St. John’s United Church in Creemore has had a rich history of service to the local and surrounding communities for nearly 130 years. With Methodists roots dating back to the time of circuit riders, the congregation formed in 1883 and built their church in 1886.
The history of these early years points clearly to the flexibility of the church leaders in working with neighbouring congregations, as populations in many local communities grew and then dwindled. The congregations making-up this “pastoral charge” changed many times over the years.
1925 was a significant year when many Presbyterians, Congregationalists and Methodists came together forming the United Church of Canada.
The congregation showed its resilience in building, maintaining and sustaining the church though ever-changing times. Over the years, the United Church Women have provided an on-going reliable source of funding.
The Creemore community has benefited from the outreach of the St. John’s congregation in, for example, Girl Guides, Boy Scouts, Vacation Bible Schools, Young Peoples and CGIT. The congregation has always been a community leader in recognizing and paying tribute to members of the armed forces and veterans. St. John’s facilities have served as a location for numerous musical events and community meetings.
Today, we find ourselves in a period of renewed focus on the future, a situation all small community churches face. St. John’s has an aging congregation. With increasingly fewer people finding value in attending Sunday services, it must find a vision for its survival.
There is, once again, a need to be flexible in our thinking and to be open to new avenues, so that St. John’s continues to be a significant entity in Creemore. Our community has needs and we have an opportunity to assist in responding to some of those needs.