The Free Presbyterian Church in Crossgar, County Down, marked the 75th anniversary of its founding this month. The congregation formed on St Patrick's Day in 1951 at the Killyleagh Street Mission Hall in the village.

Rev Ian Paisley officiated the first meeting, which started at 3pm. Every seat filled, and people outside listened via loudspeaker. The service featured singing of the 23rd Psalm, prayers, hymns and paraphrases.

William Emerson received ordination as an elder, alongside Hugh-James Adams, George Gibson, Cecil Harvey, William Miscampbell and James Morrison. Rev George Stears, a missionary on furlough, took the role of interim minister.

In his address, Rev Paisley criticised the Irish Presbyterian Church and announced a new faithful witness in Ulster.

The church completed a purpose-built structure in 1957. George Jackson, a Crossgar native who attended the 1951 meeting at age 10, served on the church committee for 64 years.

Jackson recalled driving with his father to pick up Rev Paisley for meetings, including one trip across the Castlereagh Hills in the family Austin 7. Locals raised funds for the church by selling sticks and bags of blocks, and contributed time and money.

Young people, including Jackson as a teenager, participated in the building efforts. He keeps a Bible his mother gave him in 1951, noting both his birth and his spiritual conversion.