St. Theodore’s Anglican Church has rich history in Taber

By Heather Cameron
Taber Times
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

According to Doug Emek, Bishop’s Warden of St. Theodore’s Anglican Church in Taber, the church is a parish of the Diocese of Calgary (located at 5120 – 44 Ave in Taber) and holds weekly services on Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m.

Emek says that in addition to Sunday service, St. Theodore also holds a service on Christmas Eve at 5 p.m., an Easter service, other services during Holy Week, which is the week leading up to Easter, and depending on the time of year, there could also be other services.

St. Theodore itself, Emek says, was established in Taber on April 1, 1907.

“The Anglican Church of Canada is developed out of the Church of England,” said Emek. “And so, we were known initially as the Church of England Parish of St. Theodore. The name of the church was chosen at the request of our first minister, David Jones. He came from the parish of St. Theodore in Wales. When he came to Taber, he wanted the church to be called that.”

The first service, Emek says, was held on a Sunday evening in May 1907, and then that year the parish council decided to build the church. That, Emek said, began in June, and the work was finished in August. The service was then dedicated by the Bishop on August 18. The current church hall, Emek says, was built in 1957, something that different groups use at different times.

In 2017, Emek says, St. Theodore celebrated their 110th anniversary, and now it’s their 117th anniversary in 2024.

“It’s a very old building and quite beautiful inside,” said Emek.

Emek says that St. Theodore, in addition to their meetings, supports the Taber Food Bank, Taber Safe Haven Women’s Shelter, and does other things in the community to support people in need.

For more information about St. Theodore’s Anglican Church, email: sttheodores1907@gmail.com, phone 403-223-2417 or visit: https://www.sttheodores.com/.