A final service for the Mortlach United Church has been postponed due to coronavirus concerns.
The final service was to be March 29.
The church closed last fall, said Bonnie Drake, a long time member.
“We made the decision to close. We just couldn’t go on.”
Attendance had been averaging eight per week. Looking through the records, Drake noted attendance averaged 70 per week with a high of 134 in 1960.
“That’s quite a difference.”
Getting a minister to hold services has been difficult, said Drake.
“I can’t remember when we had the last minister. We had student ministers for six years or so.”
Three Moose Jaw ministers – Tim Ellis, Jim Tenford and Linda Tomlinson-Seebach – were student ministers at Mortlach.
For the last two years members of the congregation have conducted most services.
Members will transfer to Moose Jaw churches of their choice.
Drake will attend Zion United Church, which will receive a stained glass window from the Mortlach church. The window, called the Good Shepherd, was installed in 1977 after coming from the Mount Pleasant United Church northeast of Moose Jaw.
The Mortlach church held a garage sale last fall and then sold the rest of the pews, fixtures and office furniture by word of mouth.
The building has been sold with funds shared by the local group and the United Church in Saskatchewan.
In remembrance of 115 years of worship service, the congregation has built a gazebo along the main road into Mortlach. A plaque will be placed in the gazebo.
The Methodist Society organized church services in town in 1905. The church was completed in 1907. Two manses for the minister have been developed, one in 1911 and another in 1962. Both were sold.
“We’re all really sorry to see it close.”
Hundreds of Mortlach and district residents have been baptized, married and had their funerals in the church.
Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
