Maybole Baptist Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Maybole Baptist Church |
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Maybole Baptist Church, Ayrshire, Scotland
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| 55°21′13″N 4°41′06″W / 55.35358°N 4.68497°W | |
| Location | Maybole, Ayrshire |
| Country | Scotland |
| Denomination | Baptist Union of Scotland |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founded | 20th century |
| Consecrated | 30 October 1914 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | In use |
| Architect(s) | Hugh Campbell |
| Architectural type | Traditional gable with end projection porch |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 320 seats + 120 standing |
| Administration | |
| Presbytery | Baptist Union of Scotland |
Maybole Baptist Church is a special church in Maybole, South Ayrshire, Scotland. It's a Baptist church, which means it's part of a Christian group that believes in baptizing people when they are old enough to choose. This church started from a small prayer group in 1898. It became part of the Baptist Union of Scotland in 1901. The church building itself opened in 1914 and has been a place of worship for over 100 years! It's one of many active Baptist churches in Scotland today.
The church building is made of pretty red sandstone. It has a classic design with a pointed roof (called a gable) and a welcoming front porch with a curved doorway. A famous architect named Hugh Campbell from Glasgow designed it. People think it's a really important and beautiful building in Maybole and the surrounding area. The church doesn't have much outdoor space because it's built on a small plot of land. Maybole town is also known for its interesting buildings.
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Where is Maybole Baptist Church?
Maybole Baptist Church is located at 14 Carrick Street, Maybole, Scotland, KA19 7DN. Carrick Street is just north of the main A77 road that goes through Maybole. You can find the church easily on maps like Google Maps.
The Story of Maybole Baptist Church
How it Started: The 1800s
In the late 1800s, many new Christian groups started in Scotland. Maybole was part of this trend. The Baptist Union of Scotland was formed in 1869, which helped new Baptist churches grow. There was also a special religious movement in Maybole during the 1870s.
At this time, Maybole was growing with new factories making farm tools and shoes. Baptist churches in Scotland often attracted people who worked in business and the middle class. Some people in Maybole also liked that Baptist churches were less strict than older churches, like the Church of Scotland, which didn't allow work on Sundays.
Building the Church: Early 1900s
The Baptist Union of Scotland officially welcomed Maybole Baptist Church in 1901. This was even before they had a church building! The church started from a small prayer group of 17 people in the 1890s. This was a common way for churches to begin back then. Before their own building opened, the group met in people's homes and an old Methodist church.
The church started saving money for a building in 1903. An important early leader was Thomas Ramsay.
Opening During the Great War (1914–1918)
Maybole Baptist Church officially opened its doors on October 30, 1914. This was just two months after the start of the Great War (World War I). It took 11 years from when they started saving money to when the building was finished. People called it "The Youngest Church in Maybole." It could seat 320 people and had standing room for 120 more.
Building the church cost £1,720. The church members raised all the money themselves. For comparison, the nearby Maybole Library was built around the same time for £2,500, but that was paid for by one rich person, Andrew Carnegie. Even though the church's first pastor, Thomas Ramsay, and other leaders gave their own money, the church still had some debt for a while. In 1919, the first pastor gave another gift: a house for the church leader, saying the war inspired him.
Between the Wars (1918–1939)
During and after the Great War, members of Maybole Baptist Church helped a new Baptist church start in Girvan, about 19 kilometers (12 miles) south. This new church grew from a prayer group in Girvan that began in 1907. The Girvan Baptist Church opened in 1920. Sadly, it closed in 2001 and was destroyed by fire in 2013.
The first pastor of Maybole Baptist Church, Thomas Ramsay, became the President of the Baptist Union of Scotland in 1921.
In 1935, Maybole Baptist Church got electricity installed, which was a big deal! There's a special plaque to remember this. In the 1930s, the church had 105 registered members, which was its highest number. After that, the number of people attending churches in Scotland, including Baptist ones, started to go down.
After World War 2 (1945–Today)
By the 1950s, Maybole Baptist Church had welcomed 404 people into the Baptist Union. By the 1960s, they had baptized 288 people. Even though attendance went down after the 1930s, there was a small increase in people attending Baptist churches in Scotland in the late 1900s.
What the Church Does Today
Maybole Baptist Church is still very active today. They hold regular Christian services and the church building is used by the community. It is also a registered charity. The church takes part in special events like Remembrance Sunday services every November 11th. They also join in the yearly gala organized by the Maybole Council of Churches.
