Early History
The origin of the congregation is obscure. Associated with the Seceders, it is said to have existed before 1769 the year in which a meeting house was erected in Pound Street. The original trustees were John Callwell, Samuel Smiley, James McBride, William McClelland, David Dickie and Samuel Ferris. In 1781 the presbytery encouraged them to form a link with the congregation of Islandmagee (now Second Islandmagee) to call a minister.
After a number of unsuccessful attempts they called a Scotsman, John Nicholson, who was ordained to the joint charge in 1785. As was customary at that time the ordination took place in a field between the Roddens and the old Carncastle Road. The second minister was George McCaughey and during his ministry Gardenmore and Islandmagee became separate congregations in 1827. At the union of the Synods in 1840 Gardenmore became known in official records as "Second Larne". However in 1885 the congregation received permission from the General Assembly to be known as Gardenmore.
The first manse was built in 1862 at a cost of £322 and a new church was erected in 1870 for £1000 with a gallery being added in 1886 at a cost of £200. All this was necessary because of the steady growth in the size of the congregation. By the early years of the 20th century such growth necessitated more radical action and in 1915 the present church with seating accommodation for 750 was built on Victoria Road, although the proposed erection of a tower remained unfinished for several decades.
Recent History
During the ministry of Rev RVA Lynas a new manse was built in 1956 on the site of the old one. In 1969 the tower on the Church was completed and a new suite of halls erected. Industrial expansion in Lame brought the development of a large housing estate at Craigyhill and a new congregation was formed out of the Gardenmore parish in 1956. Dr Lynas was elected Moderator of the General Assembly in 1972.
Currently the congregation has around 700 families. In addition to Sunday school, there is a wide range of weekly activities including Boys' Brigade, Girl's Brigade, Christian Endeavour, Mums and Toddlers Group, Bible Study and Prayer Meeting, Presbyterian Womens Association, Sunday Night After Church (SNAC), Youth Club, Indoor Bowling Club and Men's Fellowship.
Rev Dr John Lockington was elected Moderator of the General Assembly in 1999. In April 2003 he received a call to go to Clougherney Presbyterian Church near Omagh.
Rev Desmond Paul was called to become minister of Gardenmore and has now taken up duties within the church. We wish him and his family well as they settle in.
Ministerial Record
| Rev John Nicholson 1785 - 1799 | Rev James McGranaghan 1887-1892 |
| Rev George McCaughey 1800 - 1841 | Rev David Hamilton Hanson 1892 - 1939 |
| Rev Archibald Kennedy 1841 - 1861 | Rev David Esler 1940 - 1946 |
| Rev John McMurray 1861 - 1879 | Very Rev Dr Robert Victor Alexander Lynas 1947 - 1987 |
| Rev William Wylie 1879 - 1883 | Very Rev Dr John William Lockington 1989 - 2003 |
| Rev William John Jackson 1884 - 1887 | Rev Desmond Paul 2004 - |