Our History
The growth journey started in 1936 as a small group of believers began to meet in what was called Orange Hall, located on 53rd Street near downtown Red Deer. Their desire was to be a fellowship of believers with the focus of growing deeper spiritually and relationally toward God and each other, spreading His love into the community. This fellowship of believers established the Bethel Mission under the leadership of Rev. Edward Phillipps.
Through a pulpit exchange with the Wimborne Alliance Church pastor, Rev. Martin Bowker, Bethel Mission became known as the Red Deer Alliance Tabernacle in 1942. An official relationship with the Christian & Missionary Alliance did not occur until 1949.
The need for a larger building of their own became apparent as the group slowly grew. Some people with a vision saw the real need for a church in the neighbouring village of North Red Deer, where there was a lack of any spiritual input at that time. In 1947 the property on the corner of 59th Street and 53rd Avenue was given to the church. Several volunteers helped to lay a foundation onto which an army dormitory building was moved and refurbished. The facility was dedicated on Easter Sunday, 1948 and served the congregation for the next twelve years.
By 1957, the group had outgrown the church, so three lots on the corner of 60th Street & 54th Avenue were purchased. Due to a continuation of growth, this building had become too small. An expansion was undertaken and served the congregation for the next decade. By 1976 the church decided to act on the original desire to move into an area of the city where there was need for a church, consequently they purchased five acres of land on the eastern outskirts of Red Deer at the present 39th Street and 30th Avenue location.
The sod-turning service was held in May 1978, with the completed church dedication in June 1979 and the mortgage burning ceremony was in June 1986. Red Deer Alliance Church once on the edge of the city and surrounded by grain fields is now surrounded by a city neighbourhood called Deer Park. In 1988 the name was changed to the Deer Park Alliance Church and in Oct of 2006 they celebrated their 70th anniversary.
