A BRIEF HISTORY
During the 1850s, three Methodist congregations worshipped in Galt. The Primitive Methodists met on Ainslie Street, while the Wesleyan Methodists began meeting in homes in 1854 before later moving to North Street (now Thorne Street). The New Connection Methodists had built their first church in 1840 on South Water Street through the efforts of Isaac Sower, who had come from Pennsylvania. The congregation later moved to a location on Dickson Street, and in 1856 the Rev. James McAlister was appointed as their minister.
In 1871, the Rev. J. B. Clarkson arrived as minister of the Wesleyan Church, and the following year the congregation moved into the original Knox Church building on the site now occupied by the Cambridge Farmers’ Market building. The congregation acquired all the land that now forms Market Square as well as the present church property. In 1875, when all branches of Methodism in Canada merged to form the Methodist Church of Canada, the three former congregations united as Ainslie Street Methodist Church and settled in the Wesleyan building, with the Rev. J. V. Smith serving as minister.
Plans were soon drawn for the present church building. Financing proved difficult, as banks refused to lend funds based solely on the notes of members of the trustee board. Friends of the congregation with stronger financial standing agreed to add their names to the trustee board so that a construction contract could be secured for $18,000. The Ladies’ Aid also played an important role, pledging $1,000 toward the building fund.
In 1878 the congregation purchased all the land from Dickson Street to North Street along Ainslie Street. A decade later, in 1888, much of this land—including what is now Market Square and the Presbyterian Church building that once stood at the corner of Ainslie and Dickson Streets—was sold back to the city. The church retained the house at the corner of Ainslie and North Streets, which still stands today and has provided rental space to many businesses over the past 145 years.
The church grew rapidly in the late nineteenth century. Ainslie Street Methodist became an important centre of evangelism, hosting revival services led by well-known ministers Crossley and Hunter. In 1883, members of a Methodist congregation that had emigrated from the United States and settled near Roseville, about fifteen miles west of Galt, sought to join the congregation. With the sanctuary unable to accommodate the growing membership, balconies were added two years later at a cost of $3,500, along with a new choir loft and a Woodstock organ.
With the union of the Methodist, Presbyterian, and Congregational churches on June 10, 1925, the congregation became part of the United Church of Canada and Ainslie Street Methodist Church was renamed Wesley United Church. In 1926 a new pipe organ with more than 3,000 pipes was installed to mark this new chapter in the life of the congregation.
Since that time, many improvements have been made to the church buildings. An addition was constructed that included a chapel and Ladies’ Parlour, along with a new furnace room and the stage for Ainslie Hall in the basement below. In 1959 the cornerstone was laid for a new Christian Education wing, completed in 1960 at a cost of $128,000, providing classrooms, offices, and Ballantyne Hall. Accessibility improvements have also been made over the years, including the installation of an elevator in 2010.
The sanctuary itself contains many notable features. The original rose window, composed of 1,763 individual pieces of glass set within oak and lead framing, remains a striking element of the church and was recently restored with assistance from a heritage grant. Other themed stained-glass windows, donated by families between 1933 and 1989, continue to reflect the faith and generosity of generations of Wesley members.
Today, Wesley United Church continues to serve the community in many ways. Its buildings host worship, celebrations of life, weddings, and community gatherings, while also providing space for local organizations and even film productions, including well-known series and films shot in Cambridge.
These buildings testify to the vision, courage, faith, work, and fellowship of many people and families from 1840 to the present day. Stained glass windows, memorial gifts, and the continued life of the congregation honour the legacy of those who built and sustained Wesley United Church over generations.
In 1871, the Rev. J. B. Clarkson arrived as minister of the Wesleyan Church, and the following year the congregation moved into the original Knox Church building on the site now occupied by the Cambridge Farmers’ Market building. The congregation acquired all the land that now forms Market Square as well as the present church property. In 1875, when all branches of Methodism in Canada merged to form the Methodist Church of Canada, the three former congregations united as Ainslie Street Methodist Church and settled in the Wesleyan building, with the Rev. J. V. Smith serving as minister.
Plans were soon drawn for the present church building. Financing proved difficult, as banks refused to lend funds based solely on the notes of members of the trustee board. Friends of the congregation with stronger financial standing agreed to add their names to the trustee board so that a construction contract could be secured for $18,000. The Ladies’ Aid also played an important role, pledging $1,000 toward the building fund.
In 1878 the congregation purchased all the land from Dickson Street to North Street along Ainslie Street. A decade later, in 1888, much of this land—including what is now Market Square and the Presbyterian Church building that once stood at the corner of Ainslie and Dickson Streets—was sold back to the city. The church retained the house at the corner of Ainslie and North Streets, which still stands today and has provided rental space to many businesses over the past 145 years.
The church grew rapidly in the late nineteenth century. Ainslie Street Methodist became an important centre of evangelism, hosting revival services led by well-known ministers Crossley and Hunter. In 1883, members of a Methodist congregation that had emigrated from the United States and settled near Roseville, about fifteen miles west of Galt, sought to join the congregation. With the sanctuary unable to accommodate the growing membership, balconies were added two years later at a cost of $3,500, along with a new choir loft and a Woodstock organ.
With the union of the Methodist, Presbyterian, and Congregational churches on June 10, 1925, the congregation became part of the United Church of Canada and Ainslie Street Methodist Church was renamed Wesley United Church. In 1926 a new pipe organ with more than 3,000 pipes was installed to mark this new chapter in the life of the congregation.
Since that time, many improvements have been made to the church buildings. An addition was constructed that included a chapel and Ladies’ Parlour, along with a new furnace room and the stage for Ainslie Hall in the basement below. In 1959 the cornerstone was laid for a new Christian Education wing, completed in 1960 at a cost of $128,000, providing classrooms, offices, and Ballantyne Hall. Accessibility improvements have also been made over the years, including the installation of an elevator in 2010.
The sanctuary itself contains many notable features. The original rose window, composed of 1,763 individual pieces of glass set within oak and lead framing, remains a striking element of the church and was recently restored with assistance from a heritage grant. Other themed stained-glass windows, donated by families between 1933 and 1989, continue to reflect the faith and generosity of generations of Wesley members.
Today, Wesley United Church continues to serve the community in many ways. Its buildings host worship, celebrations of life, weddings, and community gatherings, while also providing space for local organizations and even film productions, including well-known series and films shot in Cambridge.
These buildings testify to the vision, courage, faith, work, and fellowship of many people and families from 1840 to the present day. Stained glass windows, memorial gifts, and the continued life of the congregation honour the legacy of those who built and sustained Wesley United Church over generations.
Some of the beautiful stained glass windows at Wesley