On April 12, 1833, at Byers Road, in the home of Rev. Josiah Philips, a group from Vincent Baptist Church met and organized Windsor Baptist Church. The next day Elder Leonard Fletcher presented a constitution, articles of faith and a covenant to the group which were unanimously adopted.
In the summer of 1833, a one-story house of worship was built on one and a half acres on the current property. During the autumn of 1833, a baptistry was erected with a dressing room and a pool. On September 26, 1833 fifty-nine people were baptized and added to the membership. The following year a Sunday school was established. Windsor Baptist Church was a meetinghouse for various parties to lecture on the subject of temperance. A temperance organization met there for several years.
To give us a little perspective, the United States was only 57 years old when Windsor Baptist was founded. The War of 1812 had ended less than 20 years earlier. The national anthem which was written during that time, was only 19 years old when Windsor was birthed.
Windsor Baptist Church has been preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ for more than half of our nation’s existence. In 1828, Andrew Jackson (Old Hickory), a military hero from the War of 1812, defeated John Quincy Adams to become the 7th president of the United States. Jackson was in his second term when Windsor Baptist Church was founded. Twenty-seven years later would be the Civil War. Windsor has the bible that the pastor preached from during the Civil War. Since 1833, members of Windsor Baptist Church have voted in 38 presidential elections. Forty-two pastors have shepherded the church during these years, with Rev. Dean Hegarty serving the longest, 21 years as senior pastor (1964-1985) and 12 years as visitation pastor (1994-2006).
Following the Civil War, in 1867, the one-story meeting house was torn down and by 1869 a new two-story building with a Sunday School room downstairs and a sanctuary upstairs was completed. In 1958 an education unit of 8 classrooms was added. A new sanctuary was built and dedicated in 1979.
In 1981 the Windsor Christian Preschool was established to serve our community. Windsor Christian Preschool has served thousands of children and families over the years. It is viewed as one of the best preschools in this section of Chester County. In 1996, the Windsor Christian Academy began with a kindergarten. Today, Windsor Christian Academy houses grades K through 8 with over 225 students in the church, modular units, and a renovated building at 260 Park Road. God has been so good and faithful to Windsor Baptist Church and schools.
Praising the Lord,
Pastor Chaya