On November 14, 1899, a meeting was held under the auspices of Westminster Presbytery, at Van Anda, Texada Island, to organize a Presbyterian congregation there. The congregation was named Texada Presbyterian Church, and a church was built and dedicated in June, 1900. See a photo of the church here. (click)  

With church union in 1925, the congregation voted to join the new United Church of Canada – a union of Congregationalist, Methodist, and Presbyterian Churches across Canada. The name was changed to Texada United Church.

In March, of 1943 this first church was destroyed by fire, and many official church documents were destroyed. After much fund-raising, the church was rebuilt in 1950, and re-dedicated in 1951.

The Texada Island United Church, officially the Texada Pastoral Charge was at first a three-point charge consisting of Blubber Bay, Gillies Bay, and Van Anda, with the largest congregation and the church building being located in Van Anda. There is presently only one preaching point, in Van Anda, serving the entire island of Texada.

Van Anda was the home base for the “Sky Pilot” marine mission work from 1925 to 1930. (click photos for larger view of a "Sky Pilot" Christmas card and Rev. Pringle in his study)

The Rev. George Pringle ran gas boat missions to logging camps in mainland inlets. (Texada Island, Bill Thompson, p.490). See another photo of the "Sky Pilot" here. (click)

From 1930 to 1943, the Texada Island church was part of the Powell River (Rural) Pastoral Charge, which included Westview, Cranberry, Van Anda, and Blubber Bay. Texada Island has been an independent Pastoral Charge since 1943.

From 1925 to 1959, the Texada Island Pastoral Charge was part of Vancouver Presbytery, and from 1959 to 1970, it was part of Vancouver-Burrard Presbytery. Since 1970, it has been part of Comox-Nanaimo Presbytery.

In 1973, the church building was expanded through the efforts largely of volunteer labour, and community contributions. Lay minister Alan Thompson and his wife Shirley were instrumental in gaining possession of the contents of the Bralorne Mining Community Church, including the beautiful stained glass windows which have become an integral part of the present Texada United Church. (The community of Bralorne was being dismantled, following closure of the Bralorne mine.)

The Baptismal Font from Bralorne was eventually restored to that community, in 2001. A new Baptismal Font was commissioned by Phyllis Soles in memory of her late husband Colin Soles, and built by Jack Maciejko.

Texada United Church sits on the building site provided by the Copper and Gold Co. in 1898, at the corner of Main St. and Para Ave. There were 3000 people on the island that year, and presently there are about 1200. The fortunes of the church have fluctuated with the boom and bust pattern of the mining industry, the economic engine of this island community.

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