Covenant Church - Norquay

Norquay Church Dedicates Former School as Church

NORQUAY, SK (September 12, 2003) – Jeff Anderson, superintendent of the Canada Conference, was among the special guests, along with Covenant Bible College-Canada representative Del Pease and a number of the church’s previous pastors. The night before, the church had hosted an open house for the community, followed by a special worship service. Members of the congregation of more than 100 provided the special music, said youth pastor Lucas Carlson.

Norquay Covenant Church had purchased what had been the town’s elementary school for $1,000 (Canadian) last year – they received title to the school in July 2002. Four classrooms in the L-shaped building were converted into the church’s new sanctuary at a current cost of more than $226,000. Minor changes are still in the works but the sanctuary is fully functional.

Two other classrooms have been converted into a fellowship hall and kitchen area, Carlson added. Nearly all of the construction work was through volunteers.

Norquay Covenant Church was founded in 1912 and is located in a town of 500 people. It is three hours northeast from Saskatchewan’s capital city of Regina. An after-school program on Tuesdays and Thursdays has been started, taking advantage of the church’s added space. In October, the church will host a smorgasbord called “Smorg” that has been a hallmark of community life.

Our History

To summarize the history of the Norquay church is to also describe the ministry of the Hyas Covenant Church.?The Hyas church was organized in the home of Rev. and Mrs. A.? P. Johnson, a building was begun in 1911 and dedicated in 1912. The Norquay Covenant Church was organized in 1910 and the building was dedicated in 1913.?

Besides the local work, it was felt that a Bible school ought to be offered to the young people of the area.? In 1941 Covenant Bible Institute began and was hosted by the Norquay Covenant Church.?This ministry later moved to Prince Albert, Saskatchewan and then to a new facility in Strathmore, Alberta.

In 1979 the church of Hyas and that of Norquay merged and the Hyas building was given to Almond Tree Ministries on the Key First Nation where it has been well used and now expanded into a very fine facility for worship on the reserve.