Early Reports: The following report comes from the Elim Evangel for August 1923, under the heading, “Mission at Markethill.” 

A mission, the memory of which will remain long, we doubt not, in the minds of many of the residents of town and district, was commenced by Mr. Farlow and Mr. Kingston on Sunday, 27th May, and closed on Sunday, 1st July. For a market town of only seven or eight hundred inhabitants, the attendance throughout the whole mission was not less than remarkable, and on most Sunday nights a number were turned away, unable to gain admittance. 

The ground at first proved to be hard and unyielding, but the plough of God’s Word was faithfully used, the seed was sown – and soon there were signs of a glorious harvest. Night after night witnessed the scene of souls pointed to Christ as the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. Lives have been transformed and is some cases three, four, and five in one family are rejoicing in a newly-found Saviour. When time merges into eternity, the results will abide, for names have been written in the Lamb’s book of life and fruit has been gathered unto eternity. 

Church Buildings

This inaugural mission was held in a portable hall set up beside the local courthouse. After the mission ended, a church was formed and continued to meet in the same hall, which one member recalls was referred to, affectionately by some and contemptuously by others, as “the hut.” It was replaced by a more substantial structure in 1953, by a brick and stone building in 1975 and by the present church around 1990. The two houses adjacent to the church were purchased at different times and renovated to serve as a manse and their back gardens were developed to become a graveyard. 

Graveyard

In the absence of public cemeteries in rural areas, burials normally took place in the graveyards attached to parish churches. At times, local rectors who were antagonistic to Elim refused to let pastors take committal services for their members on what they regarded the private property of the established church, and more than one Elim minister had to preach and pray from the road outside. An Elim graveyard, in a town like Markethill was clearly the answer to the problem, though it might create other difficulties! The writer remembers attending a funeral in Markethill and sympathising with the pastor, who looked unwell. It transpired that the gravedigger had taken ill, a substitute had been unavailable, and the pastor had not only conducted the services but had had to dig the grave beforehand and would have to fill it in afterwards. 

Baptism

God continued to bless the church. In July 22nd, 1927, Pastor Joseph Smith conducted a baptismal service at nearby Shaw’s Lake, surely a memorable occasion. When Mr. McWhinnie led another Gospel mission in the town in April 1930, the Evangel report began, “Mr.McWhinnie is opening fire in Markethill.” 

Connection with Armagh Elim

From its opening, until 1970, Markethill Elim functioned as branch of the Armagh church, and shared its ministers. These were Pastors Charles Kingston, Robert Mercer, Samuel Gorman, T. McAvoy, J. Knight, D. Rudkin, J. Hill, E. J. Jones, Walter H. Urch, Tom Stevenson, A. Burt, L. N. Knipe, John MacInnes, William J. Maybin, R. R. Taylor, S. J. Brown, F.S. Bristow, Malcolm Smith, George Wallace, Hugh Magowan, and William McCandless (assistant). 

After the link with Armagh ended, the pastors were David Kilpatrick (1970 – 72), Raymond Cotter (1972 - 78), James Ritchie (1978 – 80), Robert Scott (1980 – 84), David Carnduff (1984 – 87), Edwin Michael (1987 – 89), Gary Murphy (1989 – 91), Stephen Matthews (1991 – 2001), Ivan Michael (2002 – 11), John Oliver (2012 - 2014) and Ian Stevenson (2014 - 2021). Alan McCann joined the church in 2022.