Church of the Holy City (Swedenborgian) - Edmonton

Church is good

Very nice.

Very nice people

There is a poster inside this Christian Church depicting about 20 other major religions and their symbols. It's a regular sized poster, nothing fancy. It's next to a picture of a bear sitting in a river looking funny, along with an inspirational quote. I've never been here on a Sunday for Church but based on these, and the general warmth of the rest of the posters in the basement room where I attend my narcotics anonymous meetings, I'd guess they are a laid back, loving Church.

On April 29,1972 there was a wedding at this church. It was the first marriage performed by a wonderful, kind Lay Minister named Mr. Jeffries. I was the groom. Mr. Jeffries must have done a very good job, as my wife and I are looking forward to celebrating our 50th Anniversary next spring. My parents had attended the church. They appreciated the casual atmosphere and especially the regular Minister, a man named Harvey Toffel. Harvey and his wife played cards with my Mom and Dad, and Harvey could always be counted on to provide a bottle of Communion wine for Bridge night. I became a Confirmed member of the Congregation in my early teens, but more out of interest than a particular enthusiasm for the doctrines of the organization. Harvey was unable to perform our marriage as he had been seconded to fill in at the Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes in California. He and his family never returned to Edmonton, and I believe Harvey Ministered in Palos Verdes for the remainder of his career. The Wayfarers Chapel is also called "The Glass Chapel". It is Swedenborgian, and was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright's son Frank in 1949. The small Chapel is mostly glass, and is perched on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It is an extremely popular place for weddings. This was where Mariska Hargitay's (Star of Law and Order's SVU series) mother Jane Mansfield married Mickey Hargitay in 1958. The Church of the Holy City is a Christian Protestant church. Emanuel Swedenborg did not found the church. He was an 18th century Swedish scientist and mystic. A prolific writer, he authored over 30 volumes of religious work which probed the nature of reality and espoused tolerance and holistic living. He believed that most Protestant churches relied too much on dogma. Not until about 15 years after his death did various groups study his works and subsequently form churches where Swedenborg's thoughts and general beliefs could be further explored and discussed. Over the years a variety of leading cultural figures, both writers and artists claimed to have been influenced by Swedenborg's written works. These include Ralph Waldo Emerson, Robert Frost, Arthur Conan Doyle, Helen Keller, WB Yeats, and Carl Jung. In conclusion, I must confess that neither my wife nor I are religious. We moved away from Edmonton shortly after we married, and apart from weddings and funerals, neither of us have attended any church services at all. Nonetheless, I wish the congregation of the Church of the Holy City in Edmonton the very best. I know as a group they are modest, sincere, trustworthy, honorable, thinking souls.