Saint Andrew’s Presbyterian Church

+ More Info

Arriving in Rossland on 23 May 1895, Hugh Robertson – who later became Reverend Dr. Robertson – held his first service on Sunday, May 26th. A week later, he put out preaching notifications in the town’s stores. The event was to take place at 3 o’clock at the new Perdue and Burns’ store on Spokane Street. On 14 July, Reverend Dr. Robertson put up notices announcing “divine services” to be held in Mrs. Allen’s Hotel at 3 pm and 7:30 pm. A one-room church was erected on the bluff above Esling Park on 28 August, 1895. Reverend W. Gordon, the Mission Superintendent of the Presbyterian Church of Canada, presented an organ to the new church. This original church was renovated in 1896 as attendance started to grow. A new church on the corner of First and Queen was finished by September 1898. Plans were drawn up by John J. Honeyman and built by McPhee and Dimlop Contracting Firm. The addition of the large annex was built in 1912, to accommodate the growing town. It was used as a recreational and spiritual place by the community. The second expansion of the smaller annex in the 1920s was again a testament to the growing community and the dedication to religion in Rossland’s early history. In 1961, a cement retaining wall was installed along Queen Street as well as a set of wooden steps up to the Church. The additions not only widened the road but helped create the iconic view of Saint Andrew’s that we know today. The Methodist Church carried out work as early as 1895, with Mr. D. D. Birks as student Minister for two years, followed by Reverend Mr. Ladner. The church was built on the corner of Washington Street and First Avenue. The Church was built in 1897, with an addition being added later on to enlarge the church and add a reading room.

“Last night in the Presbyterian church in this city witnessed the passing away of the local Presbyterian and Methodist church denominations, and their uniting into the larger and better sphere of Christian activity, for the religious welfare of the community”

-The Rossland Miner Newspaper, Tuesday 15 May 1917

The first meeting between the Methodist and Presbyterian Churches of Rossland was in December 1916. On 1 July, 1917, the two churches united, forming Saint Andrew’s Church. Following the creation of the United Church of Canada in 1925, Rossland’s Saint Andrew’s Church became Saint Andrew’s United Church.

The Church has been home to many different groups over the years, such as the Rossland Radio Station, the Scouts Club, and currently the Seven Summits Centre for Learning, reflecting the diverse community that it is situated in. Some of the more prominent Church groups coming out of Saint Andrew’s in its early days was different groups for women. The Friendly Circle was founded in 1927 by Mrs. Daly, the wife of Reverend Daly. She created this group in hopes that it would help mothers with young children meet. Later the Circle was expanded to have multiple circles, as Rev. Reed believed it was too difficult for women to meet in one place at night in the winter. There were seven in total across Rossland. As the years went on and the Circle became smaller, Mrs. Lawton proposed that The Friendly Circle and The Missionary Society unite to become The Woman’s Affiliation.

Another group out of the Church was the United Church Women, which was founded in 1961. The members of the UCW serve coffee and other refreshments after church service, at funerals, and at other special occasions. They are active in the community, some volunteering at the Rossland Health Care Auxiliary Society (formerly The Mater Misercordiae Hospital Auxiliary) or delivering Meals on Wheels. Currently, services are held biweekly between Saint Andrew’s United Church and the Trail United Church.