Zion Presbyterian Church

1046 Torrance Road, Torrance, Ontario P0C 1M0

 Rev. Darren May

The congregation will be celebrating 104 years of service as in the community in 2020.

Highlights of Zion History:

The Presbyterian Church in Torrance began without any church building. Its beginnings were to be found in the old log schoolhouse in which a Sunday School was started near the end of the nineteenth century. Students from Knox College, coming to serve in the Bala charge in the summer, started Sunday morning services in the log schoolhouse. During the winter months, services were held in people’s homes.

In 1915 a lot was acquired from Mr. William Jestin, and a plan procured for the building of the “Cottage Church.” The entire community was canvassed to raise funds and in this the ladies of the district played no small part. Besides money, many people gave materials and donated their labour, including summer residents and tourists as well as local people.

The work was started in the fall of 1915. The building was completed the following August. On Sunday, August 6th, 1916, the new church was dedicated, the service was taken by the Superintendent Of Missions for Northern Ontario, Reverend J. D. Byrnes, B.A. B.D.

 Quick Facts

1875 – 1882 Sunday School first organized in Torrance. 1915 Knox College Student, William Geddes, helps organize church building program.  1916 Zion building erected and dedicated.       1917 A camp heater was installed to permit winter services.1918 First communion conducted, Rev’d J.A. MacDonald presiding. 1930 Electricity was installed.1937 The first wedding conducted, Norman Blanchard and Isabel Dodd, by Rev’d Nelles. 1949 A coal furnace was in stalled, converted to oil in 1954. 1949 Torrance assigned to Bala-Port Carling pastoral charge. 1965-66 Sunday School rooms added to added to the church building. 1975 Indoor washroom installed. 1992 Building is sided, new windows installed, belfry repaired. 2007 Sunday School expansion project completed.