www.insidehalton.com |OAKVILLE BEAVER |Thursday, June 8, 2017 |1 4 Palermo United Church celebrates its own 150th by Marta Marychuk Oakville Beaver Staff Palermo United Church will be celebrating its 150th anniversary in the community on Sunday June 11. "This is a country church that is being swallowed by a city" says Glenn MacPherson, a Congregational Lay Leader with Palermo United Church for the past 10 years. To the south, new homes are going up, and Dundas Street is expanding -- gradually encroaching on the front yard of the church. But little of the church' s original structure has changed. It still uses well water. But what goes on inside the church is a different story -- as MacPherson explains how Palermo United Church has changed over time. Charles Hager, whose father was the founder of Hagersville, Ont, started the church, located on the northeast corner of Dundas Street and Bronte Road. Methodists in the area first began gathering for services in the Hager home in 1812, according to church records. In 1815, Hager built a small log structure two miles in the spot that became known as Palermo Village. Church records say the area was originally known as Hagerston. The existing building was constructed in 1867. It' s likely the brick-wall church took a From left,Glenn MacPherson has been a Congregational Lay leader at Palermo United Church for the past 10 years. Palermo United Church's stained-glass windows were refur bished by the Town of Oakville through its Heritage Fund. The church, built 150 years ago, features a cathedral ceiling, with phenomenal acoustics. | submitted photos year to build. MacPherson says Hager' s funeral was held in the church -- just after it opened. The place of worship was one of a handful of buildings in the area including a store, tavern and post office. "We're one of the buildings that was here in the beginning," adds MacPherson. In the early years, Methodist circuit riding preachers held services there. The church' s cemetery is shared with St. Luke' s Anglican Church, also on Dundas Street. Palermo United Church was built on a rubble foundation, says MacPherson. With the exception of a stage, all the woodwork in the church is original. see Church on p.16 Need directions to your financial destination? M a rc N utford Financial Advisor 2387Trafalgar Road Unit E2 Oakville, ON L6H 6K7 905-822-2023 www.edwardjones.com/marc-nutfo rd Member - Canadian Investor Protection Fund C H EC K OUT TH E N EW LO O K ( A c r o s s f r o m t u a f a l g a u g o s t a t io n ) 217 c ro s s ave OPEN DAILY FROM 11AM E d w a rd jo n e s M A K IN G S E N S E O F IN V E S T IN G Great food, Great people, Great new look Pod H eaters! It's what we do! Voted Best Accountant by Oakville Beaver Readers for 10 Consecutive Years Sotvirtg S o lv i problems Proble Sirt.ce. 1982 1 Since Read our clients reviews · A cc o u n tin g · A u d itin g · T a x a tio n R ick y W ong CPA, CA, M BA, B. E ng WE S E R V IC E & C A R R Y P A R TS FOR: TD LAARS, JANDY, HAYWARD, RAYPAK, PENTAIR, MINI MAX, STA-RITE Manufacturer Trained Service Technicians For more information please check our website www.rickywong.ca 1200 Speers Rd., Unit 32, Oakville, Ont. L 6L 2X 4 (905) 845 -1 4 0 8 | Fax (905) 845 - 5 9 3 1 1ricky@rickywong.ca Experiertce is the D/fferertce 250,000 BTU POOL HEATER For $1799.00 w w w .gasfixrepair.Hom eStars.com | Email: scott@ gasfix.ca | 905-845-0701