We are in the process of updating this website but hope you will find this minimum of information helpful.
Please Join us for worship on Sundays at 11:00am in the months of February through July. During August through January worship begins at 9:30 am. Nursery and church school are provided. We are located at 1669 Richmond St. (North of Catherine St.) in beautiful Dorchester Ontario.
For more information please call the church at 519 268 3399.
Some historical tidbits about our Church:
1891 Invoice for Church Construction
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1854 | A simple frame building erected creating the Dorchester Presbyterian Church |
| July 2, 1855 | Sale of lots 13 and 14 for 12 pounds, 10 shillings from Peter Hunter is registered |
| June 29, 1867 | House to south of church bought to serve as Manse. A sidewalk joined us diagonally across lawns. Horse barn at back of house. |
| 1885 | Ladies Aid formed to raise funds to furnish the present church. |
| June 24, 1889 | Corner stone laid for our present church. Cost of building $5500. |
| December 1889 | First church service held in present church. |
| 1890 | Organ purchased. It was a pump organ, we had no electricity yet. |
| 1892 | Church basement completed. |
| 1893 | Church sheds built in L-shape; North from church then East to the street. |
| Our church was originally lit with Kerosene lamps, then Acetylene gas was provided from a gas plant near present Lind Lumber. In early 1920s we installed electricity. We heated with a wood furnace located in our basement. | |
| 1918 | Purchased first pipe organ for $900 |
| September 15, 1928 | Our church reopened with 3 simultaneous services leading 1150 people (127 members). Church redecorated and new choir and pulpit chairs installed. We were twinned with St. Georges, London. |
| 1929 | Our first Manse sold to United Church for $2000. |
| 1931 | Replaced original pipe organ (through $900 in donations) which had been transferred to United Church. |
| 1936 | First lawn mower $6.00 |
| 1940 and 1941 | No anniversary supper because of war restrictions. |
| 1944 | Church sheds running East to West were bought and removed for $100 by Mr. Marr. |
| 1945 | Sink and pump installed in the church. |
| 1946 | New furnace installed. |
| 1947 | Chimneys extended higher for better draft. |
| 1948 | New doors installed in church. |
| 1948 | First car allowance granted to our minister, $200. |
| 1949 | Church sanctuary and Sunday school redecorated, $534. |
| 1950 | Sign installed on church wall by front door. |
| 1954 | Celebrated our 100th anniversary. |
| 1954 | Our present kitchen was installed. Cupboards built by George Sutherland. His son Ken helped. |
| 1956 | New (Red) Carpet installed in Sanctuary. |
| 1957 | New oil conversion burner installed in furnace. |
| 1958 | We left our joint charge with St. Georges and joined with South Nissouri. |
| 1959 | New aluminium self storing storm windows and screens installed. |
| 1959 | New gas powered lawn mower purchased $60. |
| 1961 | New clothes and hat racks built for $25.04 |
| 1961 | 9 new steel frame stacking tables replaced wooden tables $255.90 |
| 1962 | North-south church sheds as well as our “single holer” were removed. |
| 1962 | Cement block addition erected and joined to the back of our church to hold washrooms. |
| 1967 | Another gas powered lawn mower purchased $63.00. |
| 1967 | Installed new inside stairway to basement at back of Sanctuary $275.46. |
| 1967 | New flooring installed in basement, new coffee maker. |
| 1969 | Charles street manse purchased. |
| 1975 | New church sign. |
| 1981 | Interior of church redecorated. |
| Participation in CFPL “Take your choice” $145 and “Act Fast” netted $85 | |
| 1984 | Charles street manse sold $40,000. |
| 1989 | Inside front steps carpeted. |
| April 26, 1993 | Our church was represented in McLeans Magazine. |
| 1993 | Belfry louvers rebuilt and made bird proof. Steeple and roof reflashed. New fluorescent lights installed in Sunday school room. |
| 1994 | New gas stove. |
| 1995 | Washrooms updated, redesigned by Managers. Pizza delivered at 4 a.m. |
| May, 1995 | Pews stripped and refinished and floor painted by volunteer members. |
| 1995 | New wooded doors installed at front and at side of church. |
| 1996 | Present carpets installed in Sanctuary. |
| 1997 | New windows installed in basement. Original windows stored in Terry Axford’s barn. |
| 1997 | Paved parking lot, new cement sidewalk installed along north side of church. |
| 1998 | Repair stain glass windows in sanctuary and entrance. Cover upper belfry windows. |
| 1998 | Front steps rebuilt. Old concrete contained frame for horse drawn carriage. New canopy constructed over front steps area. |
| 1999 | New electric blower installed inside our pipe organ, replacing blower box in basement. |
| 2000 | Committee formed to begin planning of additions to our church. |
| 2001 | Basement repainted. |
| November, 2002 | New gas furnace installed near kitchen at bottom of stairs, $4275. |
| 2003 | New lit sign installed in front lawn. |
| 2004 | Plans finalized for addition and congregation agreed to concept of an Addition to our church. |
| Physical construction of Addition begins | |
| June 16, 2005 | Trees removed from Addition building site |
| July 3, 2005 | Official Sod Turning Ceremony for Addition to church |
| July 12, 2005 | Excavation for Addition |
| July 15, 2005 | Footings pored |
| July 20, 2005 | Concrete for walls completed |
| September 2, 2005 | Framing of Addition complete |
| September 11, 2005 | Windows and doors installed |
| November 5, 2005 | Brickwork completed |
| November 9, 2005 | Cornerstone laid |
| November 22, 2005 | Drywall completed |
| November 22, 2005 | Volunteer painting of interior begins. Volunteers call themselves the “Roll-aids” |
| December 6, 2005 | Volunteer painting of entire interior completed |
| January 23, 2006 | Renovation of existing basement begins (merging with Addition) |
| March 15, 2006 | Renovation of existing basement complete; including new paint job by our devoted volunteers |
| May 9-10, 2006 | Volunteers complete landscaping and seeding |
| May 15, 2006 | Stones saved from excavation of original foundation used to create rock gardens on sides of front steps |
| November 5, 2006 | Dedication of Addition during 151 Anniversary Service |
| Invoice | Cost |
|---|---|
| John Nutkins, mason work | $1,305.00 |
| John Wilkey, carpenter work | $1,910.00 |
| Riddle & Co., slating | $348.00 |
| Russel & Wood, painting and glazing | $525.00 |
| John Lee, lathing and plastering | $128.50 |
| Thos. Green & Co., church pews | $360.00 |
| S. Budden, brick | $650.00 |
| Ferguson Bros, lumber for basement and scaffolding | $75.42 |
| Messrs Walker, Jarvis and McMillan, for brick | $53.00 |
| John Ferguson & Sons, chairs for pulpit and basement | $85.00 |
| W.J. Reid & Co., chandeliers and lamps | $42.90 |
| Isaac Kilburn, hauling stone | $40.00 |
| Wm. Stevely & Son, furnace and large lamp | $105.00 |
| Jno M. Moore, architect | $75.00 |
| John Birrell & Co., carpet and matting | $51.21 |
| Jas. Cowan & Co., bell | $50.00 |
| E.A. McCann, lumber | $11.50 |
| A.S. Murray, trowel | $12.00 |
| Frank Hunter, hauling stone | $18.00 |
| Sundries, hauling stone, sand, poles for scaffolding, printing, etc., etc. | $101.20 |
| Interest paid to Bank of Toronto | $304.70 |
| Total | $6,251.43 |
* Receipt: For Old Church sold $90.00
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