In the early 1890’s a group of people started house groups in Penwortham where they met together to worship God, engage with the Bible and the challenges of life in their day. By the end of the decade there were sufficient numbers in the house groups for them to organise the building of a mission, achieved by fund raising and their own labour.
The mission, affectionately know as the Tin Tabernacle, was built on land near to A J Busfields, off Liverpool Road and is commemorated in a stained glass window at the rear of the church. In 1910 the mission became a church within the Lancashire Congregational Union. Then, in 1929, the present church premises were opened.
Until 1930 the church had no minister to lead worship or give the pastoral care required so it relied upon visiting ministers, lay preachers and its own leaders to take on these responsibilities.
In 1930 Rev’d. Wilfred Gregory was invited to become the first minister and continued in the role until 1947. Most recently, for 8 years until the end of February 2018 the Rev’d David Coaker has been the sixth person to minister to the needs of Penwortham URC.
In the 1960’s it was seen that the present premises could not cater for the needs of the church so it was agreed that the main hall, ancillary rooms as well as a new entrance hall with toilet facilities and a small kitchen should be added to the property. Eventually in 1972 the full extension was officially opened.
Also in 1972 the United Reformed Church was formed through the amalgamation of the Presbyterian Church of England and the Congregational Church in England and Wales. In 1981 it also united with the Re-formed Association of Churches of Christ and in 2000 with the Congregational Union of Scotland
In 2014 Penwortham URC became part of the new Central Lancashire Group Pastorate made up of 4 congregations at Fulwood, Kirkham, Leyland and Penwortham within the Lancashire Area of the North Western Synod.
More recently, in 2018, we became part of a further re-organisation by the URC North Western Synod into the South Lancashire Missional Partnership Group, now comprising churches in Adlington, Chorley, Leyland, Longridge and Penwortham and we are also part of Churches Together in Penwortham