History of Riverside United Church

The original building of Yarker Wesleyan Methodist Church on Wilton Circuit was erected in 1868 by the Saul Brothers of Cameden East. Before the erection of the church, services were held in the local stone schoolhouse. which still stands, and is the residence of Mr. Card (1946).

Thirty-one years later in 1899, during the ministry of Rev. Charles Adams, an addition was made to the church and a memorial window installed led by E.W. Benjamin, in memory of his deceased wife.

Eighteen years later, in 1917, during the First World War, at the time when Rev. G.M. Sharpe was conducting meetings and Rev. J.F. Everson was the minister, a frame building was erected alongside the Church for the purpose of Young People's work and Prayer Meetings and entertainments; this was called the League Hall.

On July 14th, 1938, shortly after the church had been redecorated and electricity installed, lightning struck the steeple and soon the whole building was on fire, and in a few hours only the stone walls were standing. But the League Hall was saved and during the next eight years all the services were held there except for the winter of 1938/39 when the Church of England shared their church with rhe United Church congregation.

During the early years when Yarker was part of the Wilton Circuit, two ministers served the field. Rev. Bates was the first minister of the Yarker Circuit formed at the time of the Methodist Union in 1884. Rev. G.T. McKenzie served on the circuit at the time of Church Union in 1924 and his term was the longest on record ( as of 1946) in all, eleven years.

The League Hall was sold and moved to Harrowsmith where it was made into a dwelling.

On Tuesday, June 25th. 1946, at three o'clock in the afternoon the conerstone of the new United Church in Yarker was laid. The minister was Rev. W.G. Fletcher.

The old stone church is now privately owned.

The Episcopal Methodist or "White Church" at the cemetary, was taken down and re-built at Petworth in 1891 to take the place of the one destroyed by fire. This same church was later moved to Yarker, (no date given in book) after the Yarker church, too, was burned.