Early Days

The first minister of St Philips, Rev William Bain, previously a missionary in India, commenced a congregation in Newcastle and by 1868 they had built a modest church on Hunter Street.

In 1905, the church moved away from the noisy commercial centre into the suburbs in Watt St. By the 1950s, this suburban area had once again been taken over by the growing commercial hub of Newcastle CBD. Ironically today, this commercial/legal hub is becoming residential again through massive unit  developments on the former Royal Newcastle Hospital site.

From those days till now there have been a succession of serving ministers from the colourful ex-boxer Rev Andrew McVittie to the wonderfully Bible focussed Rev George Reid. The congregation has always been a modest but active group right up until the early 1980s when numbers began to decline.

Decision Time

By 1998, there were only about 5 elderly people remaining. A radical transformation was needed! In early 2000, John Macintyre, a church planter from Tamworth, headed a new gospel focussed ministry approach. Our church community has blossomed and become a hive of gospel focussed activity. We trust we are a place you could call home.