The alleged first Baptist congregation in Canada was planted in Middle Sackville near Morice's Mill Pond, now Silver Lake, in 1763 upon the arrival of 13 Baptist settlers from Swansea, Massachusetts. Although most of these settlers returned to Massachusetts in 1771, and the congregation struggled for several years, the church was reconstituted by Joseph Crandall in 1798.
Records indicate that a Meeting House was being used by 1809 — followed by Bethel (1842) and Beulah (1844) chapels. Over the years, other Baptist churches were built or supported in the vicinity, one being Salem Chapel (1849) in the lower town which grew to become the Main Street Baptist Church (built 1890). They in turn planted Wood Point (1878). Midgic Church was planted by Middle Sackville in 1859.
After many congregational re-organizations, the large field was divided in 1902. The Middle Sackville Baptist congregation was intended for Baptists living north of Ogden Mill Road, while those living south of this point were connected to Main Street Baptist. These were guidelines only, and overlap has always been the norm. Middle Sackville built the current building in 1905 and expanded it to include classrooms and a gym in 1995. Today, the congregation is known locally as "The Church by the Lake."
Information (edited for brevity) from: https://tantramarheritage.ca/archive/historicsites/hs18_1763a.php and http://churchbythelake.ca/about-us/history
In 1822, Henry Steeves founded the Hillsborough Baptist Church in partnership with Rev. Joseph Crandall. In 1871, the pastor, Rev. John Hughes, decided to establish a satellite Baptist church less than three kilometres away in Surrey and by 1877, fifty members from the Hillsborough Church formed the first congregation in ‘The Valley’.
In 1913 kerosene lighting gave way to natural gas. Electricity did not arrive until 1942, five years after a telephone was installed. The church building was placed on a foundation in 1963 and the 1100 square metre Fellowship Centre was dedicated in 2000, which also includes a gymnasium.
The Valley Baptist Church (now known as Surrey Valley Baptist Church) is recognized for being an example of rural Gothic Revival religious architecture from the 19th century. This style is evident in such features of the original building as its rectangular plan, the use of Gothic arch windows, and the central square tower on the front façade.
The Surrey Valley Baptist Church is designated a Local Historic Place for its association with the religious history of the area and for its architecture.
Information (edited for brevity) from Canada’s Historic Places.
In 1822, Henry Steeves founded the Hillsborough Baptist Church in partnership with Rev. Joseph Crandall. The first Meeting House in Hillsborough was occupied jointly by Methodists and Baptists. This building was later sold and moved. A new meeting house was built by the Baptist congregation and the first service was held on October 20, 1838. This building was in use for 30 years, after which it was sold and moved across the street for use as a storefront.
A new structure was built (46’ x 76’), during which time the congregation worshipped in a nearby hall. The vestry was completed first in 1870 and was used for services until the auditorium was finished. In 1874, the church was dedicated.
Sometime in 1900, the church caught fire near the pulpit. The fire was discovered in time to save the church but not before considerable damage was done. During the repairs, the church building was extended to make room for a pipe organ and the space under this was made into a classroom. In 1902, a new vestry was attached to the main building and the Sunday School moved into that area. In 1908 a new pipe organ and baptistry were added.
On June 13, 1910, the church and parsonage burned to the ground. The cost of the new church (which still stands) was $15,575. An additional $10,000 was spent to furnish the church with seats, organ, heating system, etc. bringing the total cost to $25,000. There were several special donations – pulpit chairs, art glass for the windows, steam heating plant, the bell, the pulpit and communion table, the Vestry Chairs and bookcases.
The vestry was first opened March 17, 1912, and until the auditorium was ready for use, was used for all services. The church was dedicated on Sunday June 5, 1912.
On May 18, 1941, funds were donated to install electric lights in the church. Sometime after 1948, a new classroom was built, and the church was redecorated by the Ladies Sewing Circle and Ladies Guild. In 1962, the church building was rewired, and new light fixtures installed. In 1965, the church auditorium was repainted, the burlap wainscotting replaced by grain board, the vestry curtains were removed, the walls partly partitioned off, and sliding Akron-style doors installed. Complete double lavatories were installed in the basement.
During 1977 and 1978, many repairs and renovations were done to the church. A youth room was constructed in the basement. The main auditorium and entranceway were carpeted, the auditorium repainted, and a new Hammond Organ purchased. The south side of the church was covered with vinyl siding in order to reduce the cost of painting in the future. The boiler was also overhauled.
In 2011, the congregation decided it had outgrown its current building and the church was sold. The building changed hands a few times and is now owned by baker Oliver Hofer. Several other businesses also rent space in the building. Owner Oliver Hofer is keen to preserve the history and character of the space as it finds new life as a business centre.
A larger, more modern church was constructed between 2011-2013. The pipe organ was moved from the original building and installed in the new church as a decorative element in the foyer.
Baptist influence in the area of the Bend, later named Moncton, led to the erection of the Free Meeting House. Located 140-152 Steadman Street in Moncton, the Free Meeting House was built to serve as a home to all religious denominations in the area until they could raise funds to build their own churches. The building was dedicated for service by Baptist missionary, Elder Joseph Crandall on September 7, 1821, and is one of Moncton’s oldest standing public buildings. The Free Meeting House was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1990 and a Heritage Property in 1996.
Records are sparse concerning the construction of the Free Meeting House. Elder Joseph Crandall and Ichabod Lewis have been credited with being the two leaders in the project. Since both men were familiar with the simple style of the New England meeting house and also very familiar with the religious intolerances existing in other areas, they decided on a meeting house which would serve all who wished to come and hold public worship.
The religious groups which have used this building for worship services at various times have included Baptists, Presbyterians, Methodists, Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Reformed Episcopalians, Free Christian Baptists, Seventh-Day Adventists, Pentecostals, Christian Scientists, and Jews.
In 1921, after a century of remodelling and periodic neglect, the trustees of the Free Meeting House, along with religious groups such as the Seventh-Day Adventists and secular groups such as the Flat Iron Gang, worked side by side to rejuvenate the structure and the grounds.
A complete restoration of The Free Meeting House became a City of Moncton Centennial Project in 1990. Today, the fully restored Free Meeting House is the largest artifact curated by the Moncton Museum and still serves as a gathering site for secular and religious groups of any denomination, as well as private rentals for weddings, meetings and special events.
Following evangelistic meetings at the Free Meeting House led by Elder Joseph Crandall, a group of converts came together and organized the Moncton Baptized Church of Christ at the Free Meeting House on June 8, 1828. The church later became First Moncton United Baptist Church and is the oldest continuing Protestant congregation in the city.
The growing congregation constructed their own church at the corner of Church Street and Queen Street and moved to their new church in 1857. Electric lights were installed in 1886, and one year later, the church was remodelled and expanded with two side wings and a rear extension. In 1909, a three manual Casavant organ, with 1,823 pipes was installed.
Tragically, in 1913, a fire which started in the Victoria Rink nearby, completely destroyed the beautiful wooden structure. The congregation faithfully responded to the challenge and in 1914 the cornerstone of the new building was laid, with services being held in the basement by December.
On May 16, 1915, the new building was dedicated. The Sanctuary featured 1,100 seats and a 35-stop Casavant organ. The cost of the building and furnishings came to $89,946.
In 1918, the Vestry, Brotherhood Hall and Sunshine Room served as an emergency hospital for those with the Spanish influenza.
A few years later, on Easter Sunday of 1921, a memorial stained-glass window was dedicated, honouring the 37 church members who lost their lives in the war. In 1945, following World War II, a second memorial window was dedicated, honouring a further 26 church members who lost their lives.
With both numerical and program growth, the congregation added the Christian Education facility in 1958, a modern facility set apart for “the teaching of the Word of God in both precept and example”. The building and furnishings cost $236,811.
In 2001, the church again relied on the faithfulness of the congregation to raise approximately $750,000, which was used to pay off debt, and to carry out renovations and upgrades of the facilities. These included work on the church foundation, bell tower, accessibility, a new electrical entrance and upgrade, new heating boilers and conversion to natural gas, and organ refurbishment.
To make the facilities more accessible for all, in 2006, the link connecting the Christian Education building and church building was modified to include a lift and a new wheelchair accessible entrance from Queen Street.
The most recent renovations were completed in the summer of 2011. Inside the church building, major upgrades included modern lighting, sound and technical equipment, and renovations in the Sanctuary and Vestry, providing up-to-date capabilities without altering appearance.
First Baptist Moncton was formally recognized as a Local Historic Place in 1996.
Information (edited for brevity) from https://www.firstmoncton.com/ourhistory