Bethel Church

The Mercury newspaper, dated 13th September 1873 reports of a public meeting, where it was suggested that a religious house be erected for the district of Port Esperance. The emphatic suggestion was that it would be a 'Bethel' church, thus open to all preachers of the gospel.

One acre of land for the church requested from Mr. William Knight was legally transferred on the 4th June 1875. Money collected for the building was £400, only £130 pounds short of the amount required. Subscriptions soon reduced the total.

The Bethel Church was officially opened on the 6th May 1877. The first service was conducted by Rev. J.M. Bayley at 11 o'clock and another in the evening at 6 o'clock by visiting minister Rev. Mr. Thwaites.

By 1887 two of the original trustees Mr. David Chapman and W.H. Andrewartha had both died, the only surviving trustee left was Mr. William Davis. On the death of Mr Davis, his wife Ann was left the trusteeship. Ann's executor transferred the church to the Congregational Union in 1923. The deed of conveyance says:

... the said church had been used exclusively by members of the religious denomination known as Congregationalist for over thirty years and all moneys expended during the said period in the up keep of and in repairing and improving the said church and all rates and taxes and fire insurance premiums payable from time to time ... had been paid by members of the said denomination and no services had ever been held or conducted in the said church by any religious denomination other than the Congregationalists during such period.

Between 1876 and 1925 fifteen ministers served the ministry.