Charlotte Chapel (Edinburgh) facts for kids
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Charlotte Chapel is a special church in Edinburgh, Scotland. It's officially called Charlotte Baptist Chapel. This church is part of the Baptist Christian group. It's also connected to other groups like the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches and the Pillar Network.
Contents
History of Charlotte Chapel
Charlotte Chapel started in January 1808. A young businessman named Christopher Anderson began sharing Christian messages in the Pleasance area of Edinburgh.
By 1816, his church in Pleasance was too small. So, he bought Charlotte Chapel. This building had been used by another church group before. The original building had two floors and could fit 750 people.
Christopher Anderson was the pastor until 1851. The church grew, and by 1873, it had 232 members. Many more people attended the services regularly.
Later, the number of members started to drop. This was mainly because people were moving away from Edinburgh. By 1901, the church had no minister and only a few members.
A New Start and a New Building
Joseph Kemp became the new pastor. He started a revival, which means a time when many people become interested in faith again. He held outdoor meetings on Princes Street. The church grew once more.
In 1907, plans were made for a new church building. The new building on Rose Street cost £7,250 to build. It opened in 1912 and could seat exactly 1000 people.
Celebrating 200 Years
In 2008, Charlotte Chapel celebrated its 200th birthday! The celebrations lasted for a whole weekend in October. They had a big Scottish dance party called a cèilidh at a local school.
There was also a special lunch at the Assembly Rooms on George Street. Modern hymn writers Keith & Kristyn Getty also performed a concert.
Many former members and guest ministers came back for the celebration. These included James Moser, Derek Prime, and American radio pastor Alistair Begg. Alistair Begg is from Scotland. He used to be an assistant pastor at Charlotte Chapel in 1975. He returned to lead the 2008 celebrations. He preached at both the Sunday morning and evening services.
A book about the church's history was also written by Dr. Ian L.S. Balfour. It was called Revival in Rose Street: A history of Charlotte Baptist Chapel, Edinburgh.
The Church Building Today
In 2013, another church called St George's West Church closed its building. In May 2016, Charlotte Chapel moved into this building. This new home is at 58 Shandwick Place.
