A model of Murray United Church sits on the old church's foundation (Image Credit: CFJC Today / Jill Sperling)

By Jill Sperling

Murray United CHurch

Ready to rebuild: New house of worship to rise from ashes of historic Merritt church

Oct 22, 2020 | 4:23 PM

MERRITT, B.C. — A church in Merritt has successfully raised enough money to rebuild the historic Murray United Church. The old church burned down on January 11, 2019 and was among one of a number of churches in the area targeted in a string of arsons.

“Initially, it was anger,” said chairperson of the Trinity United Church Board, Linda Baird. “I thought, ‘How dare you?’ And then the reality sunk in that, yeah it’s gone.”

The original church was built in 1876. When it burned down, the community mourned the loss of that piece of history.

“It was sad to see it go, when we had just refurbished the whole place inside and out, all new paint job and everything,” said Trinity United Church board member Jack Polmans. “So it was a sad, sad day.”

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Trinity United Church had previously used Murray United Church for special services, packing into the small sanctuary for the last time on Christmas Eve, 2018. When the tiny church burned down, Trinity United took on the challenge of fundraising for a new church building.

“It won’t be the same old one, however, it will look the same and it will be nice to have the church here on the site,” Baird said. “We’re planning that it can be used for community events, too.”

The church set out with a goal of raising $180,000.

“It seemed really daunting at first,” said Christina Miller, financial liaison between the church and the community. “We met with a building construction person in the community who offered to be our building manager and he gave us an idea of how much money we would need.”

Having raised $165,000 so far, construction can now begin.

“The community came together, donors from all over B.C., Canada and abroad started dropping funds in the GoFundMe account and then it just kind of snowballed from there,” Miller said. “We’re very thankful that we’ve made it this far in such a short time.”

In addition to monetary donations, a new pulpit and organ have been given to the church.

“And [other donations] that are not really on the board are all the in-kind donations that are coming in,” Polmans said, “companies that say, ‘Well, we’ll do that for you,’ or ‘We’ll do that for you at no charge.’ These are the donations that don’t show up on the board, but are worth every dollar.”

Trinity United is still hoping some church pews will be donated. A sod-turning ceremony will be held on Sunday, with plans to be able to use the new church by spring or summer.

“To me, it shows that people believe in history and in such a stormy time in our world,” Miller said, “people have faith in something, like a church. Even though it was empty most of the time, it meant something to the people of this community and of this area. The fact that people have come together to rebuild a church in this time is just mind blowing to me.”