Avondale United Church has been a cornerstone of the Tillsonburg community for more than 175 years. The congregation first gathered in Temperance Hall in 1847, even before a church building was constructed. Thanks to land donated by George Tillson in 1849, a wooden frame church opened its doors in 1855, complete with the bell that still rings today. Shared by Anglican, Baptist, and Presbyterian congregations, Avondale grew quickly, and in 1882 a new church was commissioned with major support from benefactor John Scott, who named it after his birthplace in Avondale, Scotland. Dedicated in December 1886 with central heating and room for hundreds of worshippers, the church still features its original stained-glass windows and pipe organ, installed in 1888. With church union in 1925, Avondale became Avondale United Church, expanding over the decades to include a basement in 1928 for Sunday School and, later, Cuthbertson Hall in 1968. Recognized as Tillsonburg’s oldest religious structure, Avondale was designated a Heritage building in 1981. More recently, it has been strengthened through uniting with Zion United in Ostrander (1995) and Brownsville and Delmer United Churches (2011), continuing its long tradition of faith, community, and service.