Fonds - Haida Gwaii Pastoral Charge (Skidegate, B.C.) fonds

Title and statement of responsibility area

Title proper

Haida Gwaii Pastoral Charge (Skidegate, B.C.) fonds

General material designation

    Parallel title

    Other title information

    Title statements of responsibility

    Title notes

    • Source of title proper: Title ased on contents of fonds

    Level of description

    Fonds

    Reference code

    CA PMRCA

    Edition area

    Edition statement

    Edition statement of responsibility

    Class of material specific details area

    Statement of scale (cartographic)

    Statement of projection (cartographic)

    Statement of coordinates (cartographic)

    Statement of scale (architectural)

    Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)

    Dates of creation area

    Date(s)

    • 1884 - 1992 (Creation)
      Creator
      Haida Gwaii Pastoral Charge (Skidegate, B.C.)

    Physical description area

    Physical description

    70 cm of textual records

    Publisher's series area

    Title proper of publisher's series

    Parallel titles of publisher's series

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    Statement of responsibility relating to publisher's series

    Numbering within publisher's series

    Note on publisher's series

    Archival description area

    Name of creator

    (1884-)

    Administrative history

    Methodist work in the area began in 1884 with the construction of a
    church, organization of a congregation and appointment of a minister at the behest of Amos Russ, the grandson of a Native chief and a Christian convert. The initial building that served as the church was an old First Nations dance hall that had been refurbished by the local community. This was the local church for 28 years, after which the Spencer Memorial Church, constructed largely by volunteers in 1912, served as the place of worship. Spencer Memorial Church was named for Dr. J.C. Spencer, a minister and medical doctor who spearheaded its construction. Although the mission was initially started for the purpose of evangelizing to the native peoples, the congregation expanded to include many families of settlers, who immigrated to the area in search of natural resources and work during the 1910s and 1920s. Spencer Memorial Church was renamed Spencer Memorial United Church with church union in 1925. In 1957, in concert with Queen Charlotte City United Church, the congregation of Spencer Memorial United Church purchased Dead Tree Point, which they used for a children’s camp from 1957 to 1969, when the regular summer camps stopped due to a lack of participants. In 1974, Spencer Memorial United Church was found to possess insufficient facilities to continue serving as the area’s church. An analysis of the building found it to be lacking in insulation and basic facilities such as a washroom or kitchen, as well as possessing a much larger sanctuary than was needed to house the now modest congregation. In 1974, Spencer Memorial United Church was closed and a new church named Skidegate United Church was built and dedicated. The building of Spencer Memorial United Church was demolished in 1975.
    Methodist services began in Queen Charlotte City in 1908 when the Reverend J.C. Spencer began making trips by boat from the village of Skidegate to Queen Charlotte City. A regular minister was appointed and a church building constructed in 1909. The congregation would expand to include many more families of settlers who came to the area searching for natural resources and farmland during the 1910s and 1920s. A new church building was constructed in 1960-1961; it included improved facilities such as a new kitchen, washrooms, committee room, and entrance hall.

    Custodial history

    Scope and content

    Fonds consists of the records of Skidegate United Church, its predecessors, Spencer Memorial Church and Spencer Memorial United Church, Queen Charlotte United Church, Sandspit United Church, Seaview United Church and Seaview Community Church, and Tasu United Church. Records include Baptism registers (1884-1992), Marriage registers (1884-1984), and Burial registers (1884-1969); Membership records (1953-1990); Board and Committee records (1939-1991); Women’s Group records (1920-1980); Sunday school records (1966-1980); Financial records (1955-1985); Special Events records (1971-1984); Annual statistics (1967-1989); Outreach programs records (1969-1985); Building and Property records (1966-1987); a history of the United Church in the Queen Charlotte Islands (1985).

    Notes area

    Physical condition

    Immediate source of acquisition

    Arrangement

    Language of material

    • English

    Script of material

      Location of originals

      Availability of other formats

      Restrictions on access

      See File List

      Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

      Finding aids

      File list available. Online Finding Aid

      Associated materials

      Related materials

      Accruals

      Alternative identifier(s)

      Standard number

      Standard number

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      Control area

      Description record identifier

      Institution identifier

      Rules or conventions

      Rules for Archival Description

      Status

      Final

      Level of detail

      Full

      Dates of creation, revision and deletion

      Created Sept. 2009

      Language of description

      • English

      Script of description

        Sources

        Accession area