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W OODY ILLEâ€"@NIT ED CHKURGH This is the story of the Woodville United Church as told by Mrs. Stanley Murray at the Institute Meeting January 1962. The United Church as it is known today is the building, formerly the Methodist Church, built in 1888, with one main entrance in the centre front of the building. This entrance was gained by a flight of woon:len_ steps. Around 1901 a change was made and an entrance at each side was added â€" this time the steps are within the building. Elsewhere in our history book is the story of Methodism in Woodville, but here I would like to add a brief note not mentioned previously. In 1873 a Woodville Methodist Mission was formed, comprising seventeen classes, one in each of the following places: Hartley, Palestine, Glenarm, Gillanders, Blacks, (McKagues ; Bexley) Long Point, Bolsover, Kirkfield, Lytles, Plews, Victoria Road, McNabbs, Gardiners, McIndoos, Peniel, . Woodville. The names of members of these classes are recorded in Woodville. Anyone wishing to see them may do so, as they are kept in the manse, formerly known as the parsonage. While looking over this interesting record, I notice the name of one Simeon Graves, and the thought came to me, "Then my children are the fifth generation with names recorded as members," for Simeon Graves was the great,great grandfather of my children. One by one these classes or appointments discontinued association with Woodville â€" until only Hartley remained. Peniel dropped out in 1880. However, it is interesting to note that seventy seven years later Peniel congregation was reunited with Woodville during the ministry of Dr. W. H. Pointen. 1925 became a history making year, for in that June The Congregational Church of Canada The Presbyterian Church of Canada The Methodist Church of Canada united to become known as the United Church of Canada. In that year a group from the Presbyterian Church in Woodville, with their minister Rev. Davies, united with the Methodist congregation. The majority of the Presbyterian members had voted against the Union, and so remained as the Continuing Presbyterian Church. diam Five families of the South Eldon Presbyterian Church became members of the new United Church â€"‘ Jeffs, Peter A. Campbell, T. J. Newman, Duncan MeArthur, Dan McPherson. The men who had been members of the Methodist Official Board and the men who had been members of Presbyterian Board of Session formed the Session of the new United Church. Some congregations elect elders for a specified term, others appoint their elders for life. This is the policy of United Church in Woodville. Later members to the session are elected by ballot by members of the congregation. Since 1925 fortyâ€"one men have served as elders. The first sixteen named are the members of the first Session: 1. Alfred Benson â€" M 10. T. J. Newman â€" P George Oke Arthur Weldon Garnet Day 2. J. P. Campbell â€" P 11. Will Newman â€" M John Fisher Jarvis Stoddart George Benson 3. P. A. Campbell â€" P 12. M. J. Stoddart â€" P Howard Wellington Cecil Smith George Owens . . George Flynt â€" M 13. Duncan Tolmie â€" P Howard Campbell Dan Tolmie Walter Russell 5. John Hoar â€" M 14. Daniel Walker â€" M Albert Fisher Stanley Murray Chas. Stoddart 6. Angus Jamieson â€" P 15. Will MacPherson â€" P Norman Jamieson Earle McKague 7. Steven Keown â€" M 16. Sam Jeffs â€" P George McKague Harvey Dixon 8. W. Henry Myers â€" M Thos. Myers Murray Austin W. E. Whetter 9. Wm. Lapp â€" M John Brown Herman Coolidge J. B. (Bert]) McKague Of these twentyâ€"six have passed on. Only two have served as Clerk of Session, namely Mr. M. J. Stoddart and Howard Campbell. Nine ministers have served the congregation. These include the minister of the Methodist Church at the time of union, Rev. Ernest Harston, and Rev. W. Davies, minister of the Presbyterian Church. Rev. Earlston Doe who came in 1927 Rev. Harold Pointen who came in 1948 Rev. Claude Brethen ". " " 1934 Rev. Roy Vessey ie stee stt 98E Rev. H. S. Warren w _# â€" * 191 Rev. E. A. Martineau " â€"" " 1961 Rev. Mark Reeves it> a* * 10945