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Stewarton
Congregational Church was founded by William Cunningham who was the
third son of William Cunningham of Bridgehouse, an extensive West
Indian merchant and one of a small number of Merchant Princes who
laid the foundations of Glasgow's commercial greatness and who
purchased the Lainshaw Estate in 1779.
Young William,
after being educated in London and Universities abroad, was attached
to the Indian Civil Service where the celebrated missionary Dr. W.
Carey influenced him. On the death of his father in 1807 he returned
to Scotland to manage the Lainshaw Estate. He joined the Established
Church but declined to become an Elder as he could not assent to the
doctrine of the Confession of Faith, especially on the subject of
the limitation of atonement. He built a Mission Hall, now part of
the Old Men's Cabin, and ran a Sunday School. In 1826 Mr Cunningham
and the members of his Sunday School were refused communion in the
Parish Church and so decided to form themselves into a church
according to the Congregational Order in February 1827. Mr
Cunningham acted as Pastor until 1843. The Reverend Robert Smith
succeeded him when he was unable to perform his pastoral duties.
In 1846 Mr
Cunningham purchased the present building, which had formerly been
an Auld Licht Church. The building was improved by the addition of
the gallery. Mr Cunningham died in 1849.
During the ministry of the Rev. John R. Ramsey, 1912-1923, he was an
active member of the Stewarton Temperance Society which managed to
get Stewarton VOTED DRY in 1920. |
Following World War II, during the Rev. W. Cowan's ministry, 1940-1954,
the pulpit was altered and although it it quite high no one has fallen out
yet. In 1955 The Girl's Life Brigade was formed under the Captaincy of
Betty Barclay (Wyllie). This later became The Girl's Brigade. In 1959 The
Boy's Brigade was formed under the Captaincy of John Milliken. Both of
these organisations are Town Companies although The Girl's Brigade has
lapsed due to lack of Leaders.
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The Church suffered a bad attack of dry rot during the early sixties
and required to be gutted and the furnishings and seating stored. The
Services continued in the Church Hall. After the restoration work was
completed, mostly carried out by voluntary labour, the Church was
restored to its former glory.After years of
prayer and negotiations The Congregational Church in Scotland decided
to join The United Reformed Churches in Great Britain and become its
Scottish Synod. So from 1st April 2000 The Stewarton Congregational
Church became The Stewarton United Reformed Church but it is still the
same warm hearted House of God which you are cordially invited to
visit at any time. |
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