The Knox Presbyterian Church congregation is moving to its fourth location in the new year.
The deal of the sale of the church at 539 Hugel Ave. to an artist closed Tuesday.
The Presbyterian congregation in Midland, which dates back to 1874, has been worshipping at 539 Hugel Ave. since 1902, when the church was built by lumber and shipping industrialist James Playfair.
In the 1920s, the congregation numbered more than 300 people as it was a dominant sect of Christianity in the region.
Today, the congregation sits at 50 in a large building that has seven furnaces and needs a lot of upkeep.
"I liken it to a family of four living in a 20,000-square-foot home," Rev. Alton Ruff told MidlandToday.
"It's too large and costly to repair and maintain in a post-COVID era of shrinking church attendance and rising costs of living," Ruff said in a letter to parishioners.
Knox was the first site of the Out of the Cold shelter program, and its Gift of Grace Soup Kitchen has been operating for more than 35 years.
Coming to the decision to sell the building has been "heartbreaking," Ruff said.
"It's been a very long journey for us."
Originally, the plan was to sell to a Pentecostal congregation, but there were complications, and when interest rates rose this year, it became unattainable.
So, Ruff's team came up with a creative solution. They listed it for $1 for 40 days and received sealed bids.
"We took the best offer to the congregation and they approved. It didn't take long at all," he said.
Purchaser Peter Triantos is an internationally accredited artist. MidlandToday reached out to Triantos for comment, but he did not respond before deadline.
Ruff is staying on as minister and will move to a location on Midland Avenue at the end of January. The congregation is in the process of leasing a building more suitable to current needs.
"The proceeds from the sale will fund the lease of the new building, and we won't have the high maintenance, heat and hydro costs. Then we can focus on rebuilding the congregation," Ruff said.
"I think it will free up time and resources to focus on our mission, which is to reach out in Jesus's name with love."
The Gift of Grace Soup Kitchen will continue on Tuesdays, in another location in partnership with another congregation.
Before the move, there will be Advent and Christmas services in the Hugel Avenue church. Advent services begin Dec. 3 and the Christmas Eve candlelight service will take place at 7 p.m. on Dec. 24.
Ruff said there are a lot people who have connections with the church, whether through attending church, Sunday school, a wedding or a funeral, and he hopes they will join the congregation for Christmas.
"We want everyone to come out and celebrate what God had done through 150 years," he said.
The final celebration service will be Jan. 21 at 10:30 a.m. The first service in the new location is scheduled for Feb. 4.