A year after a wildfire destroyed their building, Jasper United is finding new ways to gather

One year after a devastating wildfire burned down their church and much of their community, the congregation of Jasper United is still without a building — but not without each other.

A series of wildfires hit the townsite on July 24, 2024. Among the 358 structures lost were two churches: Jasper United and its next-door neighbour, St. Mary and St. George Anglican Church. While evacuation orders came quickly, many residents were displaced for at least five weeks.

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“I never thought the ‘Jewel of the Rockies’ would burn like it did,” says Coni Bowen, a Jasper United trustee who lost her home, business and commercial property.

The church, once a central gathering space, was completely destroyed. The sanctuary, the narthex and the McCready Centre — a hall used for community events and fellowship — were all lost. Beneath the church, a thrift store that served the broader Jasper community was also reduced to rubble. The manse, a three-bedroom home with a garage, did not survive the fire either.

When members returned to the church site, they found only one object still intact: the church bell.

Congregants learned about the loss of their church in different ways. Some saw the Anglican church burning in video footage and understood that the wooden structure of Jasper United would not likely survive. “When we saw the Anglican church burning, we knew ours was gone too,” says board chair Janice Yeaman.

“I don’t know anybody who came back and didn’t spend days crying,” recalls Cheryl Nelson, a member of Jasper United.

By the first Sunday of Advent, the congregation was worshipping again at Alpine Summit Seniors Lodge. Pamela Jeck, who serves on the worship and pastoral care committee, explains that Northern Spirit Region provided one year’s worth of a minister’s salary to help them start services again.

Their minister led services until Easter Sunday, when the funding eventually ran out. After that, members of the congregation began taking turns.

“It doesn’t have to be formal,” Jeck adds. “As long as we’re getting together and worshiping… everybody seems just really pleased at the fact that we are able to gather and worship together.”

One of the most emotional moments came on Easter Sunday, when United Church moderator Right Rev. Carmen Lansdowne, visited Jasper.

“She did a blessing at our burnt-out site and led the service,” says Nelson. “It was an absolute gift.”

Plans to rebuild are ongoing. Jasper United has long collaborated with St. Mary and St. George Anglican Church on community events, and now the two congregations are working toward a joint facility. While they’ve been working on sharing ministry for years now, a shared building introduces a new vision, offering new levels of complexity. Multiple levels of government — municipal, provincial and federal — are involved, alongside two church bodies.

Trustees and board members have been assigned the heavy administrative tasks of rebuilding, including navigating insurance, managing memorial funds and co-ordinating with government officials and church leadership.

“I just thought there was going to be this magical person in the United Church that would step forward and say, ‘I’ll do this for you,’” says Yeamen. “But, the magical people are our trustees.”

The congregation has also offered its land to the Municipality of Jasper for the next two years to host temporary housing for essential workers.

“There are lots of conversations to be had, decisions to be made, money to be found and designated, and all that stuff. So it’s complicated, and we’re all excited about getting started,” says Yeamen.

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The timeline remains uncertain. Construction costs in Jasper are nearly double those of nearby cities, and the town’s only hardware store was also destroyed. Soil remediation, zoning approvals and architectural planning continue to delay progress. Despite the setbacks, the church community remains focused on the long term — a future where Jasper United is once again a place of gathering and worship.

But as the congregation continues to rebuild, community members are also eager to remind visitors and supporters alike that Jasper is open for business.

Jasper United doesn’t have four walls, but every Sunday, in a borrowed room filled with memory and intention, they are still the church.

“Our church is gone, but our church family is strong,” says Dale Karpluk, another trustee.

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Paniz Vedavarz is a Broadview summer intern.