There are older traces of a religious settlement here but Presbyterian worship here dates from the middle of the 17th century. In March 1658 a Mr Robert Dewart is reported as being on “trials” at that date and as being ordained soon after. Like many others he was deposed in 1661 and his work here ended. The Rev Thomas Gowan of Glasslough supplied the congregation, without being installed, from 1667 to 1671, and then Mr David Cunningham (lic. Antrim 1671) a Scot, entered on trials in August 1671. He was acceptable and was licensed in October 1671, but on account of the intolerance of the period, a public ordination was not attempted. He was, in consequence, ordained privately at Cairncastle on 27 March 1672 with Rev. Patrick 
Adair presiding. For Mr. Cunningham to preach at Connor was also judged injudicious, so he went to Scotland for some months. He returned in July 1672 and the elders on behalf of the congregation received him as their minister. Their welcome was apparently not as practical as it might have been for in February 1674 it was reported that though “their kindness and dutifulness to their minister was considerable, their quota came not altogether up to their expectation”. Even by 1688 we find their elder, Mr. James Brown, promising the Presbytery that they “would bestir themselves to get up arrears due to Mr. Cunningham, when victual came into their hands”.
Mr. Cunningham’s health declined and he obtained leave from the Presbytery to return to Scotland. He did not do so till March 1689 when the increasing troubles forced him to go. He returned, however, in April 1691 and the Presbytery, three months later, were again promised that “he should receive £30 in hand, and have security of £24, with from eight to twelve bolls (boll = six bushels) of corn yearly. They would also repair his house”. Mr. Cunningham died on 21 May 1697.
Mr. Robert Murdock (lic. Antrim) was next ordained on 6 December 1699, but his was a short ministry for he died in June 1702. He was followed by Mr. Charles Masterton, a Scot and a licentiate of Linlithgow Presbytery. He was ordained here on 17th May 1704 and became “one of the distinguished ministers of the Synod and a staunch advocate of orthodoxy”. He was called to the important charge of Rosemary St., Belfast, in February 1723 to be succeeded by Mr. Robert McMaster (lic. Antrim) on 10 March 1724. When Mr McMaster received a call from Usher’s Quay, Dublin, in 1729 the congregation sent representatives to oppose his removal, but the Presbytery allowed him to go. There was a long vacancy which was not filled till 18 August 1733 when Mr Thomas Fowler (lic. Route) was ordained by the Templepatrick Presbytery. His ministry was brief as he died on 7 June 1736.
The seventh minister here was Mr. James Cochrane, (lic. Coleraine), son of the minister of Kilraughts, who was ordained by the Route Presbytery on 14 February 1738. The ease with which congregations opted out of one Presbytery into another is to be noted. Mr Cochrane died on 19 December 1770 and was succeeded by a Tyrone man, Mr. James Brown, who was ordained on 27 February 1775. He resigned on 1 August 1788.
The Rev. Henry Henry of Garvagh, installed on 9 December 1788 ushered in the longest ministry yet. He became Moderator of the Synod of Ulster in1807. He was given an assistant and successor, Mr. David Hamilton (lic. Dromore) after 41 years in 1829 and he died on 11 November 1840. Mr Hamilton was ordained on 29 September 1829, called to York St. congregation, Belfast, and became an excellent minister there. His successor in Connor was Mr John Hamilton Moore son of the minister of Markethill, who was ordained on 6 July 1840. Mr. Moore was destined to be the friend, guide and encourager of the great Ulster awakening of 1859 which began within his congregation in Connor. He removed to the newly built church of Elmwood in 1862 and was followed here by Mr. John Samuel McIntosh (lic. Route). Mr. McIntosh was ordained on 5 November 1862 and he was called to May St., Belfast, in February 1868, from which he went to the Second Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, where he played a prominent role in American Presbyterianism.
The next minister was Mr. Samuel Lyle (lic. Route). He was ordained on 29 December 1868 and after 10 years also crossed the Atlantic, but to Canada. He resigned on 1 January 1878 and was installed in the Central Presbyterian Church, Hamilton. He became Moderator of the Canadian General Assembly in 1911-1912 and died on 29 January 1919. He was succeeded by Rev. John Charles Moore, minister of Galway, who was installed on 28 May 1878. He had before that been a missionary to the Jews in Hamburg. He, in turn, resigned on 20 August 1883 and was followed by Rev. William Colvin, LL.D., of Gortnessey who was installed on 28 February 1884. Rev. Dr. Colvin retired from active duties on 1 May 1914 and was followed on 4 November 1914 by Mr. Herbert Vere Clements as his assistant and successor. Mr. Clements was called to Ballysillan, Belfast, on 5 July 1927.
Mr. William John Thompson (lic. Carrickfergus) was ordained on 18 April 1928. A man of utter self-dedication, he gave himself sacrificially to his people until he was called to College Square, Belfast, on 16 April 1937. His successor was the Rev. Henry Millar McNeilly of Clough and Seaforde. Much of his ministry of 33 years here was clouded by the crippling illness (multiple sclerosis) of his wife, but they were outstanding examples of devotion and courage. He accepted a call to Carndonagh and Malin on 1 September 1970. The Rev. George Alexander Preston of 2nd Castlederg was installed on 10 March 1971, and to the fine church building was added an excellent suite of church halls opened on 8 April 1972. Mr Preston retired in January 2004 and was succeeded on 28th January 2005 by Rev Richard Martin Murray of Hilltown and Clonduff. Rev Murray’s last service in Connor was 4th September 2016 after he received a call from Drumreagh & Dromore congregations.
Rev Philip Thompson was installed as minister of Connor on 28th June 2017 having previously ministered in Waringstown.
Source; A History of Congregations in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (1610-1982),
Published by the Presbyterian Historical Society of Ireland.