Sunnybank Meeting Hall, AB

History

The Sunnybank meeting commenced when the Letts families gathered together in 1909 to remember the Lord as a New Testament (of the Kelly exclusive persuasion) assembly in the farmhouse of George Harry Henry Letts of the Pembina (later known as Riverdale) district, [index.php/Alberta Alberta]. It then met in the Sunnybank Meeting Hall which was built on the homestead of William and Dorothy Letts in 1952. Carl Grant remembers it being lighted by Kerosene lanterns. It was Kelly 1909, then Grant +1910-15+, then KLC +1970's-1990(?).

The family met together to remember the Lord as they had in Calumet Island, QC. The family moved to Alberta as they were persecuted in their Catholic dominated area of Calumet Island. They are described in the 1879 list of gatherings as names without a gathering. (See [index.php/Calumet_Island Calumet Island] for further history.)

The family relied on brothers who were recognized as preachers. A Mr. White visited the assembly in 1915. He was the first labouring brother to visit the small assembly and a Mr. Wm. Dewar visited later in 1916. [index.php/George_Walter_Struthers George Walter Struthers] also helped and was nicknamed the "preacher" by the family (he married married William and Dorothy's daughter, Elizabeth). Then [index.php/Leslie_McIntosh_Grant Leslie McIntosh Grant] preached here for many years before helping to plant the assembly in Edmonton ([index.php/Grace_and_Truth_Gospel_Hall,_Edmonton,_AB Grace and Truth Gospel Hall]). Prior to this he went on bicycle from farm to farm in the Peace River Country.

There is a record that the family of Oliver Smith (b. 1916, d. December 1974), son of an American turned Canadian when he met his future wife at the Post Office Thomas W. Letts operated, were baptized July/August of 1956. The family had attended the assembly's Sunday school prior to this. Iris and Florence Smith were still in fellowship when the assembly ceased to meet.

A young French Swiss family were received into fellowship in the 70's. John and Rose-Marie Bolay were from Switzerland. John came to Canada a few years before looking for work in Canada. Thomas Blake Letts, in fellowship with the saints at Grace and Truth Gospel Hall, Edmonton, AB, brought him out to Westlock to meet Park Letts (TB's nephew) who farmed 1/2 mile west of the meeting hall. John worked there and, reportedly, learned English by reading the Western Producer's Classified ads (Western Canadian Farm newspaper publication). After the Sunnybank meeting no longer met together, the Bolay's fellowshipped at the Westlock 'open' assembly, [index.php/Westlock_Gospel_Chapel,_AB Westlock Gospel Chapel.]

In the early 1930's, Harry Letts left to start [index.php/Sunnybank_Gospel_Hall,_AB Sunnybank Gospel Hall], an open brethren assembly, in his home in Sunnybank, with Earnest Letts as its correspondent, which met thru 1950. Nelson, Harry's cousin, also left this assembly to meet with the saints in Pibroch ([index.php/Westlock_Gospel_Chapel,_AB Pibroch Gospel Hall]) where his wife's family were in fellowship.

Locations

Sunnybank Meeting Hall on corner of Range Road 272 and Township Road 604, Westlock County (W. Letts homestead) (1952-1989+)
- farm of George Harry Henry Letts (1909-1952) - corner of Range Road 272 and Township Road 604 (NW 23 T60 R27 W5)

Correspondents

William Letts
Orton B. Stephens
Dorothy Stephens

Alumni

[index.php/Visiting_Ministry_at_Sunnybank_Meeting_Room,_AB Visiting Ministry at Sunnybank Meeting Room, AB]
[index.php/Who's_Who_at_Sunnybank_Meeting_Room,_AB Who's Who at Sunnybank Meeting Room, AB]

Sources

Spencer Letts 4-6-2021
https://www.stempublishing.com/hymns/biographies/grant.html
Correspondence with various brothers and sisters (2020-2021).
Correspondence with Carl Grant April 2021