Centreville Memorial United Church is located in the rural community of Centreville, Ontario, north of Hwy 401 off the Camden East Rd exit. The red brick church can be found on Centreville Rd.
Centreville church building is centrally situated in the hamlet of Centreville on an attractive lot with ample parking spaces. The present brick structure was completed in 1948 following the destruction of the former church by fire in 1945.
In 1967 the United Church decided to close many of the smaller rural churches. As a result, both Reidville and Desmond joined the Centreville congregation.
In recent years a new steeple, roof, furnace and sound system have been welcome additions.
Church committees are Session, Trustees and Finance Committee, Anniversary, and Centreville Fall Fair Booth Committee. The Session works with our minister to plan worship and make decisions regarding our church work.
The Trustess and Finance committee looks after the finances and the upkeep of the church. We have recently replaced the furnace and oil tank, which was completely paid for by donations and fundraising.
Our major fundraiser is the Church Booth at the Centreville Fair, held on Labour Day weekend every year. Other fundraisers include a free-will ham supper, and a yard, bake and plant sale. Church members and many community people, who don’t attend worship services, help out with these events.
If someone is in need, we try to get money to him or her as soon as possible, as part of our outreach.
There is an active UCW group.
Sunday services are at 9:30am with Sunday School during the service.
Community of Centreville: Past and Present
The first settlers to the area were four farm families in 1815. By 1830 a hotel had been built and the settlement was known as ‘Whelan’s Corners’. Next, a log school house (still standing about two km west of the hamlet’s main intersection) and the Catholic Church (two km south) were built. Two churches were built in 1845 and 1849 and, when granted a post office address in 1849, the hamlet became Centreville. In 1850, when townships were granted government status, Camden East Township started holding its council meetings in Centreville. The present township hall was built in 1905 with renovations and additions over time. A mainstay of the community was the founding of the Centreville Agricultural Society in 1853 and by 1919 it took on county status when the Addington Fall Fair moved to Centreville from Tamworth. You can still visit the Fair any Labour Day weekend, a main community event.
The hamlet lacked a water, lake or river source and, when the rail service went south through Camden East, the hamlet started to decline. Along with this were three major fires which destroyed much of the settlement, including three hotels. Most of the destroyed buildings were not rebuilt.
Today it is a community of commuters and retirees who live alongside several of the original farm families, still working in dairy, beef, cash crop and/or organic fruits and vegetables.
The hamlet lacked a water, lake or river source and, when the rail service went south through Camden East, the hamlet started to decline. Along with this were three major fires which destroyed much of the settlement, including three hotels. Most of the destroyed buildings were not rebuilt.
Today it is a community of commuters and retirees who live alongside several of the original farm families, still working in dairy, beef, cash crop and/or organic fruits and vegetables.
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