Prior to 1925 there were three Presbyterian churches in Truro. In 1925, with
Church Union in Canada, the majority of Presbyterians chose to join the United Church, leaving those who chose to remain with the Presbyterian Church with no large church building. To remedy that situation this building was erected in 1928-1929. Today there are two Presbyterian churches in Truro, St. James and St. Paul's, a smaller wood framed building on the outskirts of town.
Built entirely of stone, possibly ironstone, St. James is a massive appearing building, possibly because of its dark colour, with an equally massive corner bell tower/steeple. With corner buttresses which match the buttresses of the sanctuary, the tower ends at a point about even with the peak of the gable roof of the sanctuary. Instead of a tall pointed spire reaching skyward, the tower ends with a flat roof and crenellations around its sides. Reminiscent of Norman architecture of yore, this is in keeping with the dark coloured stone with which it was built.
Just below the cornice of the tower, on each side, are Gothic arched belfry vents covered with wood slats, below which, on three sides, are small rectangular windows. At the bottom front of the tower is the main entrance, a double metal door (probably originally wood) with a glass filled Lancet transom above. Centred in the sanctuary's front wall is a triple Lancet window. Strangely, all windows down the sides of the sanctuary, though containing stained glass, are square.
Low and to the right of the door is the building's cornerstone, proclaiming St. James Presbyterian Church a church of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Below is the date of construction, 1928. Above the cornerstone is a bronze plaque commemorating the formation of the Presbyterian Church in Canada in 1875.
Following is the text from the plaque.
LEGEND
THIS PLAQUE COMMEMORATES
THE CENTENNIAL OF THE FORMATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN CANADA IN 1875;
THE MINISTRY OF THE REV. DANIEL COCK. (1771-1805) OF GREENOCK, SCOTLAND, AND THE REV. DAVID SMITH (1771- 1795) OF ST. ANDREWS, SCOTLAND;
THE ERECTION OF THE FIRST TWO PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES IN CANADA, AT GLENHOLM IN 1771, AND IN TRURO IN 1772;
THE FORMATION IN TRURO OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERY IN CANADA IN 1786 AND THE FIRST BIBLE SOCIETY IN BRITISH NORTH AMERICA.
THIS PLAQUE IS PLACED HERE THROUGH THE COOPERATION OF THE PROVINCE OF NOVA SCOTIA, THE TOWN OF TRURO, THE SYNOD OF THE ATLANTIC PROVINCES OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH CANADA, AND THE KIRK SESSION OF ST. JAMES PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, TRURO.
Though the congregation becomes smaller with each passing decade, the church claims a congregation of about 267, with an average attendance of 143.
St. James Presbyterian Church
Truro has known a rich history of Presbyterianism dating back as far as 1760, with the town eventually being home to three thriving Presbyterian congregations. However, following church union in 1925, the Presbyterian presence in Truro was reduced to a minority who together formed what is now St. James Presbyterian Church.
St. James physical plant includes two separate buildings. The primary building facing on to Prince Street was erected in 1929 and today houses the sanctuary, hall, nursery, commercial-grade kitchen, elevator, and wheel-chair accessible washrooms.
The secondary building is the Koinonia Centre. Originally developed as a Christian Education facility, it contains the church library, several meeting rooms, washrooms, and three offices. The basement has a hall, while the upstairs has most recently served as a place for youth ministry.
The church has a small parking lot. Street parking is available, as is parking in nearby local
lots.
From St. James Presbyterian