About Hilda Baptist Church

Hilda Baptist Church Profile - 2025

The Hilda Baptist Church is located in Hilda, Alberta and has a formal membership of 35 -40 with approximately 60 regular attendees. The adults range in age from the early 20s to late 70s. Children range in age from infant to high school.

The church building is a 45-year-old cedar log structure which can comfortably seat 130. It has a sanctuary, fellowship areas (including vestibule and basement), library, baby room, kitchen, classrooms, sound booth and office. The church grounds also include a parking area and a spacious green space with two outbuildings for storage.

The parsonage is 65 years old with extensive renovations done in 2010, including a finished basement. It is about 1300 square feet on the main floor. The lot includes a double garage and a small, tilled area suitable for gardening.

Church ministries currently consist of Sunday School, Sunday morning prayer meeting and worship service which regularly includes special children’s features. Vacation Bible School, in the summer, regularly sees about 30 students. There is a high level of involvement in all the ministries as well as in the administration of church affairs. The church supports and participates in community functions and is involved in a summer camp in the Cypress Hills of Saskatchewan.

Hilda Baptist Church and a local Lutheran congregation are the only churches in the community. Hilda Baptist has usually had the only resident pastor who, in addition to his church duties, has been available to be called on during crises and/or for counselling matters by community people. In this, he may be considered the community pastor.

A unique quality of this church is that its members come from several other evangelical denominations, which makes for a refreshing blend of ideas and experiences. The membership is experienced in administration as well as service to others. The church is debt free, with a base of strong tithers. It is mission-minded and enjoys contributing to foreign, regional and local needs.

The Hilda Baptist Church, by God’s grace, has adapted to many cultural and demographic changes over its 115-year history and has withstood the test of crises and peace, drought and abundance. We look forward to seeing where the Lord will direct us in the coming years.

Hilda Alberta Community Profile -2025

Hilda, AB is located 80 km (50 miles) northeast of Medicine Hat (pop 68,000) which is the nearest major commercial centre for this area. The hamlet has approximately 35 – 40 residents with the surrounding rural area having a population of about 250. The town is 2.5 km (1.5 mi) from the Saskatchewan border, to the east. The community, as a whole, includes families and farms on the Alberta and the Saskatchewan sides of the border. A paved road to the west accesses AB Highway 41, the first leg of a one hour drive to Medicine Hat.

Farming and ranching are the primary industries but the energy industry, including several major natural gas extraction/processing plants, also contributes to the economic strength of the community. A twenty-turbine wind farm operation also supports the community.

Hilda is a small but active community, as is evidenced by the leadership of its local community association which is staffed primarily by young to middle aged adults. The town has a general store, and a modern community centre with a large meeting area, a commercial scale kitchen and a recreation room with a bowling alley, shuffleboard and pool tables. The post office adjoins the community centre. The former school building contains a gymnasium and classrooms which are available for various functions. Community groups include a volunteer fire department, 4H club and a moms-and-tots play group. Activities include social meals (Christmas supper, noon lunches, etc.) and continuing education. The town has a large sports grounds area, a playground, pump track and a tennis court which also contains four pickleball courts. Neighbouring communities have grocery stores, arenas, curling rinks and a swimming pool.

Children from the area attend school from K to grade 9 at Schuler, AB which is 20 km (12 mi) to the south. High school students are bussed to Eagle Butte High School (approx. 450 students) in Dunmore which is near Medicine Hat, approximately 75 km SW of Hilda.

The Hilda community is primarily protestant. Hilda Baptist Church and Bethlehem Lutheran Church are the only churches in the area, and they support each other’s activities. The community works hard to be a good place to live, work and raise a family.