Galashiels Baptist Church facts for kids
Galashiels Baptist Church is a church found in the town of Galashiels, which is in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, UK. It started way back in 1804. This church is part of the Baptist Union of Scotland, which connects many Baptist churches across Scotland.
Contents
The Church's Story
How It All Began
The story of Galashiels Baptist Church started in 1782. Three men, Archibald Cochrane, Henry Watson, and William Johnstone, began meeting together. They would worship, pray, read from the Bible, and collect money to help those in need.
Over time, more people joined them. By 1804, their group had grown quite a lot. They decided to officially form their own independent Baptist church congregation in Galashiels.
Early Meeting Places
At first, the church members met in a building called the Cloth Hall. Later, they built their own special place for worship. This first church building was located at the west end of Overhaugh Street.
By 1841, the church had too many members for its building on Overhaugh Street. So, they decided to make their meeting place bigger. They bought land at the top of Stirling Street and built a new chapel there.
In 1868, the church had 99 members. They had to move out of their building and into a lower room of the public hall.
Building a New Chapel
The church members discussed whether to make the old chapel bigger or build a completely new one. Building a new chapel was estimated to cost about £1000. The congregation chose to build a new chapel on the land they already owned on Stirling Street. This new chapel opened its doors in 1870.
Changes and New Pastors
In 1875, the church decided to change how it was run. Many members felt they needed a full-time paid pastor. The Rev. Charles Hill from Dunfermline was then called to be their first full-time pastor.
Some members disagreed with this change. They left the church and continued to meet in the Bridge Place Hall. They followed the older Scottish Baptist ways.
In 1880, a man named James Brown, a blacksmith from Selkirk, and 19 other people left the Galashiels church. They went on to start a Baptist church in Selkirk. Within two years, their new church in Selkirk had grown to 54 members.
In 1882, the Scottish Baptist group from Bridge Place built a new church. It cost £745 and was helped by a loan from the Baptist Union of Scotland. This is the building you see today on Victoria Street.
In 1903, a wooden hall was built behind the Victoria Street church. It could seat 150 people.
Coming Together
In 1904, the two Baptist churches in Galashiels came together to celebrate their 100th year. They had a social evening and special meetings led by Rev Joseph Kemp from Charlotte Chapel in Edinburgh.
During World War II, in 1939, the hall of the Stirling Street building was used as a canteen and storage place for the war effort.
By 1960, both churches noticed that people were moving away from the town centre. They decided to work together on a special program to share their faith. In 1971, they even shared a pastor for a while.
This led to a big decision in 1972. The leaders of both churches suggested forming one new church. This new church would be called The Galashiels Baptist Church. Committees were set up to figure out details like buildings and finding a new pastor.
That same year, Rev Ian Mundie was called to be the first pastor of this new combined church.
In 1976, after much discussion, everyone agreed that the Victoria Street building would be the main home for the new joint church. Before this, both church buildings had been used for different activities.
Recent Years and Renovations
In 1993, Rev Andrew Sinclair became the pastor after finishing his studies in Glasgow. He served as pastor until he retired in 2006.
In 2004, the church celebrated its 200th birthday! They held many events in Galashiels. These included performances by Christian entertainers like Adrian Plass, Syd Little, and the Riding Lights Theatre Company.
After Rev Andrew Sinclair retired in 2006, the church looked for a new pastor. In 2009, a special committee was formed, and in 2010, Rev Arthur Hembling was called to be the new pastor.
In 2012, the church building on Victoria Street got a big makeover. The main worship area, lounge, and entrance were updated. The old pews were removed, and the floor was made flat. This created a more flexible space for all the church's activities.
