History of Lurgan Baptist Church

It stated, “For some time our devoted friend, Rev S J Banks of Banbridge has been doing, aided by blind evangelist Mr Simpson and a goodly band of earnest brethren, missionary work in Lurgan. Open air meetings, tract distribution, house to house visitation and preaching in the Mechanics Institute have been the means used, and with considerable success. The Committee of the Home Mission have taken a public hall in one of the best situations in the town, we have no doubt of the result. A good church and congregation will be gathered.”

During the next three years the work in Lurgan was carried on in the form of a Mission outpost by the Pastor and members of the Banbridge Church.

Some time in 1881 a Mr Baird erected a hall in Union Street (opposite the present Salvation Army hall). The building is now a dwelling house known as No 111 Union Street.

This was rented to the believers who had worshipped in the Mechanics Institute and, just before moving into it early in 1882 they had formed themselves into a Baptist Church. This hall was complete with baptistery, pulpit and gallery and seated about 150 people. One account of these years stated, “The young church at Lurgan is in a prosperous condition and the congregations are both large and interesting.”

Pastor F J Ryan took over the work in 1885 and left in 1890. Following this, things had been allowed to drift and there was even talk amongst the members of closing the church in Union Street altogether.

God used Pastor Boyd who came in 1892 to bring the spirit of revival into the church again, and quite a few new members were added to the Assembly. In fact it has been left on record that he was God’s instrument in saving the Baptist witness in Lurgan from extinction.

One year after coming to Lurgan the attendance at the evening meeting was almost doubled each Lord’s Day and efforts were made to obtain the Town Hall for the evening services. There is an account of an Open Air Gospel meeting held on “the hillside” at which over 700 people were present. The reference here is possibly Kitchen Hill, not far from the church in Union Street.

Pastor Boyd urged the church to seek a new building in which to worship. He had the joy of seeing the site in Windsor Avenue purchased before he left in 1896.

Pastor Fenton Bury began his ministry in Lurgan in 1896 and from the beginning of his pastorate was recognised in the town and district as a man of God. It was during his stay in Lurgan that the foundation stone of the church in Windsor Avenue was laid by Mrs R G Glendinning from Belfast on May 14, 1898. The building was opened for worship on Sunday, February 19, 1899. Mrs Hugh Brown presented the church with an inscribed silver communion set. The church cost less than 1,000 to build. Mr Bury left Lurgan in 1903.

Church administration in those days seem to have been conducted in a manner which would cause present-day members to raise their eyebrows! On one occasion a sale of work was organised and held in the local YMCA, now known as 62 High Street, but owing to some misgivings in the Assembly this was never repeated.

It was not uncommon for a church business meeting to be held on the Lord’s Day after the morning service at which Deacons were elected. Baptisms also took place at the morning service and, in some cases, those baptised in the morning were received into membership that evening.

Pastor Campbell, during his stay in Lurgan fell from his bicycle and was taken into hospital with a broken leg. Here he came into contact with a young nurse whom he eventually married. After receiving a call from Bangor Baptist Church he left Lurgan in 1914. His wife was a Presbyterian and later in life he left the Baptist denomination and became a Presbyterian minister.

In September/October 1921, Rev W P Nicholson conducted a very fruitful mission in the town. On at least one occasion he preached from the Windsor Avenue pulpit.

A male voice choir was formed to lead the praise in the services. About half of its members were fully conversant with the finer points of music, the others played their part by making a “joyful noise unto the Lord”.

On August 1, 1923, Miss Turnbull, a member of the Lurgan Church married the Pastor of Armagh, Rev Kyle Paisley. The wedding ceremony was performed in the church by Pastor Bell of Tandragee. The result of this union was the birth of a baby boy known today throughout the world as Rev Dr Ian Paisley.

The church has gone through some times of financial difficulty over the years. In the early days, Pastor Patterson (1914-1918) was forced to take up secular employment because of the financial situation of the Church. The situation did not get any better during the pastorate of Pastor Forbes (1918-1925) but to remedy the situation, 54 members pledged to give a fixed sum each week.

In 1925 Pastor Carser took over the pastorate of the church. He was said to have been an excellent preacher, and many souls being saved during his ministry. It was during his pastorate that Elders were first appointed in the church. They were Mr John Magill and Mr Sam Cairns. He left in May 1937 and later became Pastor of Bloomfield Baptist Church.

Pastor F W G Hutchinson was called to be Pastor of the church in 1944. He later married a nurse, the wedding took place in Great Victoria Street Baptist Church, Belfast. He left at the end of May 1946. His ministry was the shortest in the history of the Lurgan Church.

In August 1953, Pastor William Mullan began his ministry in Lurgan. On his retirement 26 years later in 1979, he was the longest serving pastor in the history of the church.

Pastor Alec Judd was inducted pastor of the church in August 1981 and in September 1985 presided over the opening of the new church in Johnston’s Row, High Street, Lurgan. The new church premises was officially opened by the late Mrs Dowey.