Grace-Westminster United Church

Description of the Historic Place

Grace-Westminster United Church is a large brick church situated on a corner lot in the neighbourhood of Nutana at 505 10th Street East. Built in 1927, the church is designed in the Victorian Gothic architectural style.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of Grace-Westminster United Church lies in its Victorian Gothic architecture, a style frequently known for its grandiose ornamentation. The building’s four peaks are arranged in the form of a Latin cross with each peak rising to almost forty feet in height.  Nestled in the two front corners of the cross stands two towers; with the outermost tower rising as high as the peaks, and the innermost tower being two-thirds of the building’s height. The russet brick church is simplistic in its design with rhythmic cream and horizontal banding; short, plain buttresses; and shortened Gothic windows. The church is illuminated by a series of three stained-glass windows on each of the three outer walls. The church’s entrances feature oak doors inset into one of the two towers.

The interior of Grace-Westminster United Church features a large balcony with a low-pitched and flat roof. The church features a nave with a chancel, which is separated from the congregation by a large Gothic arch.  Behind the arch, on a raised platform, is the choir loft which is the visual centre of the church. In 1949 a memorial tower was built on the south-west corner of Grace-Westminster United Church to honor those who served in the two world wars, and an addition on the east side of the building was completed to house a gymnasium and office. 

The heritage value of Grace-Westminster United Church also resides in its value as a religious and cultural landmark in Saskatoon. The parcel of land on which the church is located was allocated for the use of the Methodist Church in a contract drawn up between the Methodist Colonization Society and John Lake, the society commissioner, on May 5, 1884.  The pioneer congregation, which included original settlers Grace Fletcher and James M. Eby, built the first church on the site in 1892. Both Fletcher and Eby were pillars of the Methodist Church in Saskatoon. The church was named Grace Methodist in 1910 to honor Grace Fletcher, and became Grace United in 1925 and Grace-Westminster in 1968 when it amalgamated with Westminster United.  In 1955 a plaque was placed on the south exterior wall to commemorate the 1884 purchase of the site.

The current church on this site, built in 1927, honors the church’s heritage in its stained glass windows.  The large west window is dedicated to the memory of the pioneers - the Ebys, Smiths, Lusks, and Fletchers.  The window above the west entrance is dedicated to the memory of C. M. Miners who built the church.  A memorial courtyard between Grace-Westminster United Church's east and west entrances was dedicated in 2000.  The signage tells the story of the founding congregations.  The courtyard bricks name people and groups, past and present, which have played a part in the church and the community.

Source: City of Saskatoon Built Heritage Database

Character Defining Elements

Key elements which contribute to the heritage value of this historic resource include:

• Its Victorian Gothic style of architecture, evident in: its cruciform plan with four peaks; its russet brick exterior with banding and buttresses, and its gothic windows;
• Those elements that reflect its historical importance in Saskatoon’s original Methodist and United congregations and its cultural importance, including its memorial tower, memorial courtyard and stained glass windows; and
• Those elements that speak to its status as a neighbourhood landmark, including its orientation on its original lot and prominent location along 10th Street East.