Central United Church

In 1904 the cornerstone was laid by Isabella Lougheed on behalf of her Uncle Lord Strathcona. This was to be one of the first Methodist Churches in Calgary. The new church was attended by many prominent Calgary Citizens, notably the Lougheed Family. The walls were made out of sandstone hewn from local quarries. The sanctuary was panelled in antique wood and walnut. A Calgary Herald Article declared, “of all the churches in Canada today, there are none more complete or handsome.” In 1916 the church’s sanctuary was severely damaged by fire on February 29th. While repairs were made, a pair of local theatres were used in the interim. The church reopened a little over a year later. Several years later, Central Methodist got a new name when the Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregational churches merged to become the United Church of Canada. Afterwards, Central Methodist became Central United Church, and the congregation grew. At one point boasting the largest congregation of any United Church in Canada, with 3,500 members. Today the church serves those who have long resided just beyond their doors working with homeless people to shelter and clothe them with the Central Church having a role in the creation of Calgary Urban Project Society (CUPS) in the 1980s and Inn from the Cold Society later on. 

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