Writing the history of Canberra Baptist Church

 On 1 January 1901 four men joined the ranks of the procession in Sydney, to mark the inauguration of the Commonwealth of Australia. In line behind the Mounted Police, the Lancer Squadron, the Trades Union Section, representatives of Friendly Societies, and the Fire Brigade, came the Heads of Religious Bodies: the Salvation Army, Congregational Church, then the Baptists, followed by the Church of England, Church of Christ and Jewish leaders. Representing our denomination on this momentous day in the history of our nation were Rev. W.A. Southwell of New South Wales, 
Rev. A. Steele of Victoria, Rev. C. Boyall of Queensland and Rev. R. McCullough of South Australia. 

Twelve years later, on 13 March 1913, Lady Denman pronounced the name that was to be given to the new Federal Capital City to be created on the Limestone Plains - Canberra, the single most tangible expression of Federation. War intervened and slowed development, but by the mid-1920s Parliament House was under construction, 
and some government departments were moving to 
Canberra.  On 9 May 1927 the Duke of York opened the first Parliament House, and the Government of the nation began to be conducted from the National Capital. 

The year before Parliament House opened, the Baptist Union of Australia was formed in a spirit of federal unity, and committed itself to creating a Baptist presence in the National Capital. This church, which opened in February 1929, not long after Parliament House, is the result of this vision, and of the dedication and persuasive powers of its first minister, Rev. Arthur J. Waldock. 

The church’s history has been ably written before by R.K. Robb in Fifty Capital Years, who took the story up to 1979, and by Russell Holly in Further Capital Years, who extended it to 1989. Now we have embarked on a third version of this church’s history.

As has been foreshadowed above, the overarching theme in any history of Canberra Baptist Church is its role as the ‘National’ church in the National Capital. This is both the reason for its foundation, and the touchstone by which it has positioned itself within the capital city and the Baptist denomination. 

Ministers have been called to Canberra Baptist Church with the expectation that they will take a public position within the life of the Nation’s Capital, and participate in relationships with other Christian denominations and in the wider life of the city. The church building itself bears witness, in brass plaques, foundation stones and stained glass, to those whom this denomination has chosen to honour in its church in the Nation’s Capital - and to those of our church community who are also memorialised. 

Canberra Baptist Church, as the pioneer congregation in the ACT for our denomination, has also been the ‘mother’ of other Baptist churches, as Canberra’s population has increased to a size which would probably have been unimaginable to our early pioneers. 

A flagship church, but also a local church for the Canberra community, Canberra Baptist Church has had an active seventy-five years of life. With the assistance of Bill Hughes and Russell Holly, I will be writing this story over the next year. As well as researching in the church archives (admirably arranged by Bill Hughes), I will be looking for stories, for photographs and any other material that will add to the larger picture of the life of this church. 

We plan to have the draft of this work completed by late 2003, for launching on the seventy-fifth anniversary of the church’s dedication. 

If you have stories and photos to share, please contact me on 6281 6805 or 
e-mail RRosrussell@aol.com  - I look forward to hearing from you.

Roslyn Russell

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