Richmond Hill Presbyterian Church was founded in 1817 and has the honour of being one of the oldest churches in Upper Canada. Only four others proceed us: Niagara-on-the-Lake (1791), Williamstown (1794), Bath (1797), and Brockville (1811).

Our church formed the hub of a wheel, stretching from Oshawa to Oakville and from Lake Ontario to Lake Simcoe. In this large area Reverend William Jenkins, our first minister, laboured, preaching the gospel to little groups of pioneers, organizing congregations, administering the sacrament, baptizing, marrying and burying in a parish of several counties.

The first services were held in the open forest with a large stump serving as a pulpit. A wooden church building was started in 1819 and completed in 1821. On January 15, 1880 the congregation voted to build a new church. Cornerstones were laid on July 1, 1880 and after several construction delays the new church was opened on May 24, 1881.

The church is a Gothic structure of light coloured brick with a decorative red brick design. (the original colours of the brick can be seen under the skylight of the addition opened in 1979.) Situated on the crest of the hill, the square four-spired tower, 110 feet tall, is clearly visible for several miles in all directions. The circular stained glass “Rose” window below the tower is best viewed from the inside, at the foot of the gallery stairs. The wheel effect of the glazing serves to remind us of the historical position of Richmond Hill. The new stained glass window above the front door was dedicated on June 27, 1961 in honour of the founders of the church.

A division in the congregation occurred in 1925 as a result of the decision of the General Assembly to unite with Congregationalists and the Methodists to form the United Church of Canada. At this time the church became known as St. Paul’s United Church. In December, 1926 the congregation voted to return to the Presbyterian Church. The first service in the recovered church was held on January 2, 1927. Members of the congregation who had voted for union joined the congregation of St. John’s United Church, now known as Richmond Hill United Church.

In 2017 Richmond Hill Presbyterian Church celebrated its 200th anniversary with a special ceremony attended by local politicians and ministers from other churches.