. thirty years. Mrs. McFarlane also acts as organist in the Annandale Baptist

1 ln Annandale United, Mrs. Bernice McFarlane has been the organist for l Church. i

DUNDAS UNITED CHURCH DUNDAS

t came from the Isle of Skye and included sixteen families of Presbyterian back- ground. These sixteen families met for services in their houses for the next five

5 3 In 1840 the first settlers located at what is now the Bridgetown area. They t t i years until a church building could be constructed.

The small church building built in Albion Cross in 1845 was served by supply ministers for the next fourteen years. Dundas became a separate charge in 1859 and obtained their first minister in 1862. The minister, Rev. Allan MacLean, pur- chased a farm in Cumberland Hill because the congregation could not afford to pay an adequate stipend. The house he erected was used as the manse.

The present structure in Dundas was built during this time. The lumber and most of the labor were contributed. Other expenses were not easily met. Two of

the women used their labor and several sheep’s fleeces to produce shirts and trousers for sale at Vickerson’s store, proceeds of the sale going to purchase nails to be used in building the church. The new structure was dedicated in 1870

‘although the interior was not finished until several years later. Planks and benches were later replaced with pews.

Rev. MacLean resigned in 1877. Problems in obtaining a minister continued until the charge was united with Cardigan in 1882. In 1888 the two separated but it was 1893 before a minister was inducted in Dundas. Rev. John Gillis was also the first to occupy the new manse which was built near the church.

In 1898 the Annandale Presbyterian Church united with Dundas. The _ Churches continued as a Presbyterian charge until, in 1925, the Bridgetown ‘ Methodist Church united with them to form the Dundas United Church.

. in 1945 the church celebrated it’s 100th year of existence. In 1949 ex- itensive repairs to the church building were made and in 1962 a new bungalow istyle manse was completed. In 1965 St. David’s United, Georgetown, and gDundas-Annandale together formed the Central Kings Pastoral Charge. The 1 present minister is Rev. Doreen Wilson.

, One notable item mentioned in connection with the earlier years of the gDundas Church was that services were occasionally held in both Gaelic and. §English Norman Matheson, Forest Hill recalls these services were sometimes

held outside with benches being placed below the trees that the surrounded the building.

. Mrs. Kay Clay had been the organist in Dundas United Church for many it’ears. Ruth Acorn is the present organist.

37

WWW“..-