Flinders Street Baptist Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Flinders Street Baptist Church |
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Flinders Street Baptist Church, 1923
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| 34°55′38″S 138°36′11″E / 34.927115°S 138.603171°E | |
| Country | Australia |
| Denomination | Baptist |
| History | |
| Status | Church |
| Dedicated | 19 May 1863 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Robert G. Thomas |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Years built | 1861 – 1863 |
| Construction cost | A£7,000 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Bluestone; sandstone |
The Flinders Street Baptist Church is a special old church in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. It's a Baptist church, which means it belongs to a Christian group called Baptists. This church is so important that it's on a list of heritage-listed buildings. It's connected to the Australian Baptist Ministries, a larger group of Baptist churches in Australia.
Contents
History of the Church
How the Church Started
The story of Flinders Street Baptist Church began in 1861. A man named George Fife Angas asked for a Baptist minister to come to Adelaide. He wanted someone to start a new church group, also called a congregation.
Reverend Silas Mead answered this call. He traveled to Australia on a ship called Parisian. He arrived in July 1861 and quickly started holding church services. At first, these services took place at a place called White's Rooms.
Building the Church
Reverend Mead's church group grew quickly. They were very excited and decided to build their own large church. They chose a spot on Flinders Street in Adelaide.
The church was designed by Robert G. Thomas. He was a famous architect, which is someone who designs buildings. He also designed another important church later on. The Flinders Street Baptist Church was built in a style called Gothic Revival. This style looks like old European churches.
The church was built using strong materials. These included bluestone and sandstone. It has fancy details like decorated capitals on its columns. There is also a beautiful rose window and a main entrance with three arches. These arches are held up by strong pillars.
Opening and Growth
Building the church cost about A£7,000, which was a lot of money back then. It took two years to build. The church officially opened its doors on May 19, 1863. The church group worked hard and paid off the building's debt the very next year.
After the main church was built, they added more buildings. Mead Hall was built between 1867 and 1870. A manse, which is a house for the minister, was built in 1877.
The church also played a big role in missionary work. In 1864, the Australian Baptist Missionary Society was formed right there at the church. Reverend Silas Mead helped start it. The first missionary sent from this church was Ellen Arnold in 1882.
Pastors of the Church
A pastor is a leader of a Christian church. Here are some of the early pastors who led the Flinders Street Baptist Church:
- 1863–1895 Silas Mead
- 1895–1905 John Garrard Raws
Heritage Listing
Why the Church is Special
The Flinders Street Baptist Church is considered a very important building. On May 28, 1981, it was officially added to the South Australian Heritage Register. This means it's a protected building because of its history and special design.
Other Heritage Buildings
The manse, where Reverend Mead and later pastors lived, is also important. It is now known as the Baptist Church Office or Flinders House. Both the manse and Mead Hall were added to the heritage list on December 11, 1997.
