After standing vacant for only about a month after its final service, the landmark building once home to St. Andrew’s United Church will soon be welcoming worshippers once again. Victory Church, a growing non-denominational Christian ministry in Moose Jaw, has confirmed it has purchased the historic downtown structure, with plans for a future grand opening.
“Our church has just been growing, and so we were looking to extend to another service,” said Kelly Boisclair, communications director with Victory Church. “A realtor suggested we take a look at St. Andrew’s, and we fell in love with the building and the capacity.”
Victory plans to continue using the building as a multi-use community space. For now, existing tenants — including a daycare and the Moose Jaw Multicultural Council — are expected to stay.
“They do a lot of things in the community, and the building has seen a lot of use as a gathering place,” said Boisclair. “We’re excited about that too.”
No major renovations are planned immediately, although the church may add bathrooms and give the interior a fresh coat of paint. A timeline for the grand opening hasn’t been confirmed, but services and ministries will begin gradually in the meantime.
“We’re just really excited to be part of Moose Jaw’s history and still be in the downtown area,” she said.
For years, only a few dozen members of the United Church had been attending at St. Andrew's, in a building that can handle up to 750.
Until the move is complete, Victory Church will continue holding services at its current location on Main.
A historic legacy
The St. Andrew’s building carries deep roots in Moose Jaw’s spiritual and civic history. First established in the early 1900s as a Presbyterian congregation, the church joined the United Church of Canada in 1925 and was known for its progressive ministry.
Its most significant national contribution came in 1936, when Rev. Lydia Gruchy — the first woman ordained in the United Church — began her ministry there.
After a devastating fire in 1963, the modern sanctuary was rebuilt, and was again known across the Prairies for its tall spire and distinctive, beautiful stained-glass window art. The church played host to decades of weddings, funerals, community programs, and local advocacy before declining membership led to its final service on June 29, 2025.
That final service was led by Rev. Jim Tenford, who led the congregation for 10 years, including helping it become an Affirming Church, before moving to Regina in 2022. Rev. Lorne Calvert, once a St. Andrew’s minister and former Premier of Saskatchewan, also contributed.