The first meeting of Quakers (or Friends) in western Canada was at Chain Lakes, Manitoba, in 1898.
This was effected primarily by Rev. Alma G. Dale, Minister of the Uxbridge Meeting House. Subsequently she helped to organise the building of the Quaker church (together with a stable) on land donated by John M. Hodgson, which was also sufficient for a cemetery.
The church was dedicated as Chain Lakes Friends Meeting House on October 15th 1899 when $195.00 was raised. However, most of the building costs were covered by contributions from Friends in Ontario and Great Britain.
For the next five years Mrs. Dale served as minister, arriving every Sunday in a pony buggy from her home in Hartney.
In 1923 the congregation – known as Chain Lakes and Dand Union Church – joined the Lauder Pastoral Charge, and shortened its name to Dand Union Church. In 1925 it became Dand United Church. The pastoral field then consisted of Lauder, Dand, Chain Lakes and Melgund.
Improvements were made to the church as the congregation grew. Pews were installed. A Sunday School was begun in 1921 that required the building of two new classrooms in 1927. But then came the Depression. The minister at the time, Rev. H. C. Harris, voluntarily reduced his salary to a token amount to help his neighbours.
In 1949 the church was moved two miles south to Dand. In 1952 ownership was legally transferred from Chain Lakes Friends to Dand United Church. In 1965 the Hartney-Lauder Pastoral Charge was formed to include Lauder, Dand, Hartney and Melgund.
In 1958, after a succession of male incumbents, the church had its second female minister in Rev. Carole Palmer. However, she married a local gentleman and relinquished her position not long after.
The Dand United Church was closed for good in 2005.
Photographed in 2008.
This article first appeared in Senior Scope, August 1, 2018.