The building was consecrated by Robert Bickersteth, Bishop of Ripon (1816–1884), on Thursday 29 July 1880.
The Pateley Bridge and Nidderdale Herald described the scene thus: 
"The weather remained comparatively fine during the whole of the day, and the little village presented quite an animated appearance, the constant stream of brilliant equipages, the uneasing flow of pedestrians proceeding from all directions towards the new church, and bunting copiously displayed from the houses denoting the importance with which the event was regarded in the surrounding district.
The church was crowded to excess with a very brilliant assemblage."

The "brilliant assemblage" was listed in order of importance, led by Sir Henry Day and Lady Ingilby and their party from Ripley Castle, Lady Amootta Ingilby, Lady Bickersteth the wife of the Bishop of Ripon, various moneyed persons who had donated to the church building fund, and Professor Salmon of Dublin.
These were followed by the local priests in their vestments, and the doctor: Reverend T.C. Thompson of Ripley, Reverend J.H. Huddleston, Reverend F. Houseman, and Dr Veale.

The bishop was welcomed at the north porch by wardens Thomas Smith and William Strother, and Sir H.D. Ingilby presented the petition for consecration.
The procession of wardens, Mr Wise the diocesan registrar, the bishop and 23 clergymen then proceeded to the chancel.
Among the clergymen were Reverend Canon Gibbon of Harrogate, Canon Crosthwaite of Knaresborough, Rev. R.K. Smith of Killinghall, Rev. G.O. Brownrigg of Harrogate, Rev. F.L. Harrison of Pannal, Rev. H. Deck of Hampsthwaite, Rev. Cope of Bramley, J.G.B. Knight of Birstwith, Rev. Faulkner of Bishop Monkton, Rev. Lucas of Hartwith, Rev. J.J. Pulleine of Kirby Wiske (chaplain to the bishop), Rev. Patchett of Sawley, Rev. Horsfall of Dacre, and Rev. B.K. Wood of Bilton.
Smith, Pulleine, Brownrigg and Gibbon assisted the bishop in the service.
The Killinghall choir was augmented by the Ripley choristers, and Fred Mitchell played the harmonium.

The text for the bishop's sermon was the 8th verse of Psalm 26: "Lord I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth."
He commented that "no excuse could now be made" that the congregation "had no church immediately at hand."
He said it was "his earnest hope that those for whom the church had been erected would show their thankfulness by availing themselves constantly of those privileges which would be there accorded them."
He ended by saying that donations on that day would be applied first to the remaining debt for the cost of building the church, and the balance would be kept towards the future building of a vicarage.
The collection raised £40.

In the afternoon after the service there was a sale of work in the schoolroom, raising a sum between £20 and £25 in aid of the building fund.
200 local people were entertained to a tea to which the journalist of the Pately Bridge and Niddertale Herald was presumably invited, since he described it as a "great success".
This was followed by an evening service held by the Dean of Ripon, the Reverend R.K. Smith vicar of Killinghall, Reverend J.J. Pulleine and Reverend H. Deck.
The collection on this occasion raised more than £7 towards the building fund.
The building was consecrated by Robert Bickersteth, Bishop of Ripon (1816–1884), on Thursday 29 July 1880. The Pateley Bridge and Nidderdale Herald described the scene thus: 
"The weather remained comparatively fine during the whole of the day, and the little village presented quite an animated appearance, the constant stream of brilliant equipages, the uneasing flow of pedestrians proceeding from all directions towards the new church, and bunting copiously displayed from the houses denoting the importance with which the event was regarded in the surrounding district. The church was crowded to excess with a very brilliant assemblage."
The "brilliant assemblage" was listed in order of importance, led by Sir Henry Day and Lady Ingilby and their party from Ripley Castle, Lady Amootta Ingilby, Lady Bickersteth the wife of the Bishop of Ripon, various moneyed persons who had donated to the church building fund, and Professor Salmon of Dublin. These were followed by the local priests in their vestments, and the doctor: Reverend T.C. Thompson of Ripley, Reverend J.H. Huddleston, Reverend F. Houseman, and Dr Veale.
The bishop was welcomed at the north porch by wardens Thomas Smith and William Strother, and Sir H.D. Ingilby presented the petition for consecration. The procession of wardens, Mr Wise the diocesan registrar, the bishop and 23 clergymen then proceeded to the chancel. Among the clergymen were Reverend Canon Gibbon of Harrogate, Canon Crosthwaite of Knaresborough, Rev. R.K. Smith of Killinghall, Rev. G.O. Brownrigg of Harrogate, Rev. F.L. Harrison of Pannal, Rev. H. Deck of Hampsthwaite, Rev. Cope of Bramley, J.G.B. Knight of Birstwith, Rev. Faulkner of Bishop Monkton, Rev. Lucas of Hartwith, Rev. J.J. Pulleine of Kirby Wiske (chaplain to the bishop), Rev. Patchett of Sawley, Rev. Horsfall of Dacre, and Rev. B.K. Wood of Bilton. Smith, Pulleine, Brownrigg and Gibbon assisted the bishop in the service. The Killinghall choir was augmented by the Ripley choristers, and Fred Mitchell played the harmonium.
The text for the bishop's sermon was the 8th verse of Psalm 26: "Lord I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth." He commented that "no excuse could now be made" that the congregation "had no church immediately at hand." He said it was "his earnest hope that those for whom the church had been erected would show their thankfulness by availing themselves constantly of those privileges which would be there accorded them." He ended by saying that donations on that day would be applied first to the remaining debt for the cost of building the church, and the balance would be kept towards the future building of a vicarage. The collection raised £40.
In the afternoon after the service there was a sale of work in the schoolroom, raising a sum between £20 and £25 in aid of the building fund. 200 local people were entertained to a tea to which the journalist of the Pately Bridge and Niddertale Herald was presumably invited, since he described it as a "great success". This was followed by an evening service held by the Dean of Ripon, the Reverend R.K. Smith vicar of Killinghall, Reverend J.J. Pulleine and Reverend H. Deck. The collection on this occasion raised more than £7 towards the building fund.
Church of St Thomas the Apostle, Killinghall