1

Calhoun United Baptist Church; It's History.
2003
Calhoun, New Brunswick, Canada

2

In 1903 when a "Union" church was built in the nearby community of Gaytons the community of Calhoun was composed of a school, a train station, a saw mill, and eighteen homes. Before then people wishing to attend religious services had to travel to Memramcook where services were held in a one-room school.

On September 6, 1903 Rev. William Morrison preached the dedication sermon at the newly built "Union Church" in Gaytons. Being a "union" church it was made available to the different religious denominations for the purpose of conducting worship services. First the Anglicans and Methodists used the facility. Later they were joined by the Baptists. Occasionally a clergyman would travel to Calhoun to conduct services in the local school. During these years the village of Calhoun was growing but the area of Gaytons was loosing its population.

3

Christians who called themselves Baptists were among the members of the little community of Calhoun. First Moncton United Baptist Church provided leadership in the early days through laymen preachers, Mr. Ezra Taylor and Mr. Wilford Mills. They often led worship services at the schoolhouse in Calhoun and the Union Church in Gaytons. Mr. Mills continued as pastor until 1959. During the summer services student ministers from Atlantic Baptist University and Acadia Divinity College provided leadership for the worship services.

In 1938 First Moncton Baptist Church reports of people from Calhoun being baptized and brought into membership within the Moncton Church. December 11, 1938 saw the early steps towards the formation of the Calhoun Baptist Church with the newly baptized members and others who had their church memberships transferred to the Shediac Baptist Church. The difficulty of transporting people over the distance to Shediac or to the Union Church at Gaytons proved to be a hindrance to regular church attendance. There were times when services were held in the homes of the Calhoun members. May 21, 1939 The decision was made to form their own church ( an organized body of believers). On May 24, 1939 the Shediac dismissed, with their blessings, eight members to form the Calhoun Baptist Church. On May 29th they joined with seven others to become part of the fifteen charter members of the Calhoun Baptist Church. A Sunday School for all ages was quickly formed and met weekly to learn about the Christian faith.

4

Minutes of the congregation's organizing meeting.
21 May 1939
Calhoun, New Brunswick, Canada

5

Eileen F. Toole in her book, "Memoirs of a Village and a Church", (pgs. 11 & 12) included a transcript of the organizational meeting held on May 29,1939.
It is interesting to read how the meeting was conducted.

6

Organizational meeting minutes continued.
29 May 1939
Calhoun, New Brunswick, Canada

7

Letter of Dismissal.
27 May 1939

8

This is a copy of the May 27, 1939 "Letter of Dismissal" from Highfield Street Baptist Church for Mrs. Roy (Hazel) Lewis enabling her to join the "to be organized" Calhoun Baptist Church. Mrs. Hazel Lewis became one of the charter members of this new church when it was formed two days later.

9

Mr. Mills' wife Mary also contributed to the Calhoun ministry through her leadership
in the formation of the Calhoun Women's Missionary Society.

In 1962 the Calhoun Church joined with Shediac and McKees Mills congregations to form one field served by one pastor. This continued until 1980 when McKees Mills United Baptist Church withdrew from the combined field to call their own pastor.

In 2003 the church field divided once more when Shediac withdrew from the field. Calhoun then made arrangements to seek its own pastor.

10

Due to population movements and the withdrawal of the Methodists when they became part of the United Church of Canada (1925), the Baptists found themselves solely responsible for the care of the union church building. It seemed natural to locate the building in the community in which they gathered for worship. That would be Calhoun since most of the Baptists lived there. An opportunity came with the construction of an improved highway. Dexter Construction Company, the highway contractor, offered to move the building to its new site some 10 kilometers from Gaytons to Calhoun. This happened on May 27, 1946.

Mrs. Toole also wrote about her personal memories of Mr. Mills' ministry in her book, "Memoirs of a Village and a Church" (pg. 13).

11

'Memoirs of a Village and a Church' (pg. 13).
1970

12

The church building stands along highway 480 in rural New Brunswick.
2003
Calhoun, New Brunswick, Canada

13

The church building has undergone many changes since its construction in 1903. The original steeple was replaced with a smaller one. A full concrete basement was placed under the building. The outside was covered with vinyl siding. The interior was paneled and the ceiling was tiled. Many other repairs were necessitated by the age of the building.
The church building measures 32 feet 7 inches by 22 feet 7 inches (not counting the area of the base of the steeple). This is one of the smallest
church building in the Convention of Atlantic Baptist Churches.

14

The view looking to the front of the sanctuary.
2003
Calhoun, New Brunswick, Canada