Christian & Missionary Alliance in Saskatoon History

Historical Flashbacks

BEGINNINGS: PASTORS: CHURCHES
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The C&MA in Saskatoon Saskatchewan from the Alliance Witness, August 12, 1959

SASKATOON, second largest city in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada, straddling the banks of the South Saskatchewan River, is today a modem, progressive city of 81,000 persons. The city began as a farming hamlet over seventy years ago, when the first white settlers commenced farming and ranching in the surrounding territory. With the coming of the first railway line and the increased immigration early in the 1900's, the community quickly expanded into a wholesale distributing center for the area within a radius of two hundred miles. With the increase of business there was a concurrent increase in manufacturing, and the city became one of the leading flour milling centers of the Canadian prairies. It was incorporated in 1906.

Saskatoon is still the hub of the agricultural area, and has also developed a vast potash industry. Other resources include oil, gas, lumber and uranium. Culturally, the city is the educational and medical center of the province. It is the seat of the University of Saskatchewan which includes the College of Agriculture. The University Hospital and the Medical College have made possible extensive research.

The Christian and Missionary Alliance has been established in Saskatoon for twenty-six years. The early congregations were small and during the first ten or twelve years met in school auditoriums, rented halls and churches. In 1944 an old garage building in the downtown section was remodeled and dedicated as an Alliance church. This place served the congregation for twelve years. In 1956 this was sold, a new location secured and a building program commenced. During the building the congregation met Sundays in a downtown rented hall, with the Sunday school meeting in three different halls. Week-night activities were held in a small rented church. In February, 1957, the new Alliance church, centrally located in the city overlooking the river and downtown business area, was dedicated. The present church, including property and furnishings, is. valued at $160,000. The auditorium seats about six hundred people and the building can care for a Sunday school of almost equal size. Overflow crowds are accommodated by a chapel located near the entrance to the church, thus increasing the total seating capacity of the church to at least 650 people.

The membership of the church now numbers about three hundred with at least two hundred additional adherents and friends as attendants. In spite of heavy financial demands made upon the congregation during the past few years, the receipts for missions have increased each year, last year's being more than $14,000.

The church carries on a full program. The Sunday school, now frequently surpassing the five-hundred mark, is fully departmentalized, and before too long additional facilities will have to be provided to care for it. Other departments of the church include: A women's prayer band which meets weekly and a monthly fellowship meeting of all women in the church; senior and junior Alliance Youth Fellowships which meet weekly; a girls' and a boys' club; a monthly fellowship for men; the homebuilders' monthly fellowship. The church sponsors a weekly church broadcast over one of the local radio stations.

The present pastor, Rev. Roy McIntyre, has served the church since 1951, succeeding Rev. R. F. Merrill. Other pastors serving the church have been Rev. W. H. Brooks, Rev. James Murray, Rev. A. Schellenberg, Rev. J. Thompson, Rev. E. Roffe and Rev. H. Heppner.

One of the rewarding evidences of the ministry of the Saskatoon Alliance Church is the record of approximately twenty-five persons who have entered Christian service at home and abroad.

Rev. Roy McIntyre, Pastor

Rev & Mrs R. McIntyre & David

University Drive Alliance, 1959


Historical Flashbacks were researched and written by Lorraine Willems. Contributors are noted on the related pages. Copyright 2003 and 2013 by copyright holders.