Fonds - Lakeshore Free Methodist Church fonds

The Lakeshore Free Methodist Church held its first meeting on February 4, 1979 at Grant Sine School. Before the opening of the church, local Free Methodists had met for a weekly Bible study on Thursday evenings. It was these same local Free Methodists who petitioned the Church to plant a church in Cobourg.

Initially, Dave Dyer of Oshawa and William White of Warkworth, the pastors of Cobourg’s two nearest Free Methodist churches, took turns leading worship until a fulltime pastor was found. The first person to occupy that position was Chris Holmes, who served as pastor from 1979 to 1980. Rev. Holmes was succeeded by the following men and owmen as pastor: David Dyer (1980-1986), William Rowe (1986-1987), Mike Smeltzer (1987-1988), Jim Pegg (1988-1989), Herb Van Essen (1984-1994), Randy Williams (19941998), and Lynn Phipps (1998).

Following Rev. Phipps’ resignation in 1998, Revs. Rick Hamilton and Raymond Hartman led services and offered practical assistance to the Lakeshore congregation until the latter closed its doors. On February 13, 2000 the New Life (Lakeshore) Church Meeting Society voted for the closure of the society.