Our History
Fairview began in 1938 as a country church on Ashdale Avenue. Many of the original families still
live on the street today. As veterans returned from the war and began to start large families, the
church and the community began to grow. To accommodate this growth, in 1960 a new building
on Dutch Village Road was constructed by contractor Bill Stevens.United
From the 1960's into the late 1970's, both Fairview United Church and Fairview, a suburb of
Halifax, were large, youthful communities. The Reverend Allison Fraser, who was pastor in 1960,
was at 53 years of age the oldest man in the church. At the height of its growth in those years
the church often had over 450 worshippers and over 200 children in Sunday school.
But by the early 1990's that had changed. The community's residential neighbourhoods were
inhabited by many of the same veterans who had constructed the dwellings in the 1950's. That
meant that the community was predominantly senior citizens.
In 1988 Fairview United burned her mortgage. She had a vision to reach out to the newcomers to
the community and young women living in apartments with small children. So Fairview
United spearheaded a Parents' Resource Centre offering support and workshops to parents,
while their children stayed in a nursery.
In the same year, in an effort to reach out to seniors who were not getting out for fellowship,
Fairview United joined with other churches in the community to start a Seniors' Luncheon
every Wednesday at noon.
Since the mid-nineties the community has slowly begun to experience rejuvenation, with new,
younger families moving in. Some former members of the church, now in their 30's, started
having families and commuting to the church from all over the super city.
Fairview United faces the 21st century with excitement and anticipation. We are an older
church attempting to reach out to persons of all ages.
Ministers Over The Years
Rev Harry Rackham 1947 - 1954
Rev Chester C Walls 1954 - 1961
Rev J Allison Fraser 1961 - 1969
Rev W Chalmers Hatcher 1969 - 1975
Rev RG Ralph Webber 1975 - 1982
Rev Robert H Mills 1982 - 1989
Rev Norman Marple 1989 - 1995
Rev Kevin Little 1996 - 2002
Rev Heather A Hemming 2002 - 2007
Fairview United Church
Memorial Stained Glass Window
In 1972, Norman Sellers of the Board of Stewarts approached the Official Board with the idea of replacing the window behind the Choir Loft with a stained glass window in memory of the first two Ministers of the Church.
Donations were received from family and friends of the Ministers, and members and adherents of the Church. A firm in Saint John, New Brunswick was commissioned to design, manufacture and install the stained glass window at a cost of $3,262 paid for by the donations received.
The dedication took place on Sunday, September 16, 1973.
the inscription on the window reads:
| |
|
In Loving Memory
of
Rev Harry Rackham, MA, DD
Minister 1947 – 1954 |
|
| |
In Loving Memory
of
Rev Charles Chester Walls, BA
Minister 1954 – 1961 |
| |
Baptismal Font |
Baptismal Font Presented by
The Youth Groups of Fairview
United Church January 3, 1960 |
|
| |
Archives and Pamphlet Cabinet |
Archives and Pamphlet Cabinet
located in the Narthex was
donated by Margaret and
George Olding in Memory of
Mrs. M.E. McClelland |
|
| |
|
Fairview United Church
