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There is no accurate date for the first organization of the Munn’s congregation. What we do know is that, in July 1803, the first tree was cut by settler Daniel Munn to create a farm at what would later be called Munn’s Corners (Sixth Line and Highway #5). Tradition has it that the congregation was founded in 1823 at Daniel Munn’s home, but a reference in a letter dated November 1817 and the existence of the Munn’s Cemetery across Highway 5 from the church suggest that there was already some kind of Methodist religious community from which the Munn’s congregation was born.
Jordan Munn, son of Daniel, donated the land for the erection of a church building (the present site of Munn’s United Church) and a wooden church was dedicated in October 1844. The only description of the original wooden church building is a photograph of it taken fifty years after it was built. On the porch of this structure stands another son of Daniel who had rejoiced in the name King Henry Munn! Land was eventually also donated for a parsonage and the congregation was called “Parsonage Church” for the next forty years until the name “Munn’s” re-appeared in 1885. With the union of the Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregationalist churches in 1925, the United Church of Canada came into being and the congregation officially became Munn’s United Church.
In 1898 a new brick church building was dedicated, costing the then enormous sum of $3000. It was “state of the art”, with a basement, gallery and acetylene gas lighting. The extension of the choir loft occurred in 1920. In the mid-1970s the Province announced its intention to widen Highway #5 and in subsequent negotiation with Munn’s agreed to move the church building back 40 feet, build a new basement, dig a new well, build a new septic system, duplicate the Memorial Garden, as well as to demolish and remove the manse, creating a parking lot in its place and contributing $75,000 to the building of a manse in another location. The growth of the Munn’s congregation and the shortage of space initiated the building of the present Church Hall, Sunday school and church offices in 1989. Explosive growth in the area of North Oakville and yet another proposed widening of Highway #5 has initiated significant congregational dreaming about Munn’s future both about how it might reshape its identity and also what type of building this future congregation will require for sustaining its active Christian ministry in the emerging North Oakville neighbourhoods.
During its history Munn’s has been associated with several other pastoral charges representing north Oakville preaching sites of the old Methodist “Trafalgar Preaching Circuit”: Munn’s, Wesley and Sheridan. Sheridan left the circuit in the early 60’s to re-form as Sheridan-Park Royal. The congregation of Wesley amalgamated with Munn’s and many of its beautiful furnishings were integrated into the Munn’s sanctuary. Further, in 1963 Halton Presbytery approved the beginning of work in North Oakville for the formation of another congregation that was subsequently named “Trinity” planned to be located on a lot owned by the Trafalgar pastoral charge. Trinity’s building was completed in 1981. By 1985 the Trinity congregation needed its own full-time minister and the old Trafalgar pastoral charge was officially split with Munn’s and Trinity agreeing to enter their futures separately.
Some pictures and information can be found at the Oakville Heritage Trails Website