Ministers and Milestones
A timeline of the history and people of St. Paul’s.
| 1827 | Rev. Anson Green, a Methodist saddlebag preacher, arrives in Milton to preach at homes of James Coates and “Widow” Harrison. | |
| 1847 | Services begin in school house near the present Pioneer Cemetery on Bronte Street. | |
 | 1851 - 1852 | Reverend Charles Fish is appointed and serves as Minister, Milton Wesleyan Methodist Church |
| 1852 | Milton Wesleyan Methodist Church, often known as our “original chapel” is built just west of our present site. | |
| 1854 - 1856 | Reverend John Hunt is appointed and serves as Minister, Milton Wesleyan Methodist Church | |
| 1856 - 1857 | Reverend John Low is appointed and serves as Minister, Milton Wesleyan Methodist Church | |
| 1857 - 1859 | Reverend Francis Coleman is appointed and serves as Minister, Milton Wesleyan Methodist Church | |
 | 1859 - 1861 | Reverend George Goodson is appointed and serves as Minister, Milton Wesleyan Methodist Church |
| 1861 | Parsonage (manse) completed at James and Victoria Streets at a cost of 1400 pounds. | |
 | 1862 - 1864 | Reverend John Williams is appointed and serves as Minister, Milton Wesleyan Methodist Church |
| 1864 - 1867 | Reverend J.E. Betts is appointed and serves as Minister, Milton Wesleyan Methodist Church | |
 | 1867 - 1870 | Reverend W.S. Blackstock is appointed and serves as Minister, Milton Wesleyan Methodist Church |
| 1870 - 1873 | Reverend T.W. Jeffrey is appointed and serves as Minister, Milton Wesleyan Methodist Church | |
| 1873 - 1876 | Reverend James Gray is appointed and serves as Minister, Milton Wesleyan Methodist Church | |
 | 1876 - 1879 | Reverend George Richardson is appointed and serves as Minister, Milton Wesleyan Methodist Church |
| 1879 | Trustees pay $900 for Main Street lots on which our church now stands. | |
 | 1879 - 1882 | Reverend James Preston is appointed and serves as Minister, Milton Wesleyan Methodist Church |
 | 1882 - 1885 | Reverend D.L. Brethour is appointed and serves as Minister, Milton Wesleyan Methodist Church |
 | 1885 - 1888 | Reverend A.E. Russ is appointed and serves as Minister, Milton Wesleyan Methodist Church |
 | 1888 - 1891 | Reverend Dr. George Clark is appointed and serves as Minister, Milton Wesleyan Methodist Church |
 | 1891 - | New Milton Wesleyan Methodist Church constructed at 123 Main Street East (now St. Paul's United Church sanctuary). The cost – $18,000 – was $6,000 above the original estimate. |
 | 1891 - 1894 | Reverend John Pickering is appointed and serves as Minister, Milton Wesleyan Methodist Church |
| 1892 | A new pipe organ was installed with a water-powered pump. | |
 | 1894 - 1896 | Reverend George Mitchell is appointed and serves as Minister, Milton Wesleyan Methodist Church |
 | 1896 - 1899 | Reverend D.W. Snider is appointed and serves as Minister, Milton Wesleyan Methodist Church |
| 1899 - 1901 | Reverend George Richardson is appointed and serves as Minister, Milton Wesleyan Methodist Church |
 | 1901 - 1904 | Reverend J.W. Cooley is appointed and serves as Minister, Milton Wesleyan Methodist Church |
 | 1904 - 1908 | Reverend C.T. Bennett is appointed and serves as Minister, Milton Wesleyan Methodist Church |
| 1908 - 1911 | Reverend William Smythe is appointed and serves as Minister, Milton Wesleyan Methodist Church | |
 | 1911 - 1912 | Reverend D.S. Houck is appointed and serves as Minister, Milton Wesleyan Methodist Church |
 | 1912 - 1915 | Reverend Martin J. Wilson is appointed and serves as Minister, Milton Wesleyan Methodist Church |
 | 1915 - 1918 | Reverend C.D. Draper is appointed and serves as Minister, Milton Wesleyan Methodist Church |
| 1916 | The congregation burns the mortgage on our present sanctuary. The congregation dedicates the memorial window panel across the back of the sanctuary in memory of seven soldiers killed in the First World War: J. Watts Archer, Alfred C. Bastedo, Meacham Denyes, Cedric Harrop, Roland A. Merrett, Elmer Tuck and Fred Walsh. |
|
 | 1918 - 1922 | Reverend A.E. Marshall is appointed and serves as Minister, Milton Wesleyan Methodist Church |
 | 1922 - 1925 | Reverend T.H. Bole is appointed and serves as the last Minister of Milton Wesleyan Methodist Church |
| 1925 | Some 450 members of our Methodist congregation and more than 100 members of Knox Presbyterian come together to form Milton United Church. | |
 | 1925 - 1929 | Reverend N.A. Hurlbut is appointed and serves as the first Minister of St. Paul's United Church |
| 1929 | The pews in our church are declared “free and unappropriated”. This meant that pews were available without cost on the basis of “first come, first served”, whereas previously members could rent their “own” pews. | |
 | 1929 - 1932 | Reverend J.W. Aikins is appointed and serves as Minister, St. Paul's United Church |
| 1931 | At a morning service members voted 83 to 42 in favour of allowing women to sit on the session, which was the equivalent of our Church Council. | |
 | 1932 - 1937 | Reverend Adam B. Irwin is appointed and serves as Minister, St. Paul's United Church |
| 1934 | Because of serious money problems, a financial committee is formed to supervise the weekly offerings. | |
| 1936 | The Ladies Aid provides $1300 to redecorate the church. | |
| 1938 | The Ladies Aid provides $400 to reduce the church mortgage. | |
 | 1938 - 1940 | Reverend Gordon W. Porter is appointed and serves as Minister, St. Paul's United Church |
| 1940 | Rev. Gordon Porter is granted leave of absence to serve as an RCAF chaplain. | |
 | 1940 - 1945 | Reverend J.B. Moore is appointed and serves as Minister, St. Paul's United Church |
| 1942 - Sept | To save fuel and electricity the evening services are moved from the sanctuary to the Church School Room. | |
| 1942 - Nov | Arrangements made with Knox Church for joint evening services – December and February in St. Paul’s School Room; January and March in Knox School Room. | |
| 1943 | Financial situation is much improved. Ladies Aid makes final payment on church mortgage. | |
| 1945 - 1947 | Reverend Gordon W. Porter is appointed and serves as Minister, St. Paul's United Church |
| 1946 | Memorial service honours the nine members of St. Paul’s who died fighting in the Second World War: John R. Clements, Kenneth A. Coxe, William A. Coxe, Earle Dolby, Roger H. Galbraith, David E. Harrop, T. Jack MacArthur, Donald S. McNabb, and Gordon K. McLennan. | |
 | 1948 - 1955 | Reverend J.L. Blair is appointed and serves as Minister, St. Paul's United Church |
 | 1955 - 1967 | Reverend J. Lorne Graham is appointed and serves as Minister, St. Paul's United Church |
| 1962 | St. Paul's United Church Christian Education Centre opens | |
 | 1967 - 1974 | Reverend Charles A. Hainer is appointed and serves as Minister, St. Paul's United Church |
 | 1975 - 1978 | Reverend W. Lorne Brown is appointed and serves as Minister, St. Paul's United Church |
 | 1977 - 1987 | Reverend George Lewis is appointed and serves as Visiting Minister, St. Paul's United Church |
 | 1978 - 1979 | Reverend James L. McFadden is appointed and serves as Supply Minister, St. Paul's United Church |
 | 1979 - 1986 | Reverend E.T. Jack Birtch is appointed and serves as Minister, St. Paul's United Church |
 | 1986 - 1987 | Reverend R.E. Ted Black is appointed and serves as Interim Minister, St. Paul's United Church |
 | 1987 - 1999 | Reverend Robert Hyde is appointed and serves as Minister, St. Paul's United Church |
 | 1989 - 1997 | Reverend Elaine Longland is appointed and serves as Second Minister, St. Paul's United Church |
 | 1997 - 1998 | Reverend Ronald Hunt is appointed and serves as Part-time Minister, St. Paul's United Church |
 | 1998 - 2011 | Reverend John Benham is appointed and serves as Minister, St. Paul's United Church |
 | 1999 - 2001 | Reverend Dr. John Ambrose is appointed and serves as Interim Minister, St. Paul's United Church |
 | 2001 - 2006 | Reverend Gerry Hofstetter is appointed and serves as Minister, St. Paul's United Church |
 | 2006 - 2011 | Reverend Gaylyn McLean is appointed and serves as Voluntary Associate Minister, St. Paul's United Church |
 | 2008 - 2009 | Reverend Elaine Beattie is appointed and serves as Interim Minister, St. Paul's United Church |
 | 2008 - 2014 | Cameron Fraser is appointed and serves as Staff Associate, Designated Lay Minister, St. Paul's United Church |
 | 2009 - 2011 | Reverend Sarah Fanning is appointed and serves as Second Minister, St. Paul's United Church |
| 2010 | St. Paul's United Church sanctuary is heavily damaged by fire | |
 | 2011 - 2014 | Reverend Michelle Hogman is appointed and serves as Transitional Minister, St. Paul's United Church |
| 2014 | St. Paul's United Church sanctuary and St. Paul's United Church Christian Education Centre re-open following extensive renovations, the latter re-opening as St. Paul's Community Building | |
 | 2015 - 2017 | Reverend Tyler Powell is appointed and serves as Minister, St. Paul's United Church |
 | 2015 - 2017 | Carol Hyde is appointed and serves as Licensed Lay Worship Leader, St. Paul's United Church |
| 2017 - 2018 | Reverend Dr. John Ambrose is appointed and serves as Interim Minister, St. Paul's United Church |
 | 2018 - 2021 | Reverend Dr. Dale Skinner is appointed and serves as Minister, St. Paul's United Church |
 | 2021 | Reverend John Smith is appointed and serves as Interim Minister, St. Paul's United Church |
 | 2021 - 2022 | Reverend Ken MacDonald is appointed and serves as Interim Minister, St. Paul's United Church |
 | 2022- | Reverend Christina Crawford is appointed and serves as Minister, St. Paul's United Church |