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Kelowna, British Columbia (Queen Victoria gave British Columbia its name), is an urban area in the southern part of the province of British Columbia in Canada. It is bordered east by Okanagan Lake by pine forests, wineries, provincial parks, mountains, and orchards.
The name Kelowna seems odd. It is the term for “grizzly bear” in the Okanagan First Nation. Have you ever wondered how a name came to be? It’s a tranquil area with lots of historic sites and tourist attractions.
Every passing traveller to Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, notices the churches there. Due to its charming settings and wineries, the region is a year-round tourist hotspot. If you have spiritual concerns, don’t be concerned.
You can visit some wonderful churches in this area. There are numerous churches in Kelowna, BC, Canada. One could visit as many as they want; it is overwhelming.
Below are the top three churches in kelowna BC Canada
1) St. Anglican’s Church
Old is gold, they say, and this church in Kelowna, BC, Canada, is a living example.
Address-4619 Lakeshore Rd.
St. Anglican’s Church is a perfect example of a Tudor Revival parish church alongside a graveyard.
The church was built in 1910-11 in the Tudor Revival style, situated near 4619 Lakeshore Road in the Kelowna Mission’s sector.
This church holds much precious value as the oldest church in the region; it gives a review of the early livelihood of the Mission region.
The history of this church goes back to 1900, when the Reverend Thomas Greene, the Anglican minister from Kelowna, gave episodic services at Okanagan Mission—voyaging up and down by horse along the dumpy road.
Many Anglicans were considering constructing a cathedral in the area at the start of the century, thanks to a plan contribution by J.H. Baillie and Wesley A. Peters. They were considering constructing the church in the Tudor Revival style.
The unknown fact about the church is that its builder, W. Shand lost an arm during the establishment of the church. Later, his son completed the unfinished business of his father.
The unique Tudor Revival style was very popular in the city, and British Columbia mainly related to English tradition.
The style of the church was a concoction of the Gothic Revival style, especially the parish church revival of the Victorian era, which was related to Anglicanism.
St. Anglican Church has gone through many historical events. One prime event was World War I, which took away various parishioners, and the aim to make it a separate parish faded along with World War I.
Each year, the suburban increment of Okanangan Mission boomed with the population, specifically after World War 2.
Population growth increases the size of the congregation in the church. The year 1961 saw the highest surge in the church’s congregation.
In 1985–87, the new church with double space, St. Andrews Church, was built beside the old church, which was overlooked most of the time.
St. Anglican church is now a church only for small services, weddings, and funerals.
2) Mission Creek Alliance Church
The churches of Kelowna, BC, Canada, have beautiful infrastructure and ambiance. One such church is the Mission Creek Alliance Church.
Address- 2091 Springfield Rd, Kelowna BC V1Y, 7X1, Canada.
The church started as a Kelowna Alliance Church on August 22, 1960.
Public service started on November (November 6, 1960) at the Women’s Institute Hall on Lawrence Avenue, where 43 people attended the meeting, held under the guidance of Rev. John Klassen.
The need for a pastor who would work full time was great, so in October 1961, after two months, the church formerly came under Alliance church with twenty-five charter members. In the 60s, there was a talk of extension because of the tremendous growth of the church, attendance, and affluent finances. Therefore, everyone was eager to expand the premises.
Moving on to the 70s, the Seniors Ministry and Alliance Men’s group assembled. There was an emphasis on making different ministries for different demographics, like the ministry of a child, youth ministry, fellowship, etc.
In the late 70s, the Rev. Llyod Draper started his ministry with a deliberate focus on making a caring church fellowship with stress on “glorifying God through evangelism and edification.”
The Mission Creek Alliance Church congregation was divided into groups based on geography, with a maximum of ten families per group.
The elders of the groups were trained to work for the addition of a new face to every group.
The growth and increment of these groups helped to facilitate the emergence of the westside Alliance Church and Winfield Alliance Church.
There was a small decline in attendance in the year 1982. Within four years, the Mission Creek Alliance Church get back on track with an increment in attendance.
History was made when the Sunday morning church attendance rose to 642 in 1986; this led to growth in the various staff departments, with pastoral ministry specialists working in evangelism, Christian education, youth, adults, music, and worship.
Throughout the 1980s, Kelowna Alliance became one of the region’s larger churches. It was known for its focus on ministry and mission. The church fully evolved into “intergenerational ministry.”
The church was improved through furnishing and renovation in January 2005 and was given the name Mission Creek Alliance Church.
It is described as a “medium church with large church amenities’ that set out for a multi-generational congregation.
Nowadays, this church’s focal point is the ministry to kids and families. Churches in Kelowna, BC, Canada, have so much importance for spiritual and non-spiritual people.
3) St. Paul’s United Church
Churches in Kelowna, BC, Canada, are the epitome of the gothic architectural style; St. Paul’s United Church began in 1829.
Address- 11526 76 Avenue NW Edmonton AB T6G O7K.
After a year, the worship facility is in full bloom. St. Paul’s United Church observed its golden day of remembrance in 1882, coming up with the completion of the new building.
In exactly four years, on January 10, 1886, the new place of worship was inaugurated, which is used to date.
In 1916 a farewell was organized for the previous church before its removal to clear the way for Fraser Memorial Hall. The hall was finished in 1918 and expedited in the memory of Donald Fraser.
St. Paul’s became St. Paul’s United Church of Canada in 1925. The church celebrated its one-hundredth anniversary in 1932.
A three-keyboard Casavant was installed in 1947 in the memory of women and men who lost their lives in two world wars.
The most enthralling characteristic of this church in Kelowna, BC, Canada, is stained glass memorial windows lodged by the congregation’s families.
With time, this window took over from the original windows made of diamond-shaped leaded glass.
In 1990, St. Paul’s was designated as a national historic site and the monument board as a fine example of High Victorian Gothic Revival Style in 1990.
The biggest improvement once observed was the Fraser Memorial Hall renovation in 1977. An elevator was installed in 2004, which made it convenient for folks to maneuver from the primary to the third floor.
The church is big enough for several people to participate in religious activities, prayer, conferences, and alternative events.
For years, the church and the hall have seen many church-affiliated events and community gatherings.
There is a meal on wheels program further within the church facility, with other alternatives like cubs, scouts, brownies, etc.
In 2007, a campaign, “the Restoration Capital Fund,’ was launched to repair the damaged interior, including windows, stonework, and roof.
Up till now, $650,000 has been used to fix the damaged windows, doors, stonework, walls, and roof. Even now, the work is not completed on the east and west walls.
It’s been 18 decades since St. Paul’s existence and works; people have been visiting this artistic church for years. Many things have changed in these years, but people’s faith in the church is still constant.
The church shares its resources with the community all year round.
Closing Thoughts
Churches have ensured God’s presence in personal life for years, and many events and spiritual gatherings have been their backbone; churches are perfect for architectural inspiration, peace, tranquillity, and solace.
Most Canadian churches are exquisite examples of Gothic Revival architecture, a sight for an architecture student; nevertheless, spiritual and non-spiritual people should visit churches in Kelowna, BC, Lake Country, Wood Lake, and other big churches in Canada for inspiration and solemnity.
So, what are you waiting for? If you are looking for a sign, plan your visit to the churches and enjoy service times today.
British Columbia is filled with various attractions, not only limited to churches.
Here is what to remember when panning your tip at the Kelowna bc!
You will undoubtedly have the best time possible when you go from the Kelowna international airport to its major city, city park, the waterfront park in west Kelowna, or the shopping centre in downtown Kelowna.
The city’s best beach, biking trails, picnic spots, and a water park for children may be found in City Park in British Columbia’s Okanagan valley or the neighbouring Lake Okanagan campus. For some of the greatest restaurants and boutique shops in the area, head east on Bernard Avenue.
Other places we recommend are Knox mountain. You can take the Canadian pacific railway to get there, Myra canyon trestles, Okanagan college and other less known Kelowna location and spots.
Pro Tip: When planning your trip, keep in mind that you might also encounter climate challenges. The city receives about 380 mm (15 in) of precipitation annually on average, with roughly a fifth of that falling as snow, primarily in December and January; however, June is the wettest month of the year.
Last Updated on by alishbarehman
