As the United Church of Canada approaches its centennial on June 10, 2025, Trail United Church is also preparing to mark 100 years, celebrating its own milestone on Sept. 22, born from the union of Trail’s Presbyterian and Methodist congregations.
Founded in the late 19th century, this historic church has long been a cornerstone of faith and community in Trail.
From humble pioneer gatherings to a vibrant community hub, its legacy is one of service, with volunteers operating a food bank and providing essential supports to those in need.
Trail United Church’s story begins in May 1895, when Rev. Hugh Robertson led Trail’s first Presbyterian service in the bar of a local hotel.
Services soon moved to a one-room schoolhouse, and by autumn 1895 the Presbyterians had built Trail’s first church on Spokane Street.
By 1897, the Methodists had also constructed their own church nearby at Farwell Street and Pine Avenue.
As Trail prospered in the early 20th century, the Presbyterian congregation set out to build a more substantial house of worship.
In 1920, members drew up plans for a new, larger church at Pine Avenue and Eldorado Street.
Construction began that year, and Knox Presbyterian Church with its towering steeple was completed and dedicated in December 1921.
The mid-1920s brought pivotal change.
In June 1925, the United Church of Canada was formed, uniting the Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregational churches nationwide.
Later that year, Trail’s two congregations amalgamated to form a single United Church congregation. Knox Presbyterian became Knox United Church – later renamed Trail United Church in the 1980s – uniting the two congregations under one roof.
In the decades that followed, the united congregation flourished and expanded its facilities.
The church installed a grand two-manual pipe organ, tubular chimes, and stained-glass windows depicting Hope, Victory, Peace and Devotion in the sanctuary.
A manse (minister’s house) was built next door in 1936, then replaced in 1960 by a larger hall and multi-use facility to accommodate growing programs.
Throughout its history, Trail United Church has served as a hub for community outreach as well as worship. It has hosted a food bank, offered its space as a warming and cooling centre during extreme weather, and staged countless charity concerts and events.
The sanctuary even welcomed performances by the Kootenay Festival of the Arts, reflecting the church’s role as a cultural venue in the city.
Today, the brick church on Pine Avenue remains a cherished heritage landmark where neighbours gather in support, celebration and solace.
Now, as 2025 approaches, Trail United Church is poised to celebrate a milestone.
In June, congregations across Canada will mark the United Church’s 100th anniversary, and later in the year Trail’s own church family will commemorate a century since its founding in 1925.
Plans are underway for services and events to honour the occasion.
It will be a time for the church and community to reflect on an enduring legacy and look ahead to the next chapter.
Origins of a United Church
The United Church of Canada was inaugurated on June 10, 1925, in Toronto, uniting the Methodist Church of Canada, the Congregational Union of Canada, and about 70 per cent of the Presbyterian Church in Canada into one new denomination.
This historic merger, joined by a small alliance of prairie Local Union Churches, was the first church union in the world to cross traditional denominational lines, earning international acclaim.
The push for union arose from practical and missional needs, as Canadian Protestants sought to better serve frontier communities and coordinate overseas missions by joining forces.
Each of the founding churches brought a rich heritage, and together they formed a “uniting church” committed not just to a one-time merger, but to ongoing unity with other Christian communities.
The United Church later welcomed the Methodist Church of Bermuda in 1930 and the Evangelical United Brethren in 1968 into its fold.
The 1925 union ceremony, held in a packed Toronto arena, marked a bold experiment in ecumenical nation-building and set the stage for a century of shared ministry across Canada.
With files from Sarah Benson-Lord, Trail Museum and Archives
