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The story began in 1925 when Pastor C J Kajeweski, enlisted the help of Mrs Nichols and Mr & Mrs J MacKenzie to help start a Sunday School. They met in the School of Arts building at Banyo (now demolished). On the first Sunday, 19 children attended.
Nundah Baptists were asked to "Mother" the fledgling and accepted the task. Among those were Mr & Mrs Len Westwood, Mr J Pollock, Mr & Mrs Rix, and their daughters Millie, Mavis and Dorothy.
A morning service was commenced with regular visitation by Mr W Brown, an elderly retired Mine Manager. The Sunday School held in the afternoon grew with Mr Len Westwood as Superintendent. In 1930 the Church building was erected by voluntary labour in Hartley Street on land donated by Mr Hartley.
After WWII the district grew rapidly and the need for a full time Pastor was evident. John Leitch, a retired missionary was called and with help from the Nundah Church with the stipend, served from 1946-1952. An evening service was added at this time.
During Pastor Leitch's term, the church was constituted a member church of the Baptist Union in 1949, with 31 members transferring from Nundah as foundation members.
The election of the first Dianconate on February 7, 1949 resulted in 8 people elected. They were N Rix, L Westwood, G Lean, G Whitnall, K Westbrook, C Dutton, J Sutherland (first Secretary) and L Beasley, Treasurer. Mr C Dutton had served as Secretary in the early committees. The church building soon became inadequate and was extended and enclosed beneath.
By 1949 the Sunday School attendance reached 100. In 1953 an old army hut was moved from the Chermside camp to the Church grounds. This served many years for the Sunday School and Boys' and Girls' Brigade activities.
The Hall was officially opened on September 26, 1953 by Reverend A H Brooks, General Superintendent of the Baptist Union. Pastor Jim Sullivan was Pastor at this time. A manse was erected in 1955, Reverend E V Keith and family were the first occupants in 1956.
As the old church became inadequate for the congregation a move was made to build a larger one. A plan by the architect Mr Ray Smith was accepted and the church was erected by D Gamble, Builders. The Church was opened on Saturday 11 February 1967 by the Vice President of the Baptist Union, Reverend Murray Sinfield.
In 1980 a move was made to erect a new church hall with more adequate facilities. To make room for this, the original church and an adjoining house were demolished and the present hall was opened during the Pastorate of Reverend Phil Bryant. Finally the need for a new more roomy manse needed to be addressed. On the removal of the old army hut, finally a new manse was built by Mr G Allen and opened on June 4, 1989.
A women's Group formed early in the life of the church with the motto "For Prayer and Other Service. They celebrated their fiftieth Anniversary in 1997.
A Christian Endeavour Society was formed in 1930 led by Mr & Mrs George Lean. Sunday School, from the early days steadily grew in numbers, at one stage enrolment reached 300. A Boys Brigade was formed in 1956, the 9th Brisbane Company. The Girls Brigade was formed in 1959.
The Women's Fellowship is still operating along with an outreach - New Horizons. The ladies have supported three orphans in the Philippines with the SAO Scheme. Groups for the younger members are the Kids Club, with Mrs Pat Gorman as the current Leader, and Ros Allbut leads the Youth Group in Bible Study.
Home Groups, a Women's Bible Study and three other Home Groups meet weekly at various locations.
The church has seen many ups and downs in the 75 years of its history and changes too, in Banyo and surrounding suburbs. As Pastor Danny Russell appointed in 1996, stated "new strategies are required today to reach out in Christ's name to a community that needs Him more than ever...All of us at the Banyo Baptist Church look forward with anticipation to the next 50 years."
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