Victoria Avenue United Church
(1877 – 2006)
Our church has been compared to a tree. We shall use that analogy to look at who we are in 2006 and what has brought us to this time in our history.
The seeds of Methodism were in the air in the early 1800’s near the forks of the Thames River and McGregor’s Creek. It was not until 1877 that the people north of the river chose the location at the corner of Head Street (now Grand Avenue) and Victoria Avenue to plant those seeds. They built the new St. Paul’s Methodist Episcopal Church at a cost of less than $13,000 (including the land). The cornerstone was laid on June 7, 1877, by Methodist Bishop Dr. Albert Carman. By October 14, 1877, when the new church was dedicated with three services of worship to accommodate all of the people, sufficient funds had been raised to completely pay for the new building. Those were the roots and trunk of our tree, firmly planted at the corner of Victoria and Grand by a pioneering people who stepped out in faith.
The trunk grew more solid, and branches extended over the years as the two North Chatham Methodist congregations united in 1884 to form Victoria Avenue Methodist Church. With an average Sunday attendance of 175 adults and a large Sunday school, there was a need for more space. In the 1890’s, a small frame building was moved by horse-drawn vehicles from Elizabeth Street and was placed next to the sanctuary on Grand Avenue.
In 1925, following the Canada-wide union of Methodists, Presbyterians and Congregationalists, the name was changed to Victoria Avenue United Church. The frame Sunday school building was replaced in 1930 by the present red-brick structure which houses the Gathering Place and lower rec hall. With the Great Depression, it was not so easy to pay off the $10,000 mortgage for this project until the Barrel Fund was established. Congregation members filled small wooden barrels with their pennies and other loose change to help pay off the debt.
The Casavant organ was installed in 1948 and has had several updates since then.
In the 1950’s a new kitchen was built – also updated several times since then. A new Christian Education wing was opened in the 1960’s, along with the addition of parking, when two adjacent houses were purchased and demolished.
During the 1960’s and 1970’s, the average weekly attendance grew to over 1,000 with three services each Sunday and many mid-week programs. Our church was a huge tree with many heavy limbs being blown about by the winds of change. The ultimate storm hit in 1988, when the United Church of Canada stood up for the rights of gay and lesbian people to participate in the Order of Ministry. Many branches were torn off in this storm, with people choosing to go in different directions to join other faith families. The roots and trunk of our tree remained firm and solid in the United Church of Canada. In January 1989, a small remnant of faithful pulled together to rebuild the church.
Rebuilding continues, and the winds of change continue to cause the branches to sway – and some to fall. The decision to marry gay and lesbian couples in our sanctuary caused more to leave, but encouraged others to return. Decisions constantly need to be made as to how Victoria Avenue, as a small congregation, can keep a large, aging church building going – or if we should. We continue to discern God’s will for us as a faith family as we go forward.
The process is not quick or easy.
In 2006 we are a diverse community. We stand firm in our commitment to provide a safe environment where all people, regardless of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic origin or economic circumstances, can explore and grow in their relationship to God through Jesus Christ.
“Blessed are those who trust in the Lord . . . for they shall be as a tree planted by the waters, that spreads out her roots by the river” (Jeremiah 17:7-8).
