First Baptist Church is a

Baptist Baptists are a Christian denomination, denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers (believer's baptism) and doing so by complete Immersion baptism, immersion. Baptist churches ge ...

church in

Ottawa Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...

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, Canada. It is affiliated with the

Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec (CBOQ) is a Baptist Christian denomination in central Canada. The organization's headquarters is based in Etobicoke, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. CBOQ is a partner of Canadian Baptist Ministries. History In 1 ...

History

The church was first founded in 1857, the first Baptist congregation in Ottawa. The current church, prominently located at 140 Laurier Avenue West, at the corner of Elgin Street and Laurier Avenue West in

Downtown Ottawa Downtown Ottawa is the central area of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is sometimes referred to as the Central Business District and contains Ottawa's financial district. It is bordered by the Ottawa River to the north, the Rideau Canal to the east, ...

, was designed by architect James Mather and constructed 1877-8. The cornerstone was laid by then-

Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

, Alexander Mackenzie. As a Baptist, Mackenzie worshiped at the church when he was in Ottawa after services began in 1878. The First Baptist Church Ottawa erected memorial plaques which are dedicated to the members of the Congregation who served and to those who gave their lives during the Great War. The church was expanded in 1914, and significantly renovated in 1928. The First Baptist Church Ottawa erected a memorial plaque which is dedicated to the members of the Congregation who gave their lives and those who served during the Second World War (1939-1945). In 1966-1967, to celebrate Canada's Centennial, a massive

organ Organ and organs may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a group of tissues organized to serve a common function * Organ system, a collection of organs that function together to carry out specific functions within the body. Musical instruments ...

was installed. From 1999 to 2002, significant restoration work was undertaken. The congregation has remained in the downtown area, and over the years, supported the establishment of new congregations, including McPhail Memorial Baptist Church (1896), Fourth Avenue Baptist Church in

The Glebe The Glebe is a neighbourhood in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is located just south of Downtown Ottawa in the Capital Ward. As of 2016, the neighbourhood had a population of 13,055. The Glebe is bounded on the north by the Queensway, on the e ...

(1899), and more recently, Kanata Baptist Church and Bilberry Creek Baptist Church in Orleans.

References

*''Ottawa: a guide to heritage structures'' City of Ottawa, Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee; managing editor, Lucy Corbin. 2001 *Harold D. Kalman ''Exploring Ottawa: an architectural guide to the nation's capital'' University of Toronto Press, 1983

External links

*{{Official website Churches in Ottawa Baptist churches in Ontario Religious organizations established in 1857 Gothic Revival architecture in Ottawa Gothic Revival church buildings in Canada Designated heritage properties in Ottawa 1857 establishments in Canada West

History

See also

References

External links