On March 9, 1857 Joseph O'Brien deeded a parcel of land in London Township, Upper Canada, to Siloam Methodist Church. A building was erected on the site and used until it burned near the end of the century. It was replaced with
the building still in use at a cost of $3,367.00. The multiple-point charge went through several changes until Siloam United Church became a one-point charge in 1965.

As the city expanded the little church experienced considerable growth. In 1968 a nearby school was purchased with two buildings and 3.5 acres of land for use as a Christian Education and fellowship centre.

Another boom in the past decade, along with developments such as the nearby Masonville Shopping Mall have planners predicting a population increase in the area of 25,000 by 1997. The congregation and the New Church Development
Committee of Middlesex Presbytery made plans to respond to this challenge to evangelism.

In June 1986, Mabel Sproule, a relative by marriage of Joseph O'Brien, offered to donate four acres of land on Fan
shawe Park Road for a new church. After numerous meetings of several committees plans were prepared and approved and ground breaking took place on October 4
last year(1987). Work began immediately and the structure is scheduled for completion in July.

The new Siloam United Church will be on one level completely accessible to the handicapped. It will consist of a approximately 17,000 square feet with a sanctuary seating 420, offices for a multiple staff, business offices, nursery, classrooms, a lounge/chapel, kitchen, large narthex, multi-purpose gymnasium and paved parking for 200 cars. The church will be completely air-conditioned and readily accessible by transit.

Total cost of dle new church will $1.2 million with another $300,000 allocated for furnishings including a new Allen organ. The congregation has been very supportive by giving generously to the Building Fund and Memorial Fund and by, investing in local church debentures. Other financing has been obtained from VIM ($300,000 loan) and donations from friends outside the congregation. Short term construction financing has been provided by the United Church Council and the Bank of Nova Scotia. The Christian
Education property has been sold ($325,000) and the old property will be sold by the time the congregation makes the move.

Rapid growth is already being experienced by Siloam Church with December attendance running over 200. The Rev. Ken Martin, pastor of Siloam, reports that the budget for 1988 is more than double the 1987 budget, including a 20%

increase in mission outreach givings.

Included in the transition process the
congregation is experiencing is a purposeful addressing of the issue of grieving as the people prepare to leave the historical and well-loved current church facilities. This is being done as the thesis project for the Doctor of Ministry degree which Martin is taking through the Toronto
School of Theology. It is hoped that the results of this study will eventually be available in book form to provide a guide for other congregations going through a similar experience.

The congregation of Siloam invites all to drive by the project just west of Highbury Ave. on Fanshawe Park Road in London - and to reserve Sunday afternoon, October 16, to attend the dedication service when the Rt. Rev. Clarke MacDonald, former moderator of the United Church of Canada will be the guest speaker.