A brief history of Grace United
It is believed that Rev. William Burt, an Englishman sent out by the Wesleyan Missionary Society, was the first minister to bring Methodist teachings to Gagetown. He was representing the Fredericton circuit, which then included Sheffield, Grand Lake, Gagetown, Oromocto, Burton and Nashwaak. In 1818, while conducting revival meetings in Jemseg, he crossed to Gagetown, where tradition says that he stood on an oxcart on Front Street to preach, no buildings being available. His sermon, “Jesus and the Resurrection”, made such a great impression that he was invited to return and thus a nucleus of a church was formed.
Irregular services were held until a circuit was organized in 1854 with Burton as its head and Gagetown one of the appointments. The first minister of this circuit was Rev. George Milligan, said to be a brilliant young Scotsman who made many converts. Services were held in a Union Chapel. Soon after, plans were made for a church. By deed, granted on April 1, 1856, it is recorded that the land for a church was donated by Mr. W.F. Bonnell. It further stated that the church was about to be built.
Soon after the church was built, plans were made for a “mission house” and a deed was granted on 26th of April, 1860, by William Penny to the Trustees of Wesleyan Mission House. The deed indicates that when the property was granted, the Mission House was about to be erected. So, our parsonage, built four years after this church, is now 146 years old. With the building of the “Mission House”, Gagetown became the head of the circuit and until last year there has always been a resident minister. Last year a decision was made by the Gagetown-Grand Lake Charge to sell the manse.
In 1864 a Sunday School was organized with James Bulyea as superintendent and with the exception of a few brief periods of time, Sunday School has been conducted regularly.
In 1925 the United Church of Canada formed a union of Methodist, Presbyterian, and Congregational churches in Canada and Gagetown Methodist Church became Grace United Church of Canada.
Until 1952 the circuit was made up of Tweedsmuir, Shirley, Oromocto, Burton, Swan Creek and Gagetown, but with the development of Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, the churches of Tweedsmuir and Shirley became military property. IN 1956, by action of Presbytery of Fredericton, Oromocto was constituted a separate charge. In 1967 the present Pastoral Charge of Gagetown, Cambridge-Narrows, Youngs Cove and Coles Island was formed. With the closure of the Coles Island Church, it became a three point charge.
In the early 1960’s, with community help, the building was raised and a basement with church hall, kitchen, and Sunday School room added. In 1969, the Minister, Rev. James Cullen, did the necessary plumbing for a washroom. Windows were replaced in 1993 and this past year an electric furnace replaced the aging oil furnace.
In the past 150 years, 56 ministers have served at this church and community. The list of Methodist, and later United Church of Canada, minsters contains well known names who took a prominent place in the life of the country, as well as that of their church. Some became presidents of the Methodist Conference or United Church Presbytery. Others have been distinguished in the educational life of Canada.
Church members have also made contribution in the field of public service. The Palmer and Bulyea families are good examples: John Palmer, High Sheriff of Queens County had two sons, on Rev. G.C. P. Palmer became a Methodist minister, the other, Dr. James Palmer, a principal of Mount Allison Academy; James Bulyea, a respected businessman in Gagetown and first Sunday School Superintendent of this church had a son, Hon. George Bulyea, who became the first Lieutenant Governor of Alberta.
Community outreach through the Sunday School, United Church Women, help to those in need, donations to the food bank, Missions and Service, and Vacation Bible School have helped provide a heritage of social justice.
While the history of a building may sound quite dry, it is important to remember that the building is, and has been, the spiritual home to many people. It has provided a place of worship in happy times and a place of comfort in times of sadness. It is easy to picture the people down through the ages who have come to be married here, then to bring their children to be baptized, confirmed and then to be buried – a full spectrum of life within these walls.
The contribution to the religious life of this community by Grace United Church gives us cause to be thankful and also challenges those who follow to accomplish even more in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.