Caulfield’s replacement, Reverend Charles Biggar Petit, continued expanding the church’s presence in the community and in 1854 the first communion at the church was conducted by Bishop Strachan. In 1855 a Vestry Committee was formed and the first meeting occurred on April 9th of that year with the outrage over the 1854 Clergy Reserves Act being a primary topic.

In July 1855 Charles Petit resigned over a disagreement with the Bishop with regards to him and his wife boarding in a tavern. His replacement was Reverend James Padfield, a former school teacher turned priest, who brought a lot more experience to the table than those who had held the post before him. Padfield held the position for over twenty years until he retired in 1875. During Padfield’s tenure the church was transferred from the Diocese of Toronto to the Diocese of Huron in 1858 and the Burford and Mount Pleasant parishes were linked. A carriage shed was built in 1861 and in 1864 a church bell was acquired. Padfield also oversaw the healing of a rift between Holy Trinity and the Burford Congregational Church.