07/31/2026
In celebration of the Val Marie Centennial, we have decided to post about the former Grace United Church. Our building is also celebrating it's 100th Birthday!
In the early days of Val Marie, travelling saddlebag ministers provided the first services in rural school houses. In the 1950s, regular church services began taking place at the Val Marie Hall. As church was well attended, plans were made to obtain one.
The United Church ladies fundraised to purchase a lot & build a footing. For the price of $1, the Val Marie congregation purchased an abandoned building in Kealey Springs, SK from the United Church of Canada. The building was moved by the McInnes family in 1956 to its current location.
According to the book "Between and Beyond the Benches", this church was built in the German settlement of Crossfell, SK (S.W. ¼ 28-8-23), neare Kealy Springs. Operating as the Bench United Church, it was also known as "German Church."
In 1961, Grace United Church was officially dedicated. The name Grace United was chosen because it was through God's good grace and the grace of many dedicated & hard-working individuals that the community was able to find and bring a church here. The front foyer & Sunday School Room were added on in Val Marie.
For many decades the church ran a weekly service plus weddings, funerals, baptisms & confirmations. Eventually, as the town populations declined services switched to a quarterly basis. The Ladies Aid group was able to keep the church operating through bake sales, catering & the sale of their famous Christmas Cakes. Church services subsided in 2015.
Caitlin Mroz-Sailer & Peter Sailer purchased the building and lots in February 2020. After extensive renovatons, the building had it's third chapter in life. The Sanctuary Inn welcomed its first guests in July 2022 & has been operating as vacation suites since.
This information is from the Val Marie History Book. Research & image about the original church was from Between and Beyond the Benches (Ravenscrag History Book) & the Historic Saskatchewan Facebook Group. Images: Everett Baker Archives. Thank you to the Celebrating Centuries Committee for the new plaques!
