St. James United Church (Montreal) Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids St. James United Church
St. James United Church on Saint Catherine Street in Downtown Montreal.
St. James United Church Location in Montreal
45°30′19″N 73°34′07″W / 45.5054°N 73.5686°W / 45.5054; -73.5686
Location	1435 City Councillors street Montreal, Quebec H3A 2E4
Denomination	United Church of Canada
Previous denomination	Methodist Church of Canada
Website	www.stjamesmontreal.ca/
History
Status	active
Founded	1803
Architecture
Architect(s)	Alexander Francis Dunlop
Architectural type	Gothic Revival
Groundbreaking	1887
Completed	1889
Specifications
Capacity	2,000
Number of spires	2
Administration
Presbytery	Quebec Presbytery
Synod	Montreal and Ottawa Conference

Saint James United Church is a beautiful and historic church located in Downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is a Protestant church that belongs to the United Church of Canada. You can find it on Saint Catherine Street West, close to the McGill metro station. Because of its importance, it was named a National Historic Site of Canada in 1996.

The church was designed by a Montreal architect named Alexander Francis Dunlop. Its style is called Gothic Revival, which means it looks like old European cathedrals. The church is also known for its special Casavant Frères organ.

History of St. James United Church
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History of St. James United Church

Early Days and Nickname

When the church was built in June 1889, it was the biggest Methodist church in Canada. It had enough space for 2,000 people! Because it was so large and important, people often called it the "Cathedral Church of Methodism."

In 1925, the Canadian Methodist churches joined together to form the United Church of Canada. Since then, Saint James United Church has been part of this new church group.

Community Involvement

Even before the current church building was constructed, the church community was very active. On November 25, 1851, they started the very first YMCA in North America. The YMCA is an organization that helps young people grow in spirit, mind, and body.

In the early 1900s, the church also played a big role in supporting women's suffrage. This was a movement to give women the right to vote. The church members worked hard to make this important change happen.

Remembering World War I

In 1924, a special stained-glass window was added to the church. It was created by Charles William Kelsey to remember the brave people who served in World War I. The window shows a scene from a trench, honoring 32 members of the church who died overseas. It also remembers 267 other members who served in the war. The smaller windows next to it show important virtues like Justice, Prudence, Temperance, and Fortitude.

The Hidden Church Facade

In 1927, the church faced high costs to keep the building in good shape. To help pay for these costs, they allowed a commercial building to be built right in front of the church's main entrance on Sainte Catherine Street. This new building completely hid the church from view for more than 78 years! People could only tell the church was there by a large neon sign.

Bringing the Church Back to View

In 2005, a big project began to restore the church. The city of Montreal and the Quebec government helped with this $8-million effort. As part of the restoration, some of the commercial buildings in front were taken down. This finally revealed the beautiful facade of the church once again! A new public square was also created, designed by architect Claude Cormier. Now, people can easily see the church and walk to the back lawn from Sainte Catherine Street.