For the first settlers in Manitoba, irrespective of their origins or religious affiliations, construction of a place to worship was an important commitment. In spite of having to cope with harsh new realities they found time to create buildings to profess their faiths.
Today many of those structures no longer exist. Many have been demolished after having fallen into disuse. Others have been destroyed by age, natural forces or human activity. Some have been relocated or been adapted for other than religious use. Of those remaining only a few are being cared for, and those that are not will soon be gone. A compelling reason therefore to have some record of what still exists, to create a heightened awareness of their current value, and their fragility.
My touring exhibition Testaments of Faith: Manitoba’s Pioneer Churches is an attempt to achieve that. It is a commitment to photograph the relics of Manitoba’s heritage that are still visible in the landscape. But a touring exhibition has limitations in terms of composition and number. However, it is my expectation that the few images in the exhibition created a greater awareness of what are still available for care and preservation right on our doorstep before we step on them uncaringly and destroy them for ever.
The next stage is a series of books, the first being Of Wood and Stone, Manitoba’s 19th Century Churches. Some of the images therein are posted in the website sacredplaces.ca