Rathwell is an unicorporated urban centre southwest of Portage la Prairie in the Rural Municipality of Norfolk-Treherne. It is named after John Rathwell from Innisville, Ontario, who settled in the area around 1882.
John Rathwell sold 80 acres of his land to the Canadian Pacific Railway on condition the rail line crossed his property. He regretted his decision, however, and abandoned this pre-emption. In 1887 the CPR then placed its siding outside the property but kept the name for its railway point. The lot was subsequently homesteaded by Arthur Cavanaugh.
The Post Office opened in 1888 as Brunton, a place in Northumberland, England. The name was changed to Rathwell in 1890 when the Post Office was moved to the railway line.
The early Presbyterian and Methodist pioneers attended Anglican services in the home of George Shepherd. His house that was later owned by Alex Bodnarchuk. After it was built in 1889 and the Rathwell School District was organized, church services were conducted in the schoolhouse, the rent for which was $3.25 paid quarterly.
In 1892 the Presbyterians and Methodists agreed to rent the Forbes Hall for services and prayer meetings for $50.00 a year.
In May 1895 a congregational meeting was convened to determine what lots were available for a church. In attendance was Rev. McTavis, the first minister. At a meeting later that year it was decided to let the ladies select the site. By August the tender had been awarded to George Brock of Treherne.
The first trustees of the Church Management Board (1893) were Thomas C. Forbes, James Adair, John Cameron, James Barron and Solomon Pritchard. This committee had permission to borrow $650.00 from the Manse for the Church Building Fund. In addition, a call for funds brought in $1,230.00.
A Bee was organised by George M. Mitchell to haul previously excavated stones to the site for the basement. The church foundation was laid on October 26, 1895. The first builders were George Brock and his two sons, together with Robert Steele and Walter Wilson.
The first service was conducted on December 29, 1895 by Dr. Bryce from Winnipeg.
In the early years Treherne and Rathwell were one charge, served by one minister. In 1898 the new Rathwell-Indianford charge was formed. The one minister also conducted services in Arbroath, Cherry Valley and the Lee districts.
As early as 1898 the ladies of the congregation became actively involved in church activities. They eventually organized as the Ladies Aid.
On September 13, 1925 the church became the United Church of Rathwell and Indianford. The name Calvin United Church is first mentioned in the minutes of the congregational meeting in 1946. The first joint meeting of Rathwell and Indianford was on January15, 1960. Amalgamation with Treherne was recommended on January 29, 1965.
In 1984 the ordination of self-declared homosexuals was opposed at the General Council meeting in Morden.
Calvin United Church was purchased by Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) in 2016. INC is a global Christian church with congregations and missions in 143 countries. Its membership includes 133 ethnic groups and nationalities.
The renovated Calvin United Church reopened as a Church of Christ chapel in October 2018.
• Photographed in 1983.
• Published in Senior Scope, March 10, 2021.