Neighbours, and community groups hunting for a place to meet, can get a look inside St. Paul's United Church's new home at 1092 Speers Road on Saturday, Nov. 7, when the congregation holds an open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The church says the day celebrates "an exciting new chapter in Oakville." Planned for Saturday are guided tours, a historical display, children's programming, a junior and adult choir screening, remarks from the community and tables run by community partners. Lunch is on offer while supplies last.
Organizations can learn how community use of the building would work, and visitors can find out about Sunday worship, held at 10:15 a.m.
Speers Road is the latest stop for a congregation that began in 1955, when residents of Suffolk Park, then part of Trafalgar Township, were invited to a meeting at St. John's United Church to consider starting a new one. St. Paul's was formally established at a service at St. John's on Thursday, April 26, 1956, with 218 charter members.
Its first home was a temporary building supplied by the Church Extension Council and put up in time for Christmas. As the flock outgrew it, members worshipped for a time at Pinegrove Public School and later at W. H. Morden.
Rev. George D. Watt, the first minister, arrived on July 1, 1957, and stayed 30 years, until June 30, 1987. Deborah Laforet is now lead minister, and Mark MacLean is pastoral care minister.
The church encourages visitors to register ahead of time. Groups that want to use the new space can say so when they sign up.
