Denomination Baptist | Province Ontario | |
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Location 140 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
K1P 5J4 Division Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec Minister(s) Rev. Dr. Scott Kindred-Barnes Address 140 Laurier Ave W, Ottawa, ON K1P 5J4, Canada Architectural style Gothic Revival architecture Similar McPhail Memorial Baptist C, Knox Presbyterian Church, Christ Church Cathedral, St Peter's Lutheran Church, St Andrew's Presbyter | ||
First Baptist Church is a prominent Baptist church in downtown Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is part of the Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec union.
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, was designed by architect James Mather and constructed 1877-8.
The cornerstone was laid by then Prime Minister, 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 1916, 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 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 (1899), and more recently, Kanata Baptist Church and Bilberry Creek Baptist Church in Orleans.