upwards of 700 with the construction of balconies. It passed unanimously.

Five lots near 119th Avenue and 47th Street were purchased and a Building Committee established. The Canadian Emergency Building Fund granted $10,000 to the project – the maximum available. Nick Spronk was invited to design a suitable structure and the budget for the entire project, including furnishings, was set at $35,000. At a congregational meeting November 9th, 1953, postcard sized sketches of the interior and exterior were circulated and, such was the enthusiasm of the gathering that plans were unanimously approved and every wage-earner donated a week’s pay and many volunteered their labour.

Construction began immediately with Nick Niemansverdriet, John Fortuin and Nick Spronk as foreman. Materials were acquired from wherever possible; the pulpit, balcony, doors and baptismal font were made of solid oak taken from an old house that stood on 107th Street near 99th Avenue (the present site of the Federal Building). The wrought iron light fixtures were crafted over a kitchen stove by Andries Kamphuis, a member of the congregation who had been an old country blacksmith and welder. Kamphuis also molded the front door handles with the leaders G M Z O, the initials for the prayer under which the congregation lived: “God zy met ons,” (The Lord be with us.)

On Christmas Eve, 1953 a ferocious windstorm knocked down the first beams and damaged the floor. Volunteers were on the site Christmas Day, working to repair the damage. Propelled by such remarkable devotion, the building was virtually complete the following spring. Rev. John Hanenburg dedicated the structure at 11905 47th Street on September 9th, 1954 and offered a prayer of thanksgiving. The Dutch tradition says a church tower is not complete without a weathercock, charter member D. Schuurman placed one there, prompting Beverly-ites to call the house of worship “the church with the rooster on top.”

The Methodist Church, one of the forerunners of the United Church, came to Beverly in 1912 when Rev. WA. Lewis was appointed to direct a Central Edmonton Mission. From his base in North Edmonton he hauled around a large tent for worship services at several local districts, including Beverly. There are indications the big red and while Methodist tent was where the first meeting of Beverly Village Council was held. Early on, the Beverly Methodist Church was an outreach of All Peoples’ Mission, which became the Bissell Centre. A variety of people provided ministerial leadership. Including Reverends W.H. Pike, Ponich, Kenneth Kingston and Robert H. Leitch, who is listed as Pastor in 1914. That year, the membership list included 33 names. Women were very involved in the operation of the local church through the Women’s Mission Society (WM.S.).

A building was constructed on 38th Street between 119th and 120th Avenues sometime between 1917 and 1925, a building that church leader William E. Curtis described as “a boxlike structure with a four-sided roof and a cubicle on top, very hard to heat, with badly cracked plaster walls.” In the mid 1930s, under the guidance of Curtis and Rev. Dr. J.T. Stephens, an effort began to find a bigger home for the church and the two men Beverly United convinced Nicholas Rushton, the town’s administrator, that vacant land along 118th Avenue at 43rd Street would be far better served as a playground with a church building adjacent from which the playground could be supervised. Rushton agreed and gave full title to the church for $1.00. Curtis later wrote it was a good thing because: “Reverend Stephens and I had exactly 50 cents each in our pockets! We handed it over at once sealing the deal.”

With Bert Colby overseeing the work, the existing church was readied to be moved to the new location. “Adby Construction lifted the building onto dollies and the grand march down 118th Avenue (a dirt road) began with Vicky Jossul driving the tractor.”

Curtis recalled. “A new basement with concrete walls awaited; the building came to rest with Adby Construction discovering that there was no head room, however no changes could be made” To cover the broken plaster, Rev. Stephens asked the crew erecting the Kresge’s Building on 101st Street and 101 A Avenue if the church could use the 3/4 inch plywood hoarding. They gave the entire four by eight foot sheets to the church and that’s what was used to seal the inside of the structure.

It was not until August 16th, 1956 that the first “full-time” minister, George A. Sauder, was appointed to Beverly. As thousands of newcomers flooded into Beverly during the boom of the 1950s, the old church became ever more cramped. By 1959, talk of the need for a new building began to circulate. In 1963, with the congregation faced with a cash crunch that never seemed to go away, the old church was sold. For two years, while funding for a new structure was being sought, plans were made and the new church erected at 11910 40 Street, the congregation met at Lawton Junior High School.

Under the direction of Building Committee Chairman Vem Curtis (son of William), volunteers worked to complete the electrical, heating, plumbing and drywalling. The basement was ready for use in 1967 and the following year, the main floor was completed. A special dedication service was held April 28th, 1968 and the church served its congregation for the next 50+ years.

The Beverly United Church closed its doors for the last time in October 2019. 

East side of Beverly Boulevard, 8th Street at 117th Avenue.

Operating 1914 – Demolished 1958.

In its early days, the Beverly Presbyterian Church was guided by Rev. Frank D. Roxborough, who served 1914 to 1925. Rev. Roxborough was also in charge of North Edmonton and was the clerk of the Edmonton Presbyterian Presbytery from 1917 to 1925.

He went on to be Moderator of the Alberta Synod in 1920-21 and Commissioner to General Assembly in 1917 and 1924. The building also served at various times as a two-room elementary school house for Beverly children and was demolished in 1958 by Adby Construction.

On May, 1, 1965 the new church of the Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary was blessed by Bishop Neil Savaryn. But Ukrainian Catholic worship in Beverly began long before the construction of the distinctive brick church at 3635-116th Avenue. The first Ukrainian Catholic liturgy took place at the home Mr. A. Holyk in 1936. In the following years the divine liturgy was celebrated only a few times a year in private homes. Over time, the difficulties faced by Ukrainian Catholic worshippers were recognized by members of St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, who offered to share their building.

In 1951, Bishop Neil Savaryn appointed Rev. Basil Martynyk as priest of the Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish. The first general meeting of parishioners was held on September 30, 1951. The initial parish officers were president, Rev. Basil Martynyk; vicepresident, Mr. B. Mucha; secretary, Mr. L. Fedun; treasurer, Mr. D. Onyskiw; member at large, Mr. A. Holyk; audit committee, Mr. J. Proskiw, Mr. S. Nahuliak and Mr. J. Fedorowych. Annual membership was set at $2.50. On April 15, 1951 a parish branch of the Ukrainian Catholic Women’s League of Canada was also formed. The branch very soon became the right arm of the parish, both spiritually and especially financially as the ladies threw themselves into the task of building and supporting the parish community.

Since finances were desperately needed, fundraising took priority. Means included catering for various functions, bake sales, raffles, carnivals, teas, bingos and bazaars. One of the largest projects undertaken was the financing of the painted icon of the patroness of the parish. At the same time, the members worked toward the aims of the league: support for the Catholic faith in the Ukrainian rite; Ukrainian culture; Ukrainian citizenship within the context of Canadian citizenship; and social development.

From this point on the divine liturgy was celebrated every Sunday at St. Mary’s, which stood on the site of the current church. Rev. Paul Hradiuk succeeded Rev. Martynyk as parish priest in December 1951.

The parish purchased St. Mary Church for $4,500 in 1953 and undertook renovations totalling $3,000. Rev. Eugene Kaminiski was named parish priest in 1955. The parish grew to more than 70 families and the annual membership was raised to $5. Rev. A. Zachariasevich was assigned to the parish at the beginning of 1958, to be followed in 1959 by Rev. Basil Chopey. By 1960, the small church had become inadequate for the growing parish, so the membership resolved to build a new and larger structure.

Church member Mr. Walter Kubrak, an architect, along with his brother Mike, worked out the initial design for the new Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church. In 1963 construction of the church was put out to tender. However the only tender received was higher than the $70,000 the parish had to spend.

The next year, local builder Mr. Matt Bykowski of Matby Construction, also a parishioner, proposed to build the church at cost with church members as volunteer labourers. Bishop Savaryn approved the financing and the sod-turning ceremony took place on August 21, 1964, with completion the following spring. The bell from the original church was transferred to the new, where it continues to ring today. The new church pews were built by the Salesian Brothers.

Rev. Basil Woloshyn was parish priest from May 1, 1970 to September 1, 1985. During this time the parish rectory was built, the interior of the church was painted and stained-glass windows and an iconostas were installed. The iconostas and painting were designed and installed by. Mr. Boris Makarenko and son Sviatoslav of New York, who later beautified the church exterior with a mosaic icon.

Rev. Basil Martynyk again became parish priest on September 1, 1985, serving until his untimely passing on December 26, 1997. During this time the church instituted an English liturgy. Rev. William Hupalo was parish priest 1997 to 1998 and Rev. Serhiy Harahuc from 1998 to 2003. The 50th anniversary of the parish and its Ukrainian Catholic Women’s League of Canada branch was celebrated in 2001. Rev. D. Blazejowkj of Rome was commissioned to embroider two icons, Pokrova and The Holy Family, which were blessed by Bishop Lawrence at a pontifical divine liturgy. At the anniversary ceremonies Premier Ed Stelmach brought greetings from the Government of Alberta, and Councillor Richard Noce from the City of Edmonton.

Serving as parish priest from 2003 to 2005 was Reverend Paul Lysak, followed by Rev. Ivan Nykyforuk.

In 2011, celebrations were held for the 60th anniversary of the Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Beverly. At that time recognition was given to one of the founding members and unsung heroes of the church, Mr. Nick Bohatchuk. For many years Mr. Bohatchuk devoted his services to the care and upkeep of the church and surrounding property. He also served as sacristan “palamar” until he was in his late eighties.

Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary continues to be a very active parish, offering bilingual Ukrainian/English divine liturgy every Sunday at 9 a.m. The parish supports Catholic organizations such as the Ukrainian Catholic Brotherhood of Canada and Knights of Columbus, as well as the Ukrainian Catholic Women’s League and aims to contribute to the Beverly Community.

The present parish priest is Archpriest Fr. Mihajlo Planchak.