Dominion-Chalmers United Church
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Dominion Chalmers United Church is a large United church, located in downtown Ottawa, at the corner of Cooper and O'Connor Streets (with access from Lisgar Street). It is a 1962 merger of two key congregations from both the Methodist and Presbyterian traditions, each possessing lengthy histories.
Chalmers Presbyterian/United Church, was originally Bank Street Canada Presbyterian Church, located on nearby Bank Street at Slater Street from 1866 to 1914.
It was renamed after Thomas Chalmers, a leader of the 1843 disruption in the Church of Scotland that led to the formation of the Free Church, and in Ottawa, their "parent" congregation of Knox Presbyterian, is now located just two blocks east on Lisgar at Elgin Street.
The Dominion Methodist/United Church, was located nearby at Metcalfe and Queen Streets, and its roots go back to Methodist Circuit riders visitations in Hull, Lower Canada from 1816, and a wooden structure built on Rideau Street in the Lower Town in 1827.
The Metcalfe Street building was built in 1830 as Metcalfe Street Methodist. In 1852 this group merged with those from Rideau Street, and the building was enlarged and renamed The Dominion in 1876, and was destroyed in a fire in February 1961.
The Dominion-Chalmers (or DC Church) buildings have recently undergone major renovations to their large sanctuary (damaged by a fire in 1955), and is in high demand for concerts; and for other special events, sometimes of a national nature. This is a very active congregation, with programmes for all ages.
External links
- Official Site (http://www.dc-church.org/main/tiki-index.php)
- History (http://www.dcpresentations.com/dcp2/history01.php)