The Penrith Uniting Church can trace its origins back to the First Wesleyan Methodist Church in the Southern Hemisphere.

In 1804 former Rum Corps soldier John Lees and his wife Mary took up a ninety-acre land grant along the banks of the Nepean River at Castlereagh about 5 kilometres north of Penrith and 55 kms west of Sydney.

A conversion experience and the influence of Methodist Missionary Samuel Leigh resulted in John becoming associated with the Methodist Church. In 1817 he constructed on one acre of his property a building which was the first Wesleyan Methodist Church in the Southern Hemisphere. John donated the acre to the Methodist Church. This building was replaced in 1847 by the present brick building at Castlereagh.

Early Church services were held at Penrith in a private home in 1841. A congregation was well established by 1861 when the first Methodist Church was built in Henry Street, Penrith. 

The road west from Sydney over the Blue Mountains passed through Penrith where it crossed the Nepean River. The arrival of the railway in 1862 and its further extension westward determined that Penrith would become the centre of the local district and Castlereagh remained rural and declined in importance.

By the 1970s the building in Henry Street had become too small for the Congregation’s use. This was sold and used for a while by a firm of accountants. It is now King Henrys Court restaurant.

To replace this building a new multi-purpose building was constructed in Evan Street and opened in 1975. This revolutionary building acts as both Church worship space and hall with stage. At the time it was probably the largest hall in Penrith and to many is seen as more hall than church.

The building was named the ‘John Lees Christian Centre’ in honour of the farmer from Castlereagh.

Also in 1975 a long day care facility was opened on the same property. This was named the Janis Children’s Centre in honour of a prominent church member at the time, Janis Wootton, who was tragically killed in a motor smash.

On 22^nd June, 1977 Congregational, Methodist and Presbyterian Churches joined to form the Uniting Church in Australia. While all Methodist churches joined the new church individual Presbyterian congregations decided whether to be part of the new church. As the Penrith Presbyterians decided not to be part of the Uniting Church, the Penrith Methodist Church became a congregation of the Penrith Parish of the Uniting Church. More recently with the abandonment of the grouping of Congregations into Parishes, Penrith Church has become an independent Congregation.

In the late 1990s it was realised that John Lees’ wife Mary contributed greatly to his well-being and stability. In August, 1998 a meeting room in the John Lees Christian Centre was renamed the Mary Lees Room in her honour.

Ministers of the Word who have served the Penrith Church since Union:

In 2004 the Church appointed Mrs. Mary-Ellen Jamieson as its first Family Ministry Worker (part time).