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Ormiston Baptist

In 1957 Rev. Weibe from Congress Baptist Church started conducting Baptist Church service in Ormiston whenever possible. In 1958, the Baptist congregation was formed. The first services at this point were conducted by Rev. Roger Barnard from Missouri.

With no church building, services were held in the Ormiston Community Hall.

In 1959, the Baptist congregation purchased the Lutheran Church in Assiniboia, (which had its origins at Archive, Sask.) and had it moved across the hills to the present Hamlet of Ormiston. Ormiston absorbed the congregations of Galilee and Cardross and remains a very active congregation.

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Viceroy Russian Baptist
1926
Viceroy, Saskatchewan

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Viceroy Russian Baptist Church

In the area there was a concentration of Russian Baptist adherents. From 1920 to 1926 regular services were held in the school. In 1926 a Russian Baptist Church was built. The congregation was served by local ministers such as Max Zalenko, Zay Zabolontney, and John Marchuk.

Once each year a minister came out from Saskatoon to administer the sacraments. One of the names of such a minister that was mentioned was John Shkotko. The church was still in use in the summer and services were conducted by the minister from Ormiston.

They amalgamated with the Cardross and Ormiston congregations in the 1960s.

The building was demolished in the 1980s.

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Baptist
13 March 2006
Mossbank (Area), Saskatchewan

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Question

The life of an early settler was very busy and without conveniences. How was it that they took the time and great effort to join others at a religious service?

Answer

I read in the Furrow and Faith History book of the Mossbank area about a reminiscence of Carman Worry's - "No roads, no telephones, just the grape vine! But soon a rumour got word to you that a missionary preacher was going to visit your community and hold a church and Sunday School service. What denomination? It did not matter - you all went. No church buildings, no schools, but someone had a home large enough to accommodate 20 or more folks of all ages. Planks on chairs, stools, boxes to sit on and you had a church!! To the lonely homesteader embarking on a new and sometimes frightening life, the companionship of a visit from one of the clergy was something to look forward to and to remember.