UNITY — When the Unity Anglican Church officially closed in the summer of 2022, people wondered what would become of the iconic sign and other inventory and belongings within the building and sanctuary.
The for-sale sign is still on the property with no leads yet on the potential sale of the lot located on the corner of Third Avenue East, across from Unity United Church.
After St. John’s Anglican Church was officially deconsecrated, the sign was donated to St. John’s Anglican Church in Borden, Sask. Parishioners, Ron Tumbach and Tom Hrenkiw travelled to Unity to bring the sign to its new home last fall. Following the move, the sign received several coats of varnish before being erected it at its new location.
“The sign was my personal worry as it was too special and too gorgeous to be done away with,” Val Middleton, who has been looking after dispersing belongings, says.
Middleton says she is still selling bits and pieces of furniture which includes desks, podiums, wooden creche and other items.
“There is still a perfectly working good organ that someone can have, they just need to bring a truck and a bit of muscle,” says Middleton.
Items needed by renters of the hall have not been sold. Middleton says she has a list of people who have expressed interest in hall items so if the church sells, and the buyer doesn’t want them, she knows who to call first.
Congregation members of St. John’s Anglican Church in Unity were able to take home any special items. One person made sure to get the prayer book her grandmother had used and had her name in it. A set of candle holders that had been donated by a family were returned to them when the request was made.
The diocese has a specific list of things that they take after a church closes — brass, communion items, paper/books for the archives and robes. The books that were still in good shape they took to redistribute to other Anglican churches who are in need.
Unity museum was next on the list of recipients of dispersal items including the baptismal font, the bishop’s chair and the Ombre that was given to Wilkie by Rev. Matthew Borden and that Unity used after its closure. They also have banners and a photo album of paper/photos from the beginning to the end of the church.
A local antique collector was next, and she took some interesting storage items.
“We had a couple come from Northern Alberta who purchased the free-standing pews, the altar, chairs and other miscellaneous items. They are going to use them at their outdoor wedding then to outfit a school,” says Middleton.
Lashburn/Maidstone Anglican churches needed a better sound system, so they took that and the speakers, the altar cloths (which they have been using), and all the candles.
Middleton said, just recently, a woodworker who repurposes old wood bought the rest of the pews that were attached to the walls.
Until the property sells, Middleton is responsible for renting the hall and completing the paperwork required by the diocese, CRA and anyone else.
“This has been a long journey,” she says.
“If anyone is interested in going through to see what is left or to see if the hall will be suitable for their event, they can contact me by email or on FB and I will make arrangements with them.”
