Third Avenue United Church

 

The congregation meets every Sunday at 10:30am to worship in this beautiful building.   We invite you to join us. 

We have church school for children from toddlers up to teens.  They learn about God and have fun doing it.  They have learned some hebrew and have baked for the whole congregation.  The children who are members right now love it and would love to make some new friends.

Third Avenue United Church is home to an active congregation sponsoring the work of such local organizations such as:
  - the Food Bank 
  - Egadz
  - Crisis Nursery

We have a vibrante calendar as we play host to many meetings, weddings, concerts, speakers and supper for the community, business and for our congregants.  Look for our annual events like the Harvest Supper, Easter Ham Supper, Seder Supper, Chrismas Barnyard Service on the Lawn (with sleigh rides), Vacation Bible School, Men's and Ladies' monthly breakfasts and our sell out Ladies' Salad Fiesta.

                             Vacation Bible School

 

Our Santuary as a home for music. To this end we are the home of the Saskatoon Children's Choir and have had many local groups use our Sanctuary from the Brass Band, Saskatoon Philharmonic, Gabe Penna and the Rising and Stephen Maguire to name a few.  New artists looking for a venue are always welcome to try out our beautiful accoustics.

For more information, please call the church at 652-6812.

 

History of Third Avenue United Church

Opened on June 27, 1913, Third Avenue United Church is a solid stone structure based on English Gothic design.   Unique to the city outside the University grounds, the stone-work on the main body of the church is a buff Tyndal stone from Winnipeg with trimmings of the same in pale blue grey.   It has two towers fronting 24th Street, the taller being 100 feet high.   The interior, which seats 1,200 on the main floor and balcony, is dominated by a series of hammer-beam rafters criss-crossing the ceiling from steel girder trusses as well as three enormous stained-glass windows on the west, south, and east sides.   At the time of its construction, an auditorium without the presence of pillars obstructing the view was considered an engineering feat.  

The three windows, 27 feet wide at the base and 22 feetat the apex depict in rich colours life-sized figures from scripture.   The south window represents the Last Supper, the east, the Nativity, and the west, the Sermon on the Mount.   In addition, other exterior windows, patterned in floral design, replicate the shape of the larger windows.  

On the north wall stands the large Casavant organ having three manuals, 39 stops; 2,468 pipes plus 20 bells.   The dark reddish-brown pews of oak and elm with carved end panels complement the church’s spiritual appeal.

Third Avenue United Church is significant to Saskatoon for more than its architectural heritage.   Functioning as an auditorium in the early days of the city, it was and still is a popular venue for concerts.   It has also hosted important political events.   

On November 24, 1921, T.A.Crerar, leader of the national Progressive party (before merger with the Conservative party) spoke to a crowd of 3,000 supporters.   It was also the site of the formation of the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool. 

 A speech by American pool expert Aaron Sapiro on August 7, 1923 before 2,000 at Third Avenue Methodist Church inspired the Saskatchewan Grain Growers’ Association (SGGA) and the Farmer’s Union to collaborate in signing up farmers for the Pool.  

Three years later, in the third week of July 1926, the SGGA held a convention at Third Avenue while the Farmer’s Union met at Knox United Church only blocks away.   When both groups voted to form a single organization, the Farmer’s Union members joined the SGGA at Third Avenue where the first meeting took place.   Over the years many graduates of the University of Saskatchewan, the Normal School, and City Hospital nurses’ training programme convocated here.

About the Service

Our service is at 10:30 every Sunday morning.  We have a traditional service with a children's moment most Sundays and a hymn of the month from the More Voices hymnal as we expand our repetoir.  We produce a small and large print bulletin, provide a copy of our newsletter and have a slide show of upcoming events before the service.

There is always time to socialize and eat after every service.  Coffee and baking is our standard fare.  A birthday celebration on the last Sunday of every month which of course includes cake and photos.  Please check out Third Ave News on our website to see if there is a potluck or other social for the Sunday you plan to join us. 

About the Neighbourhood

We are located in the heart of Downtown Saskatoon on the corner of 3rd Ave. N. and 24th St.  We have City Hall across the street and you can hear our bells during the day all over the core of Saskatoon.

Church Minister

Reverend Donna Wilson

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