History
Not your usual Sunday sermon
On the evening of Pentecost Sunday, May 29, 1955, Rev. Ron F. Tucker, Presbyter-in-charge of Free Church, Parliament Street, sat down to meditate on God’s Word to prepare for his upcoming Sunday sermon. Driven by a burning desire to attend to the needs of worshippers living far away in South Delhi—who often arrived only in time for the benediction—he sought a message for the following Sunday. Led by the Holy Spirit, his message on June 5, 1955, proved to be a challenging one. He spoke on the responsibilities of the congregation to plant a new church in South Delhi and asked them to be prepared. Thus was born the idea of Green Park Free Church.
Birth of the Church Community
In 1956, fellowship meetings were initiated on Tuesday evenings in the homes of members living in South Delhi. Starting in 1958, evening services were held in the home of a member in addition to the Tuesday meetings. A committee was also constituted during this time to oversee the construction of a new church building. In 1959, services shifted to a school run by church members. Sunday school for kids was also started in 1959. The picture depicts the church site (circa 1950s) before construction began.
Construction Begins
Picture depicts the church site (circa 1950s) at the start of construction.
Construction Progresses
Picture (circa 1962) of the church’s foundation stone laying ceremony attended by Rev. G H Grose, Mr S E Simon, Mr S E Ferdinand, Col Basant Lal, Rev H A Townsley, Rev W T Morgan, Rev E S Nasir, Dr C H Hazlett and Rev E P Jacob
Worship doesn't necessarily need a building
Once the foundation stone was laid at the church site in 1962, services started in the church site under tents – even during the bitterly cold winter months as well as the blazing hot and blistering windy summers. On one occasion, the wind was so fierce that four men had to hang on to the poles to prevent the entire tent from blowing away.
Roofing done
Picture (circa 1963) of the church’s completed roofing
Construction Progresses
Picture (circa 1963) of the church’s front arch being constructed
Building Completed
The main church building was completed in March 1964. The first church service in the finished church building was on Palm Sunday 1964 – 22nd March. The church manse was completed in April 1965. The church hall was opened in June 1968 with Rev’s L E Pocklington, Rev. D W Smithson and Rev. G H Grose being present on the occasion. Picture depicts the church hall in 1968
Toward the Silver Jubilee
Worshippers undertook tasks and accepted challenges towards building up of the church voluntarily. When the building was being constructed, several Church members, men and women, made themselves available to supervise the work. When the water reservoir had to be desilted, one Church member accomplished this. When the lawn was to be dug up and re-planted, a team of young people did the digging. During furlough period of Pastoral leadership, the Lay-Preachers carried on the Church Ministry. When cars were required for the Carol Singing Parties, many came forward. Such an attitude encouraged the feeling of larger involvement in the Church. These are only a few of the hundreds of ways the members of the congregation have been involved in taking care of the needs of the church and building up of the church as we know it by the time of the silver jubilee in 1989. Picture depicts youth volunteering at church circa 1970’s
Golden Jubilee
The church celebrated it’s golden jubilee in the year 2014 – with a year long procession of events to remember the past and build for the future with God’s help. All fellowships of the church actively participated throughout the year ending with a week long celebration in March 2014. A coffee table book was also released during this time
Pastoral History
The church has had a long line of Pastoral leadership who sacrificially invested of themselves in the church to build it up