History

The History of our Church

about3Prairie Park Swedish Baptist Church was started by Rev. T.O. Wold in November, 1906, after he visited the Killam area and found a number of Scandinavians, particularly Danes, of the Baptist faith. At first, services were held in the various homes. A church was built in 1909 on land donated by the Olsonberg family located four and one half miles southeast of Killam. A parsonage was built beside the church by volunteer labour in 1915. Until the end of 1929 all services were held in Swedish and the records were also kept in that language.

 

about2It was decided to move the church services to Killam in the summer of 1929. Erik Erickson donated two lots on the corner of 48th Street and 50th Avenue and that fall a basement was dug and a roof built over it. It served as the Killam Baptist Church until 1950. The original church building was sold and moved to Sedgewick. The parsonage was moved to Killam and placed next to the church. The Prairie Park cemetery that was located to the north of the country church still remains at the original site. In 1951 a new sanctuary was completed on the basement. In 1979 an educational wing was added on to the church building.

 

about1Over the years the church has been served by some very godly men and their wives, some of whom are: Rev. T.O. Wold; Rev. Ole Larson; Rev. Adolph Carlson; Rev. Bob & Marion Simpson; Rev. Anton & Eveline Grymaloski; Rev. Bob & Betty Cochrane; Rev. Jim & Carolyn Houston; Rev. Chris & Anne Wilson; Rev. Ross & Colleen Helgeton; Rev. Bob & Marguerite Roth; Pastor Heinz & Tammy Janzen, Clint & Pamela Mathies; and Pastor Andrew & Joy Lortie. Our current Pastor is Rev. David & Jillane Tonner and Pastor Alec & Erin Siemens.

 

about4On July 15th and 16th, 2006 the church celebrated 100 years of ministry in Killam and the surrounding communities.