Bethesda Regular Baptist Church was officially organized on Oct. 26, 1952.  It met in a house at the corner of Queen Street and Pine Street in Delhi.  The founding pastor was Sam Dempster.  There were  ten charter members.  In 1955 they were considering closing, but then the Lord sent several to help in the work from Brantford, including Ken and Rhea Davis and from Courtland, Ethel Burnett.  Others also came from the Courtland area from the Veit and Graydon families.  Max and Evelyn Ferguson joined the church and were married here on September 23, 1956.

 

After Sam Dempster left to begin the work in Kingston, Ontario, a number of pastors and students from Toronto Baptist Seminary came and ministered between 1954 and 1963.  These included Ross Ferguson, Kenneth Miller, Jack Jones, Ed Fry, Bruce King and Mr. Greenleaf.

           

Then, more stability was attained when Pastor Roy Sidebottom came and ministered from 1963 to 1972.  The 60’s were also the years when Heather and Brian Graydon, and Mark and Denyse Ferguson joined the church.  Then in April of 1964 the present upstairs of our church building was completed, at a cost of $13,361.01!

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These were the early years.  Larry Stanfield came and ministered from 1972-1974, and Stephen Kring was called in 1977.

           

The Lord has blessed us over the years in so many ways.  He has added to our church many dear saints in the Lord, and taken many of them to glory.  He has enabled us to be involved in various ministries and outreaches, through Sunday School, Young Peoples, VBS, Camp Saugeen, a bus ministry, radio ministry, newspaper articles, home Bible studies, nursing home ministry, working in the Delhi Public School, Harvestfest booths, outdoor services, and many personal opportunities for witness and service.

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We have been part of the Association of Regular Baptist Churches and now the Sovereign Grace Fellowship.  The Lord has enabled us to be debt free, even after adding a wheel chair accessible lift and washroom.  We have been able to support fulltime pastoral ministry as well as sending support for many missionaries throughout the world.  Many students from TBS have come and spent their summer fields with us.

           

But none of this would be a reality apart from the grace of God.  To Him alone belongs the glory.  It is His church and He is the one we worship.  We give thanks for the past, with all of its blessings and trials.  And we prayerfully, humbly and trustingly look to Him for what lies ahead.  He is Jehovah Jireh, the LORD who provides.