While the records for the next fifty years apparently were lost in the fire of 1919, other information shows that by 1910 a circuit had been formed of Oromocto, Burton, Shirley and Lincoln, with Oromocto head of the circuit. The minister boarded at various homes in the community until a manse was built in 1914. Late in September, 1919 a fire, originating in the old Smith Mill and driven by high winds, swept through Oromocto, destroying most of the town including all the churches. The people of Oromocto were not easily discouraged - it wasn’t long before the churches were again under construction. On Sunday, December 26, 1920, a new church was dedicated. Reverend George M. Young, D.D. was President of the Methodist Conference at that time and conducted the service of dedication. Reverend Young also attended the Dedication Service of the present church in 1961 at the spry old age of ninety-four.
From 1920, many changes took place. In 1925, the local Methodist Church became part of the union of Congregational, Methodist and Presbyterian churches that formed the United Church of Canada. In the depression years extra preaching points were added to the charge. The mill closed down, causing unemployment and a decrease in the population of Oromocto. It wasn’t until 1943, however, that Oromocto ceased to be the head of a charge. At that time the church hit a low which necessitated it becoming part of the Gagetown charge. The parsonage in Oromocto was rented and the minister came twice a month from Gagetown to preach.
With the establishment of Camp Gagetown in the early fifties, Fredericton Presbytery deemed it necessary in 1956 to make Oromocto a charge on its own again. Reverend Ron Smith, B.A., B.D. became minister of the newly constituted charge. He, his wife Edna and their two sons, David and Peter, moved into the newly renovated manse.
The years that followed saw phenomenal changes. The population of Oromocto grew from 700 in 1956 to 13 000 in 1960. The old village was removed and a new ‘model’ town was built, including Canada’s first shopping mall. The Oromocto United Church, more than adequate before, now felt the thrill of being too small. Temporary measures were taken to help alleviate the situation – a hall was built at the back of the church and the doors between the church and the old Sunday school room were removed to give added space for worship, but quickly this was filled to overflowing. It became obvious that even this would not suffice. In 1959, a piece of land on the corner of Mitchell Street and MacDonald Avenue was bought and plans were made to build a new church.
When Reverend Ron Smith left Oromocto in August, 1961 Reverend Norm R. Estey became the new pastor. In 1962 a new manse was built adjacent to the new church on Winnebago Street. The Lincoln congregation became a part of the Vanier Pastoral Charge in 1967, and Burton was added to Oromocto to form the present Oromocto Pastoral Charge.
Reverend Estey served the Oromocto community until Christmas, 1972. Reverend Stewart Russell received the call and began his ministry in our church in 1973. Reverend Russell, his wife Betty and their three children John, Ruth and Miriam remained until the summer of 1975. It was then that Reverend Russell was called to Prince Edward Island to continue his ministry.
In September, 1975, Reverend Harold King, his wife Marilyn and their two sons, Harold Jr. and David, joined our Oromocto United Church family and began a productive ministry. On June 7, 1981, the final mortgage payment of the capital cost of $149 000 was made for the new church and manse, thanks to the generosity of the Home Mission Board, local contributions and grants as well as the untiring efforts of the United Church Women and the A.O.T.S. Men’s Club.
Reverend King and his family left Oromocto in the summer of 1983 at which time we welcomed Reverend Darryl Metzler. His booming laugh still resonates throughout our sanctuary and hall. Reverend Metzler retired from ministry in December 1992 and, in late spring of 1993, Reverend Susan Estabrooks became Oromocto United Church’s first female minister. She continued her ministry until the summer of 1999 when she was called to preach in Huntington, Quebec.
At this time Margie Patterson and her husband Will joined us. Living at Grand Lake, she initiated the sale of our church manse. She completed her contract and, in 2006, she was replaced by Reverend Robert McDowell. Living in the village of Gagetown with his wife Pat, Reverend McDowell ministered to the congregations of Oromocto and Pine Grove United Churches until 2014.
From October, 2013 to October, 2014, we were blessed with a plethora of supply ministers, many from Base Gagetown’s St. Luke’s Chapel. Reverend Lisa Greenwood guided us spiritually until Reverend Lori Beth Sheffield-Bowles was called to begin her ministry with us on Thanksgiving Sunday, October 12th, 2014.