It's more than 100 years since Knox United Church began to serve it's congregational members in Prince George.
This year the unique church set in the heart of downtown is actually celebrating 101 years of history dating back to 1910, and several exceptional members are helping do that.
Three women who have reached the grand age of 100 years will pour during a spring tea from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday at the church at 1448 Fifth Ave.
Bea Dezell, 102, Ellen Adams, 100, and Bessie Greig, about to reach 100 years will be the featured guests at the tea table.
During May Day celebrations, the church will have a float in the annual parade and June 5 offers a historic service when residents are invited to dress in 1910 style to worship, sing and enjoy a barbecue together.
Oct. 1 will feature Linnea Good concert followed Oct. 2 with a pancake breakfast and a special service with Good.
Linnea Good is an award-winning spiritual musician whose primary work is to help communities and churches express their souls through music. The recording artist, who lives in Summerland, is a leader in the field of worship music for all ages.
Good's professional travels have taken her to Europe, Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East as well as across North America.
Knox United, which dates to 1910 churches located in South Fort George and Central Fort George, was known as Knox Presbyterian Church until 1925 when the United Church of Canada was born from a union of Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregationalist churches.
Knox United, which is part of the city's heritage tour, still has the original Central Fort George church bell sitting in its yard which is rung each Sunday to call the people to church.
It also has a computerized carillon in its tower that peals out the hour by the number of bongs and plays musical chimes and Christmas carols heard throughout downtown.
As the oldest structure in the city , it received the 2010 Heritage Places Award given by the city's Heritage Commission.
It's history is rich with the first reverend, Melville Wright, arriving on the BX steam boat during a time of an influx of new settlers, Central Fort George boasting a population of 5,000 and the CN railway reaching Prince George.
Knox United was built in its present location in 1922 with a 40-foot tower, seating for 280, a choir space for 25 and a large main entrance. In 1965 the first pipe organ, costing $9,000 and featuring 350 pipes, was installed.
In past days Knox United has crammed congregations numbering more than 500 into its services, but numbers dwindled to about 150 in 2007 and about 70 today.
