immanuelbaptistchurch.ca

OUR HISTORY

In 1837 Rev. John Gilmour, a pioneer Baptist Minister accepted an appointment under the New England Company. His duties were the spiritual care of two bands of aboriginals living in the Kawartha area. He lived in Peterborough Ontario from 1837 until his death in 1869. The second church after the Anglicans was at Fenelon Falls or “The Falls”. The Graham family of Blythe Farm on Sturgeon Lake were staunch supporters of the Baptist faith and members of the Gilmour Memoiral Church in Peterborough.

On September 30th, 1857, a meeting was held to organize a Baptist Church at Fenelon Falls. This meeting was as the home of Robert and Spowers (Ridden) Graham at Blythe Farm. Most of the business meetings of the CHurch for several years were held at Blythe Farm as well as the worship services. They were conducted in a building originally built by John Langton around 1845 and known as the Baptist Church at Blythe.

In 1869 with Wm. Dick as Trustee, the Baptist supporters purchased Lot No.3 on Queen St W in Fenelon Falls. The cost of the lot and a furnished building was $898.58. Thirty seven years later a lot was acquired on Colborne St and the present brick Baptist Church was officially opened on January 27th, 1907.

Following dissention within the Baptist Convention, the Immanuel Baptist Church of Fenelon Falls was officially recognized in October, 1928. For some years Immanuel’s services were held above a restaurant on Colborne St. Finally, in 1957, the present building was purchased and the building which had originally been built as a Bible Christina Church, later used as the Town Hall, then became Immanuel Baptist Church.