St. James United Church is a National Historic Site of canada and part of Quebec`s religious heritage. It traces its beginnings to the seven members of the Montreal`s first Methodist congregation formed in 1803. The Methodist began as a reform movement within the Anglican Church.
The present building is the congregation`s fourth home. it was built in 1887-1888 after the congregation decided to move uptown from St. James Street. At the time of construction, it was the largest Methodist church in Canada with seating for 2.500. The exterior is a Victorian gothic image of a french cathedral.
The interior is designed in the Akron style, popular with North American Presbyterians, Baptists and methodist in the late 19th centyry. The church sheltered soldiers en route to Europe in the two world wars and Montreal had its official inter-faith memorial service at St. James for the September 2001 attack on the World Trade Center in New York. The congregation hosts a variety of outreach programs for the homeless, the elderly, and the poor. It offers a home to several social organizations and choral ensembles.
