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History of Wesley Castle Hill Church

Our Heritage

Highlights of the life of Castle Hill Methodist and The Wesley Uniting Church at Castle Hill
In 1903, the Parramatta Methodist Church (then considered to be in the country) in faith, began Sunday Services in a timber Lodge Hall that stood in the present Arthur Whitling Park at Castle Hill.

By 1909 the Hall had been purchased and moved to 268 Old Northern Rd to become The Methodist Church. It was enlarged and an attractive, new brick church was opened in 1935, two years after Castle Hill Circuit was formed in 1933. The circuit included established churches at South Baulkham Hills (opposite The Willows) and North Baulkham Hills (now the Chinese Alliance Church) as well as monthly services in the Memorial Hall at Kellyville (then on the corner of Memorial Avenue). The ministers were housed in rented premises until 1953 when a Parsonage was built at 29 Showground Rd.

Ladies Church Aid, Christian Endeavour, Order of Knights, Girls' Comrades, Prayer meetings, Fetes, Concerts and other events prospered. Post World War II development in the district enabled a two storey brick hall to be erected on the same site in 1965; however traffic noise from the main road and the problem of car parking spaces led to a search for a larger site.

The Castle Hill Circuit was led by twelve different ministers from 1933 until 1968. Then with another huge leap of faith and hard work the present complex was dedicated in November 1972.  The Rev Roy Salway presided over the construction of the Wesley Complex. His successor, the Rev Neville Arthur, presided over the change from Methodist to The Uniting Church in Australia. Soon Castle Hill UCA stood alone with its own minister. In 1992 a generous bequest enabled extensive additions to be undertaken at Wesley.

The Centenary of the Castle Hill Methodist and Uniting Church at Castle Hill was celebrated in 2003, led by an enthusiastic committee. A book was published and work began on the four-section Wall Hanging to mark the event, now used for most of the year, with other banners for special seasons. In 2012 we celebrated the 40th anniversary of the building on its present site.

With the continuing development of the district and its commercial centre, Wesley Uniting Church is ready to meet the needs of an expanding population.   May God grant our congregation the faith, strength and trust to move forward into the future as the generations before us have done.

 

Updated 20th January 2022