The Christian and Missionary Alliance-Western Canadian District

Identity area

Type of entity

Corporate body

Authorized form of name

The Christian and Missionary Alliance-Western Canadian District

Parallel form(s) of name

Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules

Other form(s) of name

Identifiers for corporate bodies

Description area

Dates of existence

1925-1 January 1981

History

The Western Canadian District of the Christian and Missionary Alliance came into being in May of 1925. Previously, the whole of Canada (with the exception of British Columbia, which was included in the Pacific Northwest District) had been considered one district. During the administration of A. W. Roffe, superintendent of the Alliance District of Canada from 1919-1925, it became clear that the Canadian District was too large to be administered by one man. Roffe’s nervous breakdown in 1925, prompted Home Secretary E. J. Richards to divide Canada into three districts. The “Western Canadian District” was to embrace all of Canada west of Fort William, Ontario, including the North West Territories, with the exception of British Columbia. John H. Woodward was appointed the first district superintendent. In 1930, Woodward moved the district office from Edmonton to Winnipeg.

In the spring of 1931, Woodward stepped down, and a period of stagnation ensued. In 1933 the Home Department concluded that the struggling district should share the services of J. D. Williams, the district superintendent of the thriving Eastern and Central District. Williams became district superintendent of the Pacific Northwest District the following year but remained the titular head of the Western Canadian District until the end of 1936.

In September 1937, Gordon Skitch took over as leader, although the board did not officially instate Skitch as district superintendent until 1943. Skitch moved the district office to Calgary. In 1938, the bi-monthly Western Worker’s Bulletin was launched, and in 1941 Canadian Bible Institute (later renamed Canadian Bible College) was established in Regina.

In March 1936, the boundaries of the district were expanded to include all of British Columbia with the exception of the cities of Vancouver, Victoria, and New Westminster.

In 1949 Willis Brooks became district superintendent. The following May, the boundaries of the district were expanded again to include the remainder of British Columbia. Brooks was succeeded in 1953 by George Blackett. Roy McIntyre took over from Blackett in January 1960.

In March 1963 the district was divided once again after the creation of the Canadian Midwest District, which included Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and that part of Ontario and the Northwest Territories lying between the 88th and 110th meridians. A further division occurred in January 1979, when British Columbia was released to become the new Canadian Pacific District. In 1980, Harvey A. Town became superintendent of the reorganized Western Canadian District.

In 1981, like the rest of its Canadian counterparts, the district came under the authority of the newly founded autonomous (independent from the United States) Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada. In 1990, Town was succeeded by Arnold Downey, who was followed by Ken Driedger in 1999. The Western Canadian District currently oversees 110 churches from Yellowknife to the US border, and the district office remains in Calgary.

Places

Originally, all of Canada west of Fort William, Ontario, including the North West Territories, with the exception of British Columbia. See "history" for a complete account of how the boundaries of the district have changed since 1925..

Legal status

Functions, occupations and activities

The Christian and Missionary Alliance-Western Canadian District was an administrative jurisdiction of The Christian and Missionary Alliance headed by a district superintendent.

Mandates/sources of authority

Internal structures/genealogy

General context

Relationships area

Related entity

Canadian Bible Institute (Regina, Sask.) (October 1941-September 1945)

Identifier of related entity

Category of relationship

hierarchical

Dates of relationship

1941-10-01 - 1945-09-01

Description of relationship

From its inception in 1941 until it gained official recognition by The Christian and Missionary Alliance in 1945 Canadian Bible College (Regina) was the official ministerial training school for The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada--Western Canadian District

Related entity

Railton, Marguerite (1904-1998) (1904-1998)

Identifier of related entity

Category of relationship

hierarchical

Type of relationship

Railton, Marguerite (1904-1998)

was the employee of

The Christian and Missionary Alliance-Western Canadian District

Dates of relationship

1936 - 1971

Description of relationship

Marguerite Railton served as a pastor/evangelist in the Western Canadian District of The Christian and Missionary Alliance from 1936-1971.

Related entity

Hull, Marion (1901-1994) (1901-1994)

Identifier of related entity

Category of relationship

hierarchical

Type of relationship

Hull, Marion (1901-1994)

was the employee of

The Christian and Missionary Alliance-Western Canadian District

Dates of relationship

1936 - 1971

Description of relationship

Marion Hull served as a pastor/evangelist in the Western Canadian District of The Christian and Missionary Alliance from 1936-1971.

Related entity

The Christian and Missionary Alliance (1 April 1897-)

Identifier of related entity

Category of relationship

hierarchical

Type of relationship

The Christian and Missionary Alliance

controls

The Christian and Missionary Alliance-Western Canadian District

Dates of relationship

1925 - 1981-01-01

Description of relationship

The Christian and Missionary Alliance-Western Canadian District was an administrative jurisdiction of The Christian and Missionary Alliance from 1925 until the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada achieved autonomy on 1 January 1981. On that date it became The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada-Western Canadian District.

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