Ezra Healey a faithful Methodist saddle-bag preacher began to establish classes of approximately twenty members each in the forests and wilderness between the Rideau and Ottawa rivers. In 1824 George and Mary Argue and their four sons, William, Robert, Andrew and John established a homestead on lot 21, concession 11, in the Township of Goulbourn approximately one mile west of the village of Stittsville. When the family home was completed the neighbours gathered to give thanks to God. This was the first Methodist service ever held in Goulbourn Township. When Ezra Healey reached the Stittsville area he placed the Methodist adherents under the leadership of the aforementioned George Argue, James Wilson and Archibald Magee.
It was not however until 1845, when William Magee granted to the trustees of the Methodist congregation one acre of land on which the current church now stands, that a permanent church was established. That first building, constructed of logs, was known as the Magee Chapel. In 1847, a stone building, first known as the Argue Chapel and subsequently as the Wesley Methodist Church was built about 100 yards (90 metres) east of the existing building. The remains of the foundation of that stone church can still be seen in the church cemetery. The structure of that stone church was rather crude with round rather than quarried stones used to create the outside walls. By 1883 that first stone building was replaced by the ``Brick Church`` which met the needs of the growing congregation for the next seventy years and forms the significant part of our current sanctuary. When the union of certain Methodist, Congregationalist and Presbyterian groups created The United Church of Canada in 1925, Wesley Methodist became Wesley United Church. In 1975 the name was changed to Stittsville United Church.
From 1883 until 1963 the church was heated with two wood stoves located on either side of the main entrance with a long string of pipes running from each stove to the front of the church. Needless to say church service in the winter was most likely an invigorating experience. A particular story goes that Mrs. Margaret MacDougall the church organist for more than forty years from the 1940's through the 1980's often led the service with fingers barely able to feel the keys. Another story, again involving Marg, was that of our own church mouse which became so persistent that Mrs. MacDougall had to wear her overshoes while playing the organ until the little visitor was caught. As well, bees in the belfry, including dripping honey, form a part of the history of Stittsville United.
In 1952 a significant increase in the church population created a need for more modern accommodations. The changes included raising the building and excavating to permit the construction of a basement area to house a kitchen, choir room, Sunday school hall and an office for the minister.
Eleven years later in 1963, in response to a building boom in the village the church facilities were enlarged once more. An addition of approximately 9 metres x 25 metres to the north end of the building enlarged the sanctuary created new offices for the minister and the secretary , provided a specific room for the choir and restrooms for everyone's comfort, all on the upper level. The enlarged basement area provided for increased Sunday school and general meeting space, an expanded kitchen, and to everyone's relief and gratitude, a complete furnace system to replace the two long-serving wood stoves. The renovations included the exterior of the building as well which was changed from the ``Brick Church`` to the white stucco look that we see today. A copper-covered top was added to the original tower with the United Church crest featured atop the spire.
In 1964 stained-glass memorial windows in the narthex and sanctuary, and many of the pews and other church furnishings were donated in memory of loved ones. The two panels at the front of the sanctuary were dedicated in 1975 and the four remaining windows in the narthex were dedicated in 1980. In 1976, a memorial fund was inaugurated. Contributions to the fund were sufficient to purchase a Baldwin organ, to replace the failing Hammond which had served the congregation so well, and to install a sound system in the sanctuary. In 1979 an electric carillon with external speakers was installed and in 1998 the Baldwin organ was replaced by a more modern version.
In 1983 the jointly-owned manse was purchased by St. Paul's and in 1990 both congregations agreed to operate as completely separate entities.
In 1992, partitions were built in the basement area to create four Sunday school classrooms, a redecoration of the sanctuary was completed in 1994, the whole downstairs area was repainted in 1997 and the kitchen was completely renovated in 1999.
In 2004, after a visioning process encouraged by the Revitalization and Long Range Planning Committee, the congregation decided to focus on five goals. These goals were largely accomplished, with the hiring of a part-time youth worker and a part-time music director, and the construction of an addition to the building.
A sod turning ceremony was held in April, 2006, and the Building Committee had a busy summer with the construction project. The new addition was officially opened on November 20th, 2006, with a grand opening celebration. The new addition makes the building totally accessible, and restroom facilities were added to the lower area of the building. Much-needed storage space, Sunday School rooms and additional space for meetings, were also part of the renovation. The building also saw an entire new roof installed. It is most appropriate that this latest addition to the proud history of the Methodist/United Church presence in the Goulbourn/Stittsville area is partially made possible by a bequest from the estate of the late Gerald Cathcart, a descendent of the same George Argue who held the first Methodist service in Goulbourn Township in 1824. Additional funds from the Hodgins estate and a Trillium Grant from the Province of Ontario, made it all possible.
In 2015, following a period of prayerful discernment and conversation, our congregation approved an “expression of our life together in community, which is “Growing – Together – In Spirit.” It is represented by three intersecting circles, and has become a guide for how we live out our faith together.
In 2017 we engaged the services of Tim Fleming from Innovation Works to lead us in a year-long visioning process which we called “Pathways.” This process was based upon the principles of Appreciative Inquiry, whereby we seek to build on our gifts and strengths to have an even more vibrant ministry. As a result of these conversations, our congregation approved the hiring of a part-time Tender Loving Care Facilitator to organize, train and support pastoral care teams in the congregation. We also approved the hiring of a part-time Spiritual Growth Animator to coordinate, promote and animate spiritual growth opportunities in our congregation and community, including our SPARK activities. We have received financial support for this position from the Emerging Spirit fund of the United Church of Canada and from the Ottawa Presbytery. We also agreed to have an ongoing conversation about how our building and congregation as a whole can foster an even greater sense of welcoming and belonging. You can learn more about the Pathways project, the Tender Loving Care Facilitator, the Spiritual Growth Animator and the SPARK activities on other pages of our web site.
From the time of church union in 1925 twenty-seven ministers have led the spiritual life of our congregation. For most of that time, 1925 to 1990, those ministers also served the congregation of St. Paul’s United Church in Richmond as we were part of a two-point Pastoral Charge.
For a list of our previous ministers, please visit the following link: SUC Ministers