History

 
(From left to right: Rev. David Trafford, Reg. Winfield, Armon Ford, Stan Rumsby, Norman Jenkins, Garnet Bumstead, Doug Robinson, Gordon Adams, Gerald Hudson, Elgin Mullin)

Those were troubled days in the world back in September, 1942 when the first services of what was to become known as Olivet Baptist Church were held. Controversy concerning the approach to understanding scripture was being heard from many quarters.

Out of these times and struggles emerged a church in Meaford which was to stand solidly on the belief in a verbally inspired, infallible, inerrant and authoritative word of God. Our prayer is that this conviction will only deepen and strengthen in the life of this church until our Lord returns.

The first services were held September 1, 1942, in the Meaford town hall. On Wednesday, September 16, seven charter members were received into fellowship of this young church and on October 15th, our church was received into the Fellowship of Independent Baptist Churches in Canada.

The town hall served as a meeting place for the new congregation until November 1942 when the former Molson’s Bank was purchased (the current home of the Meaford Express) and renovated for worship. It served as our church’s meeting place until August 1963, when the church moved into its new building on Ivan Street. On October 3, 1976 the mortgage on the new building was burned, freeing the church for even greater ministry through its giving.

This Fall, we look back on 65 years of God’s faithfulness to a congregation of believers in Meaford. For most of us, it is only history, yet the faithful service of God’s people here has not gone unnoticed by God. He has observed every moment of dedication and ministry offered by the people of this congregation. Will we have another 65 years to serve Him? The One who guided the past has the answer to that question. But we do have the present and the God of the past and the future is the God of the present. The prospects are bright as we seek to serve Him in the present and remember the words of our Lord, “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”