Robert Stewart Memorial Church, Newcastle have been celebrating their centenary throughout 2005. Working under the slogan "GOD IN OUR LIVES - OUR LIVES IN GOD" a wide variety of events have included:
The centenary will be celebrated on SUNDAY 23rd OCTOBER, 2005 with services at 10:45am and 6:30pm. The morning service will be lead by Dr David Peel, Moderator of the General Assembly. There will be three guest speakers at the evening service: Dr Eric Nelson (minister, 1970 - 1998), Peter Main (minister, 2000 - 2004) and Bill Ellerby (twice interim minister). Dr Nelson will also preach at the morning service on Sunday 30th October (10:45am).
All friends of the congregation are warmly invited to these services and to a Centenary Lunch which is to be held on 23rd October. Numbers for the latter are required and should be forwarded to Prof John Nelson (tel: 0191 286 2083) who will also be pleased provide details of other activities and events.
And for those who have wondered just who Robert Stewart was..... thanks to Professor Nelson for the following historical note:
The congregation was established as Wingrove Presbyterian Church in 1905 and Robert Stewart became the first regular minister when he moved from the Benwell Church. In the mid-1930s the premises underwent substantial modification and a decision was taken to change the name from Wingrove to Robert Stewart Memorial to recognise the substantial achievements of Robert Stewart's 15-year ministry.
Robert Stewart spent his entire ministry in what is now the Northern Synod. We know that he spent some time as a student minister at St Cuthbert's Church on Holy Island and RSM maintains this connection through regularly leading a summer service at St Cuthbert's Centre.