After being forced to leave her home, Jasper United’s manse, on July 22, Rev. Linda McLaren expected to be gone only a few days. But while on her way to her daughter’s house in Edmonton, she saw a photograph of St. Mary and St. George Anglican Church aflame. She then knew that her beloved Jasper United, situated just behind the Anglican church, had also been destroyed by fire, as had the manse. 

“[It was] that feeling when your heart breaks, right? When grief is so heavy, you can hardly breathe,” McLaren said. 

The July 24 fire, which ravaged the town of Jasper, Alta., and still rages on in surrounding areas, destroyed 358 of the town’s 1,113 buildings, including these two neighbouring churches.

Jasper United contained a sanctuary for worship, a welcoming wooden building constructed in 1979, as well as a Christian education building and church hall known as the McCready Centre. Today, all that is left of Jasper United is the sign out front. McLaren described the still-standing sign as “an image of hope.”

Prior to the church’s construction, Jasper United’s community had worshipped in a small white building, affectionately known as “The Little White Church in the Rockies.” This building, constructed in 1914 and sold to Jasper Park Baptist Church in 1965, still stands. 

More on Broadview:

• Jasper wildfire destroys historic Anglican church

• Our children are risking their lives on the front lines of a burning planet

• How spiritual practices help me navigate my climate grief

According to McLaren, Jasper United always welcomes visitors, which is part of the reason why the congregation had to move to a larger space in the 1960s. Jasper, a town of around 5,000 people, welcomes over two million visitors per year. 

“It would not be unusual on a Sunday to have somebody [come join us] from across Canada, from somewhere [in] the United States or from Europe. And I think that has taught this church the beautiful gift of hospitality,” McLaren said. 

McLaren can attest to the hospitality of Jasper congregants firsthand. When she first arrived in 2021, she said, the congregation welcomed her and her ideas warmly. She was even invited to a women’s hiking group that allowed her to discover many of Jasper’s natural wonders. 

McLaren has faith that the hospitality and neighbourliness of Jasper’s residents will help them through the challenges ahead. And she isn’t the only one who believes in the town’s community spirit. In the Jasper Local, Mayor Richard Ireland stressed the importance of coming together in this difficult time, saying, “if there are homes for some, there is community for all.”

The Jasper Local also highlights that, despite the incredible amount of destruction that Jasper has suffered, critical infrastructure—including schools, the healthcare centre, the water and wastewater treatment plants and the library—has remained intact. 

Want to read more from Broadview? Consider subscribing to one of our newsletters.

McLaren emphasized her own feelings of gratitude.

“It’s that experience of both overwhelming loss and overwhelming grace. People will reach out and say: ‘I don’t know what to say and I don’t know what to do, but you know you’re in my heart and you’re in my prayers.’ And I have never felt so profoundly held by prayers and by the love of others than I have in this moment,” she said. 

Still, McLaren acknowledged that there are difficult times ahead for Jasper residents. 

“I don’t want to minimize this. This is a huge, huge loss, both personally and communally,” she said. 

Instructions for donating to Jasper United are here.

***

Amarah Hasham-Steele is a summer intern at Broadview, based in Toronto. 

Thanks for reading!

Did you know Broadview is the only media organization in Canada dedicated to covering progressive Christian news and views?

We are also a registered charity and rely on subscriptions and tax-deductible donations to keep our trustworthy, independent and award-winning journalism alive.

Please help us continue to share stories that open minds, inspire meaningful action and foster a world of compassion. Don’t wait. We can’t do it without you.

Here are some ways you can support us:

• Donate 

• Subscribe 

• Give a Gift Subscription

Thank you so very much for your generous support! Together, we can make a difference.

Jocelyn Bell, Editor/Publisher, CEO and Trisha Elliott, Executive Director