A BRIEF HISTORICAL SKETCH OF ELLIOT LAKE FELLOWSHIP BAPTIST CHURCH (formerly Elliot Lake First Baptist Church)
In the early 1950’s huge uranium deposits were discovered in an area north of highway 17 and east of Blind River. Subsequently several mines opened and a town was established in 1955. Elliot Lake First Baptist Church was established a year later in 1956, meeting first in a school. Later that year land was purchased and a building was constructed.
In the mid-1970’s a second story was added to the original one-story church structure. In 1990 an elevator was installed. In 2012-2013 a building program took place where the second floor was extended, and a new foyer and offices were constructed.
The church’s attendance has fluctuated relating to the ups and downs of the mines. There was a down-turn in uranium mining in the early 1960’s and an upturn in the 1970’s. The late 1980’s saw another downturn which lasted until 1996 when the last mine closed.
The church struggled during the downturns but remained faithful. Following the closure of the last mine (at one point there were twelve mines in operation.), it was thought that Elliot Lake would be bulldozed and cease to exist. However, a group of people came up with the idea of establishing Elliot Lake as a retirement community. The idea caught on and since then Elliot Lake has thrived. Likewise so has Elliot Lake Fellowship Baptist Church. Although the demographic of the congregation has changed, reflecting the demographic of the town, the faith of the people has continued to be vibrant.
On November 2, 2019 Elliot Lake First Baptist Church withdrew from Canadian Baptist of Ontario and Quebec and affiliated with the Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches in Canada. In order to reflect the change of affiliation Elliot Lake First Baptist Church changed its name to Elliot Lake Fellowship Baptist Church in March 2020.
Elliot Lake Fellowship Baptist Church has, through the years, continued to be a Bible-based, Christ-centred, Mission-minded, congregation.
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
THE WORD OF GOD
We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct. We believe in an orthodox interpretation of Scripture.
THE TRINITY
We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons; Father, Son and Holy Spirit, that these are equal in every divine perfection, and that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence and redemption.
GOD THE FATHER
We believe in God the father, an infinite personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of all people, that He hears and answers prayers, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.
JESUS CHRIST
We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles and teachings. We believe in His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal visible return to earth.
THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe in the Holy Spirit who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgement, and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ, and that He is an abiding helper, teacher and guide.
REGENERATION
We believe that all people are sinners by nature and by choice and are, therefore, under condemnation. We believe that those who repent of their sins and trust in Jesus Christ as Saviour are regenerated by the Holy Spirit.
THE CHURCH
We believe in the universal Church, a living spiritual body of which Christ is the head and all regenerated persons are members. We believe in the local Church, consisting of a company of believers in Jesus Christ, baptized on a credible profession of faith and associated for worship, work and fellowship. We believe that God has laid upon the members of the local Church the primary task of giving the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world.
CHRISTIAN CONDUCT
We believe that a Christian should live for the glory of God and the well-being of humanity; that his/her conduct should be blameless before the world; that he/she should be a faithful steward of his/her possessions; and that he/she should seek to realize for himself/herself and others the full stature of maturity in Christ. We believe that sexual activity is God-ordained only in the context of a heterosexual marital relationship between one biological man and one biological woman, and that Christian conduct in sexual matters is thus defined according to the teachings of the Word of God.
THE ORDINANCES
We believe that our Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church; baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We believe that Christian Baptism is the immersion of a believer into water in the name of the triune God. We believe that the Lord’s Supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration of His death. We believe that these two ordinances should be observed and administrated until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
We believe that every human being has direct relations with God, and is responsible to God alone in all matters of faith; that each Church is independent and must be free from interference by any ecclesiastical or political authority; that therefore Church and State must be kept separate as having different functions, each fulfilling its duties free from dictation or patronage of the other.
CHURCH CO-OPERATION
We believe that local Churches can best promote the cause of Jesus Christ by co-operating with one another in a denominational organization. Such an organization, whether a regional or district association, union or federation exists and functions by the will of the Churches. Co-operation is voluntary and may be terminated at any time. Churches may likewise co-operate with interdenominational fellowships on a voluntary independent basis.
THE LAST THINGS
We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His Kingdom. We believe in the Resurrection of the body, the final judgement, the eternal happiness of the righteous, and the endless suffering of the wicked.
CHURCH COVENANT
The Church Covenant for the Church is:
Having been led, as we believe, by the Spirit of God, to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour, and on profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we do now, in the presence of God and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another as one body in Christ.
We engage, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to walk together in Christian love, to strive for the advancement of this Church, in knowledge, holiness and comfort, to promote its prosperity and spirituality, to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline and doctrines, to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the Church, and the spread of the Gospel throughout all nations.
We also engage to cultivate the devotional life, to rear our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances, to walk circumspectly in the world, to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements, exemplary in our deportment, and to be zealous in our efforts to advance the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour.
We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love, to remember each other in prayer, to aid each other in sickness and distress, to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and courtesy of speech, to be slow to take offence, always ready for reconciliation, and mindful to the rules of our Saviour, to secure it without delay. We moreover engage that when we remove from this place, we will as soon as possible unite with some other Church, where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant, and the principles of God’s Word.