Emmanuel Baptist United Baptist Church (The Meeting Place)

Emmanuel Baptist United Baptist Church (The Meeting Place)

Avery Jackson

Information provided by the church, and the Atlantic Baptist Archives.

Emmanuel Baptist United Baptist Church (The Meeting Place)

African United Baptist Association

Nova Scotia

Halifax County

633 Pockwock Rd, Upper Hammonds Plains, NS

Acitve

Originally built circa 1820 (Second Baptist) , built 1845 (Emmanuel Baptist), new facility 2005.

The first building to serve the congregation was built around 1820, and known as the Second Baptist Church of Hammonds Plains, as the First Baptist of Hammonds Plains was already established by colonial settlers in the area. This initial building was somewhat small, and built in the Meeting House Style. The Meeting House style was typical of Baptist and Congregational congregations around this time frame in Atlantic Canada, due to its simplistic and rather quick-to-build design. The Meeting House style is characterized by a 1 ½ storey wood-frame construction, with either one or two entranceways located on the gable end. This building would have been covered in either wooden clad boards, or cedar shakes, and had a roof covered in wooden shingles. Heating sources during this time consisted of either a wood or coal burning stove, with illumination within the building coming from either whale oil or kerosene oil lamps.

The history of the Emmanuel Baptist Church is intertwined with that of the Second Baptist Church (Hammonds Plains), both of which were churches from the African United Baptist Association. For many years there were the two churches in this community: Second Baptist, which traced its roots back to Father John Burton's work, and the other Emmanuel Baptist Church, tracing its roots back to Father Richard Preston.

In 1939, it was decided that the two congregations would join and meet in the Emmanuel Baptist Church. This led to the former Second Baptist Church closing, and that building is no longer in existence.

The main building of the Emmanuel Baptist Church is an early example of a transitional shift in Baptist church architecture in Atlantic Canada, during the mid-to-late-nineteenth to early twentieth century, which saw Baptist congregations moving away from a symmetrically designed church, often with a three bay facade and centrally placed tower on the gable end, to one that was asymmetrical, with a tower and main entrance located on the side of the building. This building is made of timber, and has hints of Gothic Revival architecture, evident in the use of Gothic Revival style windows throughout the construction. The main entrance is located on the front facade in the tower. This building underwent many renovations over the years, and saw the addition of wings to the many buildings that expanded the sanctuary space in the late twentieth century. The tower features a bell, although it is no longer in use.

The congregation cares very much about the history and legacy of the Baptist presence in this region, which is evident in how many architectural features they have managed to maintain over the years from their facilities. The building still maintains many of its original pews, which appear to be from their early meeting house, based on their exquisite design and construction.

In 2005, it was decided to add a new sanctuary space, due to the congregation growing. This part of the building was built on the left side of the former sanctuary space, which saw the parking lot being moved across the road. This part of the building was constructed by Chapel Stone out of Miramichi, New Brunswick. This part of the building is typical for its time in terms of style, and some architectural elements/features are similar to those in other facilities built by these builders during this time.

The former sanctuary space built in 1845 is no longer used for Sunday gatherings, but instead it is being turned into a children's space.

Information provided by the church and the Atlantic Baptist Archives.