Bridgewater Baptist Church
Title
Bridgewater Baptist Church
Church Name
Bridgewater Baptist Church
Church Association
Lunenburg – Queens Association
Province
Nova Scotia
County
Lunenburg County
Address
564 Glen Allan Dr, Bridgewater, NS
Status
Active
Date
Built 2015
Historical Information
On Saturday, August 5, 1837, a number of Baptists met in the Bridgewater community, and agreed to organize into a church. The next ten years showed a decline instead of an increase and from 1843 – 1847 there are no records of a Baptist church in Bridgewater.
The history of the Bridgewater Baptist Church continued on May 8, 1848, when the “Baptist Church of Bridgewater” was organized with 14 members. The congregation grew in size and the house became too small, so the school house was used. Feeling a need for a pastor, they asked the Greenfield pastor, Rev. James Stubbart, to help out by giving them one Sunday a month.
With the church firmly established, the Rev. James Stubbart of Greenfield and the Rev. Maynard Parker shared the pastoral responsibilities in its infancy. With the congregation growing, a church building of their own was needed. A building called the Union House was for sale by auction and the Baptists purchased the building for around $200.00. The building was dubbed “The Lord’s Barn” as it remained unfinished as a place where sheep and cattle found shelter. The deed was registered in April 1849. Through sacrifice and hard work, it led to the official opening of the “Baptist Meeting House” in 1854. In 1889, with the sale of the old parsonage building, a new parsonage was built for $1904.70 adjacent to the church. A mere $169.70 remained owing on completion.
On January 16, 1920, the church voted that the building committee proceed with the erection of the new church under the slogan “Let us rise up and build” (Neh 2:18). In the spring of the first year, the first sod was turned. On Sunday, January 30, 1921, the Bridgewater Baptist Church was formally opened. The Pastor’s report in 1922 stated “Since the dedication of the new church, the audience has increased by approximately 30% over the old church attendance”.
In 2002 the Long Range and Property Committee was formed for the purpose of evaluating the future physical needs of the church. It first proposed that an extension be built on the existing church building but that cost was around 4 million and the old church was showing its age.
On November 15, 2005, the Church Building Committee was formed to review and analyze the information gathered by the LRPC. The Capital Campaign Committee was established in 2005 with a mandate to determine the financial feasibility of the proposed building program of the church.
On March 20, 2006, a new mandate was given to the Building Committee: that the committee negotiate with the Bridgewater Development Association to purchase property in the developing area called Glen Allan Dr. in conjunction with the Atlantic Baptist Senior Citizens Homes Inc. This was the result after a special meeting with Rev. Norman Hovland about purchasing the property jointly with the church located in the front near Glen Allan and the Senior Home in the back of the property. The property was divided later. A common driveway would be shared.
On October 2, 2006, approval was given at a special meeting to purchase approximately 5 acres of land bordering Glen Allan. The vote was Yes 110 and No 6.
On July 19, 2007, the Glen Allan property was purchased by the Trustees on behalf of the church. The Building Committee mandate was revised to “begin towards the building of a new church facility.”
On March 25, 2008, a motion passed to select B. D. Stevens as the church’s designer/builder of the new church. On April 23, 2008, the floor plans for the new church were presented at a Special Business Meeting. It was accepted by the members: out of 84, 82 in favor and 2 against.
On July 13, 2011, a special business meeting was called and B. D. Stevens presented their latest updated drawings and revised cost. The total cost was $4,100,000. Phase 1 was presented by Thane Stevens to begin this year (Clearing the trees, leveling the property, drainage, gravel and foundation). This cost around $600,000. Work on the new Bridgewater Baptist Church was completed in 2015.
Information from the Bridgewater Baptist Church.
The history of the Bridgewater Baptist Church continued on May 8, 1848, when the “Baptist Church of Bridgewater” was organized with 14 members. The congregation grew in size and the house became too small, so the school house was used. Feeling a need for a pastor, they asked the Greenfield pastor, Rev. James Stubbart, to help out by giving them one Sunday a month.
With the church firmly established, the Rev. James Stubbart of Greenfield and the Rev. Maynard Parker shared the pastoral responsibilities in its infancy. With the congregation growing, a church building of their own was needed. A building called the Union House was for sale by auction and the Baptists purchased the building for around $200.00. The building was dubbed “The Lord’s Barn” as it remained unfinished as a place where sheep and cattle found shelter. The deed was registered in April 1849. Through sacrifice and hard work, it led to the official opening of the “Baptist Meeting House” in 1854. In 1889, with the sale of the old parsonage building, a new parsonage was built for $1904.70 adjacent to the church. A mere $169.70 remained owing on completion.
On January 16, 1920, the church voted that the building committee proceed with the erection of the new church under the slogan “Let us rise up and build” (Neh 2:18). In the spring of the first year, the first sod was turned. On Sunday, January 30, 1921, the Bridgewater Baptist Church was formally opened. The Pastor’s report in 1922 stated “Since the dedication of the new church, the audience has increased by approximately 30% over the old church attendance”.
In 2002 the Long Range and Property Committee was formed for the purpose of evaluating the future physical needs of the church. It first proposed that an extension be built on the existing church building but that cost was around 4 million and the old church was showing its age.
On November 15, 2005, the Church Building Committee was formed to review and analyze the information gathered by the LRPC. The Capital Campaign Committee was established in 2005 with a mandate to determine the financial feasibility of the proposed building program of the church.
On March 20, 2006, a new mandate was given to the Building Committee: that the committee negotiate with the Bridgewater Development Association to purchase property in the developing area called Glen Allan Dr. in conjunction with the Atlantic Baptist Senior Citizens Homes Inc. This was the result after a special meeting with Rev. Norman Hovland about purchasing the property jointly with the church located in the front near Glen Allan and the Senior Home in the back of the property. The property was divided later. A common driveway would be shared.
On October 2, 2006, approval was given at a special meeting to purchase approximately 5 acres of land bordering Glen Allan. The vote was Yes 110 and No 6.
On July 19, 2007, the Glen Allan property was purchased by the Trustees on behalf of the church. The Building Committee mandate was revised to “begin towards the building of a new church facility.”
On March 25, 2008, a motion passed to select B. D. Stevens as the church’s designer/builder of the new church. On April 23, 2008, the floor plans for the new church were presented at a Special Business Meeting. It was accepted by the members: out of 84, 82 in favor and 2 against.
On July 13, 2011, a special business meeting was called and B. D. Stevens presented their latest updated drawings and revised cost. The total cost was $4,100,000. Phase 1 was presented by Thane Stevens to begin this year (Clearing the trees, leveling the property, drainage, gravel and foundation). This cost around $600,000. Work on the new Bridgewater Baptist Church was completed in 2015.
Information from the Bridgewater Baptist Church.
Files
Collection
Citation
“Bridgewater Baptist Church,” Atlantic Baptist Built Heritage Project , accessed April 26, 2024, https://atlanticbaptistheritage.omeka.net/items/show/208.