Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

WARNER EVANGELICAL

Date

1967

Materials

WOOD, GLASS, SHINGLES

No. Pieces

1

Height

172.6

Length

136.6

Width

150.0

Description

WHITE PAINTED PLYWOOD STRUCTURE WITH GREY FOUNDATION AND GREEN SHINGLED ROOF. MODEL FRONT HAS 3 STEPS WITH WOODEN RAILING ON THE LEFT LEADING TO THE DOUBLE DOORS ON HINGES. 2 NARROW IMITATION STAINED-GLASS WINDOWS ABOVE DOORS. DIRECTLY ABOVE IS A SMALL PLUG-IN LIGHT. STEEPLE HAS A MINIATURE GOLD BELL WHICH RINGS WHEN WHEEL CRANK IS TURNED. THERE ARE 18 VARIOUS SHAPED STAINED-GLASS WINDOWS IN WOOD FRAMES. WHITE, GREY, GREEN, AND RED. BRASS NAMEPLATE ON GREY BASE: "FIRST EVANGELICAL CHURCH, WARNER ALBERTA 1907-1967". FRONT DOORS OPEN TO REVEAL BRASS NAMEPLATE ON FLOOR OF ENTRY WAY: "MADE BY ANDY A. THOMPSON...". "1908-1982" PRINTED ON BACK OF CHURCH.

Subjects

TOY

Historical Association

RELIGION

History

HANDMADE MODEL OF ORIGINAL WARNER MEMORIAL EVANGELICAL CHURCH BUILDING CONSTRUCTED IN 1907 & DEMOLISHED IN 1967. MODEL MADE IN 1957-58 BY ANDY THOMPSON FOR THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY. BUILDER, ANDY THOMPSON, WORKED ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE ORIGINAL EVANGELICAL CHURCH IN WARNER. HE CAME TO WARNER IN 1906, THEN MOVED TO LETHBRIDGE IN THE EARLY 1920'S AND WORKED IN CARPENTRY MOST OF HIS LIFE. (REF. WAGONS TO WINGS - LOCAL HISTORY OF WARNER, ALBERTA). NARRATIVE BELOW SOLICITED FROM ELAINE LIEBELT IN EARLY 2010 WHEN THIS ARTIFACT WAS EXHIBITED AS PART OF THE GALT’S TREASURES & CURIOSITIES DISPLAY. THE NARRATIVE BECAME THE BASIS FOR THE ARTIFACT’S LABEL COPY IN THE EXHIBIT. *** THIS CHURCH IS WHERE I SPENT “EVERY” SUNDAY MORNING FROM THE TIME I WAS LITTLE UNTIL I LEFT HOME. MY MOTHER, PEARL LIEBELT, WAS SECRETARY OF THE WARNER SUNDAY SCHOOL FOR OVER 50 YEARS. BECAUSE MOM WAS SECRETARY OF THE SUNDAY SCHOOL, NO EXCUSE WAS GOOD ENOUGH FOR THE LIEBELT KIDS TO SKIP SUNDAY SCHOOL. MY SISTER MAXINE AND I WERE AMONG THE FIRST CHILDREN TO RECEIVE AWARDS FOR ATTENDING 100 SUNDAYS, 200 SUNDAYS AND 500 SUNDAYS. OUR TWO BROTHERS, LAWRENCE AND MAURIE, ALSO RECEIVED THEIR AWARDS BUT IT TOOK LONGER; OBVIOUSLY THEY WERE BETTER AT MAKING EXCUSES THAN WE WERE. I RECALL THAN MANY A SUNDAY AFTERNOON WAS SPENT SORTING AND COUNTING THE NICKELS, DIMES AND QUARTERS THAT THE CHILDREN PUT INTO THE COLLECTION PLATE AND MOM BROUGHT HOME TO COUNT EACH WEEK. MOST OF MY MEMORIES OF THE WARNER CHURCH RELATE TO THE MUSIC; I SANG IN THE CHOIR AND LOVED THE HARMONIES OF THE HYMNS. AT A YOUNG PEOPLE’S GROUP MEETING, I TOLD THE MINISTER THAT THE ONLY THING I LIKED ABOUT CHURCH WAS THE MUSIC (I DON’T THINK HE WAS TOO IMPRESSED BY THAT). IN THIS CHURCH I SANG WITH THE JUNIOR AND SENIOR CHOIRS, ATTENDED VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL AND YOUTH RALLIES, PLUS MANY BAPTISMS, MARRIAGES AND FUNERALS FOR FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS. THE CHURCH IS NOW GONE (1967) AND A NEWER ONE SITS ON THE SAME SITE. IT IS A NICE MODERN CHURCH BUT IS NOT THE ONE OF MY MEMORIES. ***

Catalogue Number

P19850032000

Acquisition Date

1985-12

Collection

Museum

Less detail