Our Story
In 1949 the suburb of Blackburn
is mostly bush, apple and pear orchards, interconnected by dirt tracks.
Mr C.E. Burden of the Bush Sunday School Union of Victoria
visits the area and at his invitation, Mr R.W. Jones establishes a lively Sunday school.
On August 3, 1952,
adults meet at Blackburn South Primary School for a worship service. On September 16, 1952, in the home of Mr Press, plans are made to form a Baptist Fellowship.
The children of the Bush Sunday School
and the worshipping adults became the foundation of the new fellowship.
With encouragement and support from the
Victorian Baptist Home Missionary Society and others,
a hall was erected at the corner of Canterbury and Holland Roads
on two blocks of land, which had been purchased in
August 1950 by the Baptist Home Missionary Society for such a purpose.
"We cannot build unless we believe"
wrote Rev George Ashworth to his congregation in 1960. Soon after in 1962 the church was relocated to 19 Holland Road to allow for continued growth.
Significant improvements
to the main building were completed. Foyer floorspace was doubled and Crossway Café was added. Construction was undertaken during the GFC and cost $2.1 million; funds were raised from within the congregation in 2009 without needing to borrow.