St. Matthew’s Viking, Alberta:
The Mission Continues
Shawn Smith, a member of the Viking Historical Society, describes the efforts of himself and other local volunteers to rescue a lovely historic church from abandonment and neglect, and restore Prayer Book services within it.
Located on the trans-continental main line of the CNR 130 km east of Edmonton along Highway 14 is the town of Viking – perhaps best known in these parts as the home of hockey’s famous “Sutter Brothers”.
St. Matthew’s church at Viking first began as a mission, led by travelling ministers who came from Edmonton and held services in private homes as early as 1918. The present parish hall building located next to the present church was built in 1925 on land donated by the Right Revd. Lord Bishop Burgett of Edmonton. It was used for services as well until the church was built.
Located on Viking’s main street, the design of St. Matthew’s is typical English cruciform, however otherwise it is in the opinion of this author quite unique for the Canadian prairies. Reportedly designed by A.M. Cameron, construction of the church commenced in October 1934 and was completed in March 1935. The result was a very pleasing wood-framed white coloured cedar-shingled church in which the parishioners took great pride. Some have even suggested that certain elements of the church’s exterior were inspired by the community’s name and Scandinavian roots. Dedication services were held on April 3, 1935 with Bishop Burgett presiding.
St. Matthew’s was a beacon to the Anglican community in the Viking district for over 70 years. However, in recent times, as has been the disappointing case in many rural areas, regular services ceased about 10 years ago. Not wanting to see the church be lost to demolition or further neglect, stepping in was the local Historical Society, whose President Mike Lawes was baptised in St. Matthew’s, and whose ancestors were some of the first Anglicans in the district. Mike and his wife Kyla were also married in St. Matthew’s. Their perseverance led to the Diocese of Edmonton donating the church and adjacent parish hall to the Historical Society for preservation in July of 2023. By this time, the exterior required repair and re-painting, and the windows and roof also required repairs.
Partnering up with the Viking Historical Society last summer to begin the painting and repairs to St. Matthew’s was an informal community outreach committee of the Camrose-based Canadian Northern Society which had recently been conducting some “heritage services” as fundraising for the continued preservation of several local historical Anglican and Lutheran churches. These “heritage services” began at the historic St. Edmund’s Church at Big Valley, Alberta – where the 1918 Book of Common Prayer was used for a beautiful Morning Prayer service in the fall of 2022. Since then, similar services have been held twice at St. Dunstan’s (Camrose Centennial Museum), All Saints Castor (on All Saints’ Day 2023) and at Holy Trinity Irwinville using today’s BCP. In addition, the committee raised over $1000 for the preservation of the Hegre Lutheran Church between Camrose and Viking in a service that used the 1917 “Common Service Book of the Lutheran Church” along with classic traditional hymns. We have been blessed to have willing volunteers as choir and readers, plus clergy including Jeremiah Overland of Camrose, and the Revd. Jack Schulze and the Revd. Brent Schulze of St. George’s Stettler who have been part of this mission to date.
As a broad group, we have been determined that St. Matthew’s would not only be preserved as a historical building – but be fittingly used. As a result, we have held since October of 2023 a traditional “Harvest Festival”, a “Service of Lessons and Carols”, and a Palm Sunday service, again all using the BCP. This past Trinity Sunday we held an open house where the doors were opened for “Enter- Rest – Pray” in the wonderful Anglican tradition of the same. With each service we have had visitors that included former parishioners who had not been back to Viking for a service in many years, those who enjoy the beauty of the traditional BCP liturgy, and area residents. Services have been scheduled in the afternoon to allow folks to attend their own various denominational services on Sunday morning – and then join us at St. Matthew’s for a traditional liturgy and fellowship that always includes teatime afterwards prepared by the wonderful host volunteers of the Viking Historical Society. We have been blessed to raise well over $15,000 from these events towards the continued preservation of St. Matthew’s. Work has continued at the church during the summer of 2024, and these efforts will of course be ongoing.
We have inherited virtually all of the original furnishings and altar guild linens and hangings at St. Matthew’s, and with seating for around 60, it makes a perfect chapel for continued services, small weddings, and related events. There is a small loft in the bell tower ideal for musicians as well. We welcome all who are interested in sharing our continued work and efforts.
While I am pleased that there are many church buildings across the country that have now been preserved in parks and museums – it strikes me that none of these should be just “museum churches”. These buildings, a standing testament to our rich Anglican heritage, just are not the same without the beautiful words from our Book of Common Prayer being used within them, just the way that I believe God intended. We are so pleased to be able to continue that opportunity at St. Matthew’s from time to time, celebrating this heritage in a meaningful way and continuing the mission that our forefathers began here.