Ballymena Free Presbyterian Church turns 60
Beloved place of worship passes important milestone
THIS week marks an important milestone for Ballymena Free Presbyterian Church.
Tomorrow (Wednesday) will mark its 60th anniversary - and the Kirk Session has publicly acknowledged the goodness and grace of Almighty God in reaching the milestone.
The history of the congregation, of course, goes back further than 1966.
On November 12 1933 Pastor James Kyle Paisley stepped out in faith and with a group of Christians met in a hall known as ‘Kane’s Showroom’ on the Waveney Road.
Plans were quickly put into place to procure a site and build a permanent meeting house.
On October 17 the following year, the foundation stone for the Gospel Tabernacle was laid by Dr TT Shields, the world-renowned Pastor from Jarvis Street Baptist Church in Toronto. It officially opened on March 27 1935.
Some years passed by and then the formation of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster happened in 1951 - and it was clear that the congregation would soon outgrow their building.
Under the Ministry of Rev James Beggs that is exactly what happened