Southminster History

We are proud of the rich spiritual heritage we have received from the history of The United Church of Canada.

Our denomination was formed in 1925 through a union of Congregational, Methodist and most Presbyterian Churches in Canada. Since then, other congregations have joined the Union, and in 1968 the Evangelical United Brethren also became part of The United Church of Canada.

The history of our congregation begins with the earliest days of the city of Lethbridge. Rev. Charles McKillop served as the first minister for Knox Presbyterian Church in 1886 with the early pioneers in the area.

Soon after in 1888, Wesley Methodist Church was established.  In 1913, the Wesley congregation began a project to build a new 1,100 seat sanctuary for the Methodists in Lethbridge, in a city of less than 10,000 people at the time. When United Church union occurred, both Knox and Wesley became United Churches in 1925, each having buildings only a few blocks apart.

Ten years later in the midst of the great depression, in a show of great faith, the two congregations truly let go of their previous Methodist and Presbyterian identities to become a single United Church.  The Knox congregation moved in with the Wesley congregation, and since 1935 the amalgamated church on the corner of 4th Avenue and 11th Street continues to be known as Southminster United Church.

Our heritage is woven closely to the city we serve in Christ’s name.  As an acoustically marvelous structure, our church continues to partner with the arts and university community in hosting musical events. Built in 1920, in memory of members of the congregation who died fighting in World War I, our 4-manual Cascavant organ invites organ recitals annually and contributes greatly to our ‘blend’ of traditional and contemporary music in worship each week.

Though our history is strongly connected with the pioneer history of Lethbridge, Indigenous peoples have always been a part of The United Church of Canada. “The Indigenous peoples of the lands that became Canada welcomed those who brought the Christian Gospel,” The United Church Manual tells us, “finding in it a confirmation of their understanding of relationship with the Creator, and in Jesus Christ an inclusiveness that embraced the wider human community.” 

Yet as Christians, we abused this welcome and imposed our own vision of civilization as a condition of existence and of accepting the gospel. The United Church of Canada has since apologized for our part in colonization and “for the pain and suffering that our church’s involvement in Indian Residential Schools has caused.” As part of a long journey toward right relations, in 2012, the ongoing presence and spirituality of Indigenous peoples in the church was recognized by revisions to our crest. It now incorporates the four colours of the Medicine Wheel, and the Kanien'keha (Mohawk) phrase "Akwe Nia'Tetewá:neren," which means "All my relations."

Southminster is more than our building, which shelters us from the strong southern Alberta winds.  We strive to be God’s people living out God’s purpose for our world. its people and its mission. And so, we extend an invitation where, with God’s help and with you, we can continue together opening hearts, opening minds, and opening doors to Jesus Christ.

Just as Jesus invited his followers to “Come and See”, so do the folks at Southminster invite you.