Bon Accord Free Church
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Bon Accord Free Church is a congregation of the
Free Church of Scotland Free Church of Scotland may refer to: * Free Church of Scotland (1843–1900), seceded in 1843 from the Church of Scotland. The majority merged in 1900 into the United Free Church of Scotland; historical * Free Church of Scotland (since 1900), rema ...
in
Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...
.


History

Bon-Accord Free Church was formed in 1828 via the secession of members of the congregation of Trinity Chapel, who purchased the Union Terrace church from a Baptist congregation. In 1834, it became a ''quoad sacra'' parish, and gained members as a result of secessions from
Gilcomston Church Gilcomston Church is an independent evangelical congregation, which meets in the church buildings on Union Street, Aberdeen. The congregation was formerly part of the Church of Scotland and known as Gilcomston South Church. Overview The churc ...
. Minister Gavin Parker led the congregation through the Disruption. The congregation underwent a series of reaffiliations, becoming a United Free church, then Bon-Accord Church of Scotland in 1929 when the United Free church reunited with the
Church of Scotland The Church of Scotland ( sco, The Kirk o Scotland; gd, Eaglais na h-Alba) is the national church in Scotland. The Church of Scotland was principally shaped by John Knox, in the Scottish Reformation, Reformation of 1560, when it split from t ...
, before its most recent affiliation as Bon Accord Free Church in 1974.


Buildings

The current building was designed in 1894 by the architect Robert Gordon Wilson on the site of the Union Baptist Chapel and opened in 1896. Following the Union of 1900 it became the Bon Accord United Free Church. From 1962 to 1974 it was Bon Accord St Paul's Church before reverting to Bon Accord Free Church in 1974. The congregation has been in the Bon Accord building ever since it was bought in 1977. Before this, they used a building on Dee Street until the building became too small for them during the 1970s. The present building on Rosemount Viaduct seats around 700 people.Bon Accord Centenary booklet The current building underwent significant renovations and repairs in 2016/ 2017 during this time the congregation moved out of the building and met in a local community centre. These included repairs to the roof and both domes as well as internal modifications. The foyer was increased in size to create a small café/ breakout space, the sanctuary was decreased in size as a result with the pews also being removed from the main floor of the sanctuary to be replaced with chairs. The balcony in the sanctuary retains the original pews. The church organ was removed given it had rarely been used since the building was purchased in 1974 and had fallen into disrepair though the organ pipes remain in place as a decorative feature above the pulpit.


Ministers


References


External links


Bon Accord Free Church WebsiteOnline Sermons preached at Bon Accord since 1973
Churches in Aberdeen Category C listed buildings in Aberdeen Free Church of Scotland Listed churches in Scotland 1845 establishments in Scotland {{Scotland-church-stub