Amalgamation: Ingoldsby and Haliburton United Churches

Ingoldsby United Church Closes

Closure Timeline

  • Decision to close and amalgamate: On November 12, 2023, the Ingoldsby United Church congregation voted to close the church and amalgamate with Haliburton United Church.
  • Vote to amalgamate: The Haliburton congregation voted unanimously in favour of amalgamation on December 3, 2023.
  • Announcement: The decisions were announced on December 5, 2023 (the letter is reproduced below).
  • Closing service: Ingoldby’s closing church service was held December 31, 2023 (a link to the YouTube recording is below).
  • Ratification of amalgamation: The decision by Ingoldsby and Haliburton United Churches to amalgamate was ratified by the Pastoral Charge’s governing body, the East Central Ontario Regional Council of the United Church of Canada (ECORC).
  • Decommissioning: Ingoldsby United Church held its Service of Decommissioning on March 22, 2024, celebrating the church’s nearly 100 years of service.
  • Sale: Ingoldsby United Church was sold in April 2024.

Announcement

Haliburton Pastoral Charge

December 5, 2023

With sadness the Ingoldsby United Church congregation met on November 12 and voted to close the church permanently at the end of the year. Ingoldsby also voted to amalgamate with Haliburton United Church.

On December 3, the Haliburton congregation met and voted unanimously in favour of amalgamation.

Ingoldsby, Haliburton and Lochlin United Churches have comprised the Haliburton Pastoral Charge for decades, and so Ingoldsby’s vote to amalgamate with a sister church was a natural next step.

The churches’ decision will need to be ratified by the Pastoral Charge’s governing body, the East Central Ontario Regional Council of the United Church of Canada (ECORC). Many details must be worked out in the next few months.

This has been a difficult time with difficult decisions, but our hope and trust are firmly in our Lord Jesus who alone is our Rock in stormy times.

Ingoldsby United Church has been a witness to Christ and a gathering place for his people for almost 100 years. We in the Haliburton Pastoral Charge are thankful to have had a part in this mission and ministry.

The final service at Ingoldsby will be held, fittingly, on the final day of the year – New Year’s Eve. Lochlin and Haliburton will not hold services that day.

We invite everyone to join us at Ingoldsby for a joint service and lunch on Sunday, December 31 to close out this momentous year and honour the legacy of this remarkable church. The event begins with music and carols at 9:30 a.m. followed by the service at 10 a.m. and lunch afterward.

Please pray that the word of the Lord will continue to go forth through Lochlin and Haliburton as we seek ‘to know Christ and make him known’.

To watch Ingoldsby United Church’s closing service click here.