Churches

This section highlights the rich history of the town’s churches and its residents' religious practices in the 125 years since incorporation. As the population of Aylmer grew, a number of churches were organized to represent the varying religions in the area. This section provides an overview of the earliest and most long-standing of these churches.

Aylmer Baptist Church (1843-present)

The Baptist Church of Malahide was established at Rogers Corners (Rogers Road & Talbot line) by Reuben Crandell in 1816. In 1843, a frame chapel was built in Aylmer on the site of the present church. Construction on a brick church was completed in 1871. By 1886, the Aylmer and Malahide Baptist Church was affiliated with churches within a twelve mile radius. On July 12, 1950, a fire gutted the church. Only the walls and tower remained. The Royal Canadian Legion offered its auditorium for worship services, and in the evenings the congregation met in St. Paul’s United Church until the church was rebuilt. On November 11, 1951, the Aylmer Baptist Church dedicated their new church building and in 1963 a chapel was built.

St. Paul's United Church (1845-present)

Due to the efforts of Aaron Price, the Wesleyan Methodist congregation in Aylmer had its beginnings in 1845. A frame church was built in 1847, on the corner of what is now Queen and Sydenham Streets. This first church was used until 1873, and the present building was built in 1873 on the northeast corner of Talbot and Queen Streets. The new church was dedicated in October 1875 by Rev. Egerton Ryerson. The church seated over 700 people and boasted a 156 foot steeple. Unfortunately in 1897, the steeple had to be lowered by 50 feet due to rotting wood in the base. The tower had to be lowered again in 1937 and in 1949.

Over the years, numerous improvements have been made to the church. A basement was excavated in 1897. In 1923, the sanctuary was beautified by the addition of 13 stained glass memorial windows. A Christian Education building was completed in 1956. This building contains the auditorium and stage, a Fellowship Room, the church office, classrooms, the kitchen and washroom facilities. In 1995, St. Paul’s celebrated the 150th anniversary of the congregation, and the year 2000 marked the 125th anniversary of the church building.

Trinity Anglican Church (1860-present)

Early in 1860 a congregation was organized in Aylmer and met in the town hall. In 1861, Philip Hodgkinson donated the southeast corner (Water & Queen Streets) of his farm for a new church. There was also a cemetery on the property. In 1885, the congregation purchased the former Methodist Episcopal church, which had been built in 1879 and had been vacant for two or three years following an amalgamation of the Methodist churches. This building still houses the Trinity Anglican Church. In 1954, a parish hall was added and in 1960, the basement was renovated.

Aylmer Church of Christ, Disciples (1885-2002)

The Disciple congregation was organized in Aylmer in 1885 and met for a year in Aylmer’s first town hall before renting the old Anglican Church at the corner of Water & Queen Streets. They purchased this church from Samuel S. Clutton in 1889. This building was destroyed by fire in January 1895. The congregation then purchased the Berean Baptist Church on Concession 3 in March 1895. They built the church at the corner of Pine and Wellington Streets from its materials. The lot on Pine Street was purchased by the Trustees in July 1895. It opened for worship on July 14, 1895.  Extensive renovations were made in 1953, including raising the building on a new concrete foundation and constructing a basement. The name of the church was changed to Aylmer Christian Church in 1998. The church was closed in 2002. It was bought and became the Templo Evangelico Hispano Fuente de Vida.

Knox Presbyterian Church (1888-1923)

In 1888, Andrew Murray donated 1/5 acres of land in Aylmer to build a Presbyterian church across from the present Trinity Anglican Church. Construction of the church began in 1888. The church was closed in 1923, and the congregation joined with St. Paul’s Methodist (later United) Church. The property and building were sold in 1931 to the Royal Canadian Legion.

Title: Presbyterian Church, Aylmer, 1913
Date: 1913
Part Of: Elgin County Vertical File Collection - Aylmer Express Industrial and Farming Number 1913 file
ECVF B115 F1 P11 6

Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church (ca. 1901-present)

A priest started to visit Aylmer from St. Thomas sometime around the turn of the century. It is believed that mass was offered in June 1901 in the home of John Kiley. Around this time, Aylmer officially became a mission of St. Thomas. For the first few years, Mass was offered in private homes. In 1911, Father John Hogan set up a more permanent place of worship, by renting and equipping a hall in the second storey of what was later the Foodland Grocery Store. The first mass was held July 7, 1911 and the church was named St. John’s. After two years of meeting above the store, a house on St. George Street was purchased. Services were held there until 1937 when the church rented a hall over Miller’s Hardware Store. A lot for a new church was purchased from Mrs. McConnell on the corner of Pine and John St. South, and the cornerstone was laid on December 10, 1939 and the first Mass was offered in the new building on January 14, 1940. At this time, the church was still a basement. The colonial-designed upper storey was completed in 1951.

St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church (1938-present)

The first Lutheran service in Aylmer took place in 1938 at the home of Mr. & Mrs. John Stanat. In 1944, monthly services were arranged to be held in Trinity Anglican Church, and later at the Town Hall. The congregation was officially organized on May 2, 1946 by Rev. John Mangelsen as part of the Canada Synod of the United Lutheran Church in America. Later that year, the former home of Harley Ryckman, at 428 Talbot Street West, was renovated to serve as a chapel and manse, and was dedicated on December 8, 1946. Property was bought from Bert Thomson and a new church was built near the corner of Talbot Street West and Caverly Road in 1952 and dedicated on April 26, 1953.