This is taken from the Church History Book by Ivan T. Jess. If you would like a copy of the history then please e-mail the church with your name and address.

In 1895, three years prior to the formation of Ravenhill congregation, the General Assembly sanctioned the organisation of a congregation in the rapidly developing Ravenhill area provided there would be adequate local support. Two years later, in November 1897, a Memorial, signed by ninety residents of the area requesting the formation of a congregation, was presented to the Presbytery of Belfast which approved a proposal to initiate the necessary procedures. Thirteen of those who had signed the Memorial formed a provisional committee and, under the Presbytery's guidance, made arrangements for Sunday services in the recently opened Hugh Henry Boyd Endowment School (also known as Ravenhill Road National School) at the lower end of the road.

The first service, held on Sunday morning 21st November 1897, was conducted by theRev. John McIlveen, Moderator of the Belfast Presbytery. Attendance at all the subsequent morning and evening services of worship were encouraging and, less than three months later, in February 1898, the Presbytery gave the necessary approval for the formation of Ravenhill Road Presbyterian Congregation: the forty-ninth Presbyterian congregation to be formed in Belfast, and one of nine established in the city in the last decade of the nineteenth century. The Presbytery appointed an Interim Session which made arrangements for the call of a minister and, with an elected Congregational Committee, for the erection of a church building.

wpmoore

The Congregation purchased the present site on the Ravenhill Road bordered by Florida Street, London Road and Ravenhill Avenue, described in the 1897 Belfast Directory as "Ravenhill Stables, Samuel Ross contractor," and an "Iron Church", a corrugated iron clad building, which had been used by McQuiston congregation (formed 1892) prior to the opening of its church building in February 1897, was dismantled, transported from the Castlereagh Road, and re-erected on the Ravenhill site.

iron2

In May 1898 a unanimous call was made to the Rev. John Ross, a licentiate of Raphoe Presbytery, who for a few months of the previous year had been in temporary charge of Mountpottinger congregation during a vacancy caused by the emigration to Canada of its minister the Rev. W.J. McCaughan.

The Moderator of the General Assembly the Rev. Professor Matthew Leitch conducted the opening services in Ravenhill Presbyterian Church (the "Iron Church") on Sunday 29th May 1898. And less than three weeks later, on Thursday 16th June, John Ross was ordained to the ministry and installed as minister of the congregation.

In November 1900 a Visitation of the Belfast Presbytery found the congregation's progress impressive and reported that -- "280 families profess connection with the congregation...... the number of communicants is, compared with the number of families, exceedingly large...... Sabbath school work, as is evidenced by the large number on the rolls is receiving special attention...... a fund has been opened for the erection of a permanent church building."

The foundation stones of that new building were laid at a ceremony on Saturday 22nd October 1904 and, less than eight months later, the church, which cost £4,285 (=£204,740 in today's currency), was opened on Sunday 4th June 1905, the day prior to the official opening of Church House, Fisherwick Place, by the Rev. Dr. Robert Howie, Moderator of the General Assembly of the United Free Church of Scotland, who conducted the morning and evening services.

In March 1979 the church building, which had served the congregation for seventy- four years, was severely damaged by an accidental fire but was reopened in October 1981 following some re-design and extensive repair.

Since its inception Ravenhill congregation has had five ministers -- Revs. John Ross (1898 - 1944), William Graham Smith (1944 - 1951), Dr. Thomas Fitch (1952 - 1972), Dr. Joseph Thompson (1972 - 1990) and the present minister, William McKeown, who was installed in 1991. Each has made a distinctive contribution to the strong evangelical tradition which has characterised the work of Ravenhill and resulted in a large number of members responding to the challenge of the Christian ministry at home and overseas.

The present members of the congregation are profoundly thankful to God for His blessing on the work and witness of the past hundred years and are encouraged by His continuing grace to face the challenge and opportunities in the days ahead.

A copy of the church history is now available on book. This excellent book can be purchased by e-mailing the church.

By Ivan T. Jess (Church Treasurer)