Knox-Metropolitan United Church (Regina, Saskatchewan) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Knox-Metropolitan United Church |
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Victoria Avenue with Knox-Metropolitan United Church right
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| 50°26′51″N 104°36′51″W / 50.4475°N 104.6143°W | |
| Location | 2340 Victoria Avenue Regina, Saskatchewan S4P 2M1 |
| Denomination | United Church of Canada |
| Website | http://www.knoxmetregina.org/ |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architect(s) | Darling and Pearson |
| Groundbreaking | 1906 |
| Completed | 1907; 1914 |
| Construction cost | $100,000 first building |
Knox-Metropolitan United Church is a historic church in downtown Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. It stands on Lorne Street, across from Victoria Park. This church combines the history of two older church groups. These were the Presbyterian and Methodist churches. Both groups started holding services in Regina as early as 1882.
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Building the First Churches
Before the current building, there were two main churches. One was Knox Presbyterian Church. The other was Metropolitan Methodist Church. Knox Presbyterian first stood on 11th Avenue. Later, it moved to 12th Avenue and Lorne Street.
The Metropolitan Methodist Church was built between 1906 and 1907. It was designed by architects Darling and Pearson. This church was quite large and cost a lot of money to build. Both churches were built in a square shape. This was different from the long, narrow design of many Roman Catholic or Anglican churches.
The 1912 Cyclone and Rebuilding
A terrible storm hit Regina in 1912. It was called the Regina Cyclone, which was a powerful tornado. Both the Knox Presbyterian and Metropolitan Methodist church buildings were destroyed by this storm. It was a huge loss for the city.
Despite the damage, the people were determined to rebuild. The congregational website shared, "Our building was once knocked down by the tornado of 1912, but we got back up again." Both churches were rebuilt quickly. This happened even before World War I began in 1914.
An architect named Francis Henry Portnall helped rebuild the Metropolitan Methodist Church. He had supervised its original construction. The only visible sign of the 1912 cyclone today is on the north wall of the current church. You can see different-colored bricks where the wall was rebuilt.
Church Union in 1925
On June 10, 1925, a big change happened for many churches in Canada. The Presbyterian, Methodist, and Congregational churches joined together. They formed a new group called the United Church of Canada. Both Knox and Metropolitan churches became part of this new denomination.
However, not everyone agreed with this union. Many members of Knox Presbyterian decided not to join the United Church. They formed a new church called First Presbyterian Church. It was built on Albert Street in 1926.
In 1927, the Metropolitan Church received a special gift. Mr. and Mrs. Francis Nicholson Darke donated the Darke Memorial Chimes. These were given in memory of their son, Clifford Albert Darke. The twelve bells were made in London, England, by the same company that made bells for Westminster Abbey. These bells weigh almost sixteen tons in total. They can be played by several people at once or by a single person.
Combining the Churches
In 1951, the congregations of Knox United and Metropolitan United officially merged. They decided to use the Metropolitan building as their main church. The Knox building was then taken down. The combined church became known as Knox-Metropolitan United Church.
When Knox United was demolished, its large pipe organ was moved. It went to the new Lakeview United Church. This new church was built in the Lakeview neighborhood, south of Wascana Creek.
The Knox-Metropolitan United Church is also known for its beautiful stained glass windows. These windows have a style similar to the famous Tiffany glass.
St. Andrew's Church
St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church was once a "daughter" church of Knox Presbyterian. This means it was started by members of Knox Church. It was located north of the railway tracks on Athol Street. The congregation of St. Andrew's started before Saskatchewan became a province in 1905.
A new building for St. Andrew's was built after World War II. It had an electric organ, not a pipe organ. The church was known for its lively music program. Over the years, the neighborhood around St. Andrew's changed. The number of people attending the church became very small. Instead of closing down, St. Andrew's decided to join Knox-Metropolitan. Now, they hold their Sunday services in a special chapel within the Knox-Met building.
Another "daughter" church of Knox was Carmichael Presbyterian-cum-United Church. It was in the east end of Regina. This church was once very active, and its Sunday services were even broadcast on the radio. However, like St. Andrew's, the area changed, and Carmichael Church eventually closed.
Knox-Met Today
Knox-Metropolitan United Church is a very active place in downtown Regina. It is a popular spot for many musical events. These include choral concerts and organ recitals. The annual Rotary Carol Festival is also held there. This festival of Christmas carols has been sponsored by the Rotary Club since around 1940.
The church has a large, three-manual Casavant Frères pipe organ. This impressive organ was installed in 1974. It helps make the musical performances sound amazing.
The inside of Knox-Met is designed in a special way called the Akron Plan. This means the pews (church benches) are arranged in a fan shape. They spread out from the pulpit and the communion table. This design helps everyone feel more connected during worship services.
The Darke Memorial Chimes can be heard every Sunday morning. They are also played on other special occasions.
Gallery of "Cyclone"
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Metropolitan Methodist Church and YWCA after "cyclone"
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Knox Presbyterian Church after the "cyclone."
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Damage to Knox Presbyterian Church and the YMCA
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Metropolitan Methodist Church after the cyclone
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Damage to Metropolitan Methodist Church
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Victoria Avenue at Smith Street looking west to Metropolitan Methodist Church
Images for kids
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The City around 1913-1914, seen from the top of the Metropolitan Methodist Church. Knox Presbyterian is in the center, across Victoria Park.
