Trinity Downtown is the oldest continuous church in Prince George. The building and location have had many names, yet the sense of mission reamined constant. The first Methodist service in the area was held June 26, 1910 and the first Presbyterian Service was held on October 2, 1910.
In 1910, Knox Presbyterian Church was established in South Fort George, and in 1911, the First Presbyterian Church in Central Fort George was created.
On February 13, 1916 the original Knox Church building was moved from South Fort George to the Millar Addition in Prince George.
On August 18, 1922 the cornerstone was laid for a new building on the corner of Brunswick and Fifth Avenue and the new church was opened and dedicated in October 1922. The building is still being used today as our Heritage Hall. At that time, the First Presbyterian congregation in Central Fort George unanimously decided to cast their lot with the Knox congregation.
On June 10, 1925, Knox along with two thirds of all Presbyterian Churches across Canada joined the Methodists and Congregationalists to become the United Church of Canada.
On June 10, 1956 the cornerstone of a new sanctuary was laid. The new sanctuary was dedicated May 19, 1957 and we have been worshiping there ever since.
What is a church without a bell.
The original church bell which sits proudly on the front lawn of Knox and which is still rung every Sunday calling it one and all to worship was brought to the Prince George area in 1912 by the Presbyterian Church in South Fort George.
The bell came in by paddle wheeler up the Fraser River because there was no railway at that time.
The Presbyterian Church was one of the largest buildings in the area and it doubled as a concert auditorium.
The bell only hung for a short period of time. It had to taken down because the bell tower was not sturdy enough to support such a large bell. When it rang, it rocked the whole building.
Unfortunately, that original church burned down in 1923. It was hoped that when a new church was built in 1922 the bell would be housed in its tower. However, when the bell was rung, they discovered that the new tower was not strong enough either. So, the bell was left lying in the back alley for about forty years. No one could decide what to with it.
An elder of Knox, Mr. Ken Irwin, worked many years trying to build a new stronger tower for the bell. Eventually he created the current setting for the bell and rescued it from the back alley and the scrap metal yard.
It now holds an honoured place in our hearts and on our church property.