SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The faithful have flocked to Yellowknife's churches since the town was founded back in the 1930s. This weekend will mark anniversaries for both the Holy Trinity Anglican Church and St. Patrick's Parish Church.

St. Patrick's pastor, Father Theodore Nnorom, stands by the stain glass windows inside the 50-year-old church, currently undergoing some renovations. - Cara Loverock/NNSL Photo

It was 70 years ago when the first Anglican church was built on Latham Island in 1939. It was a log cabin, a very different building from the big church that exists today on 52 Street. The downtown church was built in 1950, originally just a basement. The top part was added on in 1956.

"When the Anglican Church here started, there was the Anglican and the Catholic Church," said Bishop Chris Williams. "Now there's about a dozen."

Williams, who is originally from Manchester, England, was reverend of Holy Trinity for nine years and became Bishop of the Arctic before retiring in 2001.

"The Anglican Church rummage sales used to be the biggest event in town," said Dave Lovell, longtime parishioner and former Yellowknife mayor. "Just everyone in town went," he said of the sales that took place in the 1950s and '60s.

Lovell recalls the debate over building the rectory. One group of parishioners wanted to spend less, and the other group wanted to spend more money for a "building for a future." He said eventually, more money was spent to build it.

Lovell also recalls some of the "characters" who have been at the church over the years, such as Reverend Ken Genge. From 1962 to 1968, Genge was reverend and a hockey player, despite locals who "didn't think it was a good idea that the rector would be playing hockey," said Lovell.

Yellowknife's Anglican church has also been visited twice by Queen Elizabeth II over the years, the last time in 1994, as well as Princes Philip and Andrew. As well, the first girl guides and boy scouts' meetings were held at the Holy Trinity church.

"We got the original charter downstairs," said Lovell. For the past 60 years, or so, there has been a lunch every Wednesday during Lent and for about 45 to 50 years Barb Bromley has held an annual cooking party at the church around Christmas time.

Current reverend of Holy Trinity, Rev. Ron McLean, has been with the parish for four years. He said the SideDoor Youth Centre began at the church and is named for the fact the children used to enter in through the side door. He said in the last year or two the church has noticed "a bit of an increase" in the numbers of parishioners. The celebrations for the 70th anniversary are going to be for everyone to enjoy.

"Saturday we're going to have a breakfast, open to everybody," said parishioner and rector's warden, Garth Eggenberger. "In the afternoon we'll have strawberry tea. Saturday night there will be a coffeehouse. Service Sunday morning is at 10:30 a.m. and a potluck afterwards."

Former parishioners are invited as well as "anyone from any part of the world that wants to come and join us," said McLean.

The Anglican Church isn't the only church celebrating this weekend. St. Patrick's Catholic Church will be celebrating the 50th year at its current location. According to John Dalton, St. Patrick's parish began in Old Town when a chapel was built in 1938.

"We started in Old Town and then we came uptown," said Dalton, chair of the jubilee celebration committee. He said there were two missions in the early days, one in Fort Resolution and one in New Fort Rae. One of the first resident Catholic priests in Yellowknife was Father Gamechi in 1936.

"It's gone through several expansions. We built the hall, then we built the extension in 1986," said Dalton said of the church located at the corner of 52 Street and 52 Avenue. "It's bright; it's inviting."

He said the church is "very much a community facility."

The choral society meets in St. Patrick's church, and the Society of St. Vincent DePaul, which helps families in crisis, is run in through the church. And of course, there is the popular St. Pat's flea market.

"Without this facility we wouldn't be able to do any of that," said Dalton.

The celebrations for St. Patrick begins on Saturday at 5 p.m. The service is "dedicated to the youth," Dalton said. A jazz band, Soul Jam, and choir will be playing with a reception in the foyer. On Sunday there will be services at 9 and 11 a.m. with special guest Father Francis Ebner, flying in from Alberta, who was formerly with the church and instrumental in helping with the parish and building the schools. Dalton said there will be a dedication to the new altar and a noon-time barbecue outside.

"Everyone is welcome to come," he said.