The little church that could

The 2,700 square ft. addition to the building, under construction for the past year and a half, was finally finished. As anticipated, it was also full.

The church, established in 1851, is bucking a trend.

While congregations across Canada continue to dwindle, this ‘little church in the middle of nowhere’ continues to grow.

Les Barr, South Range Christian Church’s 31 year-old minister, thinks he knows why.

He grew up in Weymouth, earned his degree in PEI, and came to South Range four years ago.

“I had offers from a few churches,” he says. “The thing that attracted me to this one was the strength of it leaders. The elders were easy to get along with and they were ambitious. They were willing to do what it takes to make their church grow.”

“They wanted to bring in a young minister who could relate to youth. And I wanted a church with elders who are open—people I could learn from.”

Murray Marshall is one of those elders. He’s also one of the people who rolled up his sleeves to help build the addition. In fact, 90 per cent of the labor was done by members of the congregation—and Barr.

Marshall says the elders were well aware that changes needed to be made if they wanted a church that catered to all ages. They knew that to attract young people, they had to be relevant to them.

“So, every once in a while, instead of the just the traditional music, we’d throw in a guitar. Or maybe we’d change a little something about the service style,” says Marshall. “Maybe we’d ask a young person to speak.”

These changes happened very gradually, over years.

Then, a church band–with a bass guitarist and drummer–was created. In the beginning the band would play just once a month.

“At that time, we’d get calls from some of the oldest members of our congregation. They’d ask if this was the week the band was playing. And if it was, they wouldn’t come,” says Marshall. But they’d come the other three Sundays.

Other people began to come. They came from Bear River, Cornwallis, Digby, and Weymouth.

“Most of them had connections–friends or family who were regular members,” says Barr.

A fair number, apparently, liked the church enough that they’ve since become members themselves.

Marshall says the older people who stayed away on the Sundays when the band was playing, began coming on those days as well–because those were the Sundays when their grandchildren most wanted to come to church.

“There’s something very special, for a grandparent, about attending church with a grandchild,” says Marshall.

The church band now plays every Sunday. There are also traditional hymns every Sunday.

And the church that had 70 regular attendees a decade ago now has 140 who come.

The addition to accommodate them is energy efficient, and has a full basement where Sunday School programs will take place.

At the back of the new church auditorium there’s a retreat for parents of infants. In this a room a mother can nurse her baby, while still hearing and seeing the church service.

Jennifer Barr, the church’s programming team leader and Les Barr’s wife will be making use of the space soon: the couple, parents of a 6 year old and a 3 year old, are expecting their third child Christmas Eve.

Barr says there have been six babies born, in the last few months, to members of the congregation.

There are also from 30 to 40 children and teens who come to church regularly, and in addition to regular Sunday School services, outside there is a playground and a basketball court for them.

Although the new church auditorium is complete, there are still a few other tasks left to tackle.

The space that formerly served as the church auditorium will become a hall for meetings and receptions.

The kitchen, now in the original basement of the church, will be moved upstairs. Being on the main level will make things easier for the seniors who call South Range Christian Church “theirs”: the oldest member of the congregation is 94 years old.

Barr says the church is deeply grateful to that previous generation who hung on while times were tough.

“When I was a boy,” says Marshall, “there was no minister, but a handful of elderly ladies came every Sunday and started the fire hoping that someone would come. And sometimes people would come, and they’d meet, and worship even though they had no minister.”

Marshall says as a 14 year old, he was asked, from time to time, to preach.

Barr, who grew up in a Christian Church in Weymouth, says he also preached his first sermon as a teenager—a very basic and direct sermon. And that’s still the style that he prefers.

“The teachings of Christ are as relevant today as they were when he first delivered them. And they’re simple messages,” says Barr. “So when I preach, I also do my best to keep it simple.”