When God works, He often brings many seemingly unrelated strands together.  In the case of Harrow Baptist Church, this is certainly the case.

Strand One – The Revolutionary War

As a result of the War of Independence in the United States, Essex County became a location where many German immigrants and United Empire Loyalists settled.  A key settlement of such people took place along the north shore of Lake Erie.

Strand Two – The Iler Settlement

This settlement came to be known as the Iler settlement because of Jacob and Elizabeth Iler who settled there in 1808.  Believers met in homes until the Second Regular Baptist Church in Colchester was established with 54 members on March 8, 1845.  The first entry in the church minutes was the statement “George Eede was baptized and taken into Christian Fellowship.”  This church encouraged the organization of the Kingsville Baptist Church in 1852.  In 1875 the church in Colchester requested the Iler church’s help in erecting a chapel in the town of Saxville (now Colchester).  For unknown reasons, the location was moved to Harrow at the last minute.  On February 1, 1876 the first meetings of the Harrow Baptist Church were begun.

Strand Three – Hiram Walker

At the time of the foundation of the church, the population of Harrow was only 150.  Colchester was the more important town because of its dock.  Harrow was often mired in the mud and transportation was difficult.  However, when Hiram Walker built his railway, he cut costs by going through Harrow to Kingsville and Leamington, rather than going through Colchester.  This caused the population of Harrow to double in the two decades following the foundation of the church.  It also assured that Harrow would become the dominant town.

Services began on February 1, 1876.  A service was held at 10:30 and another at 2:45.  At the close of the two services provision was made to liquidate the debt of $1200.  The church planned an evening tea but brother George Eede dropped dead and the tea had to be delayed.  That September meetings were held in Harrow by Rev. A.C. Baker with the result that 36 were added to the Fellowship of the church.  After a November covenant meeting the first baptismal was held for 5 believers.

No church records exist for the first 30 years of the Harrow Church.  Apparently the church clerk for those years was removed from his position and in a fit of anger proceeded to feed the records to his pot-bellied stove.

From the Iler church records, we know that the original brick building was replaced by a white frame building on King street west in 1905.  This building was later put on rollers and moved to a Queen street location.  The annual meeting of 1907 reported 7 Sunday School teachers, 30 students and an average offering of 67 cents.

In 1921 J.W. Edwards became pastor.  He was probably the first pastor to drive a car because it is during his ministry that the church records begin to mention a car allowance with no further reference to horse feed.

In mother church in Iler was torn down in 1943 and its members were welcomed into membership in Harrow.

In 1947 the church withdrew from the Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec.  In 1948 the church applied to the Fellowship of Independent Baptist Churches for membership.  In September 1953 delegates were sent to the Special convention of the newly formed and named Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches of Canada.  At this same time, the church became heavily involved in missions in Africa.

In the early 60’s the growth of the church caused the leadership under Pastor McGrath to purchase the piece of property next to the church in order to build a new auditorium.  However, after discovering quicksand on the property it was impossible to build there.  Therefore, a new site was chosen on the east edge of town.  Pastor Earl Clemens came in 1969 and under his leadership the church was completed and the first service was held November 28, 1971.

Under Rodger McCready the new phase of building was completed in 1986.