History
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Previous to the erection of the first building known as 'Culcavey Mission Hall', Gospel Meetings were held in an old school building belonging to the Hillsborough Linen Company as far back as 1919. Some time later a Sunday School was started in the Halftown Orange Hall and later a Gospel Meeting and Prayer Meeting followed. Those involved in this work were George McCord, Joseph Coulter and Robert Smith. They decided that a permanent building was needed and so a wooden structure was bought from the Brethren of Windsor Gospel Hall in Belfast.
The Trust Deed of that time showed Messrs G. McCord, E. Woods, D. Patterson, S. Greer and J. Scandrett as trustees, placing upon them no other obligation than that the building would be used only for Evangelical meetings. The land Deed showed that George McCord had transferred this plot of ground to the trustees, free of charge. All these events took place around 1929.
The worship meeting or 'Breaking of Bread' commenced in 1930. Much support was given by Belfast's Victoria Hall Assembly and by various other churches. Attendances were large, with missions being taken by Mr. Tocher of Belfast's Templemore Hall and a Scotsman, Mr. James McKendrick.
Most of the children in the village attended Sunday School, where in the 1940s the superintendent was Mr. Bobbie Smith and the teachers were the Pattersons, the Greers, Mr. Porter and Mr. Thompson. Excellent Christmas parties were organised and an invitation was even extended to those who did not attend the Sunday School.
By the mid 1950s the old wooden hall was beginning to show signs of decay, so it was given a front and back of brick, leaving the timber hall in between. In the 1960s a donation of £500 was made by the Sir John Laing Fund to complete the building work commenced in the previous decade. A new hall, was in effect built and linked with the front and back walls. During the building work, meetings were held in a tent loaned by a Mr. Glasgow of Newtownards. Further renovation work was carried out in the 1980s to provide what was then a very modern and fitting place to preach the Word of God.
In 1997 Mr. John Beggs bequeathed his adjoining property to Culcavey Hall. This resulted in car-parking facilities at the rear of the Hall.
With a congregation including families with young children, a crèche facility was provided, using the existing prayer room, during services.
In 2004 - 2005 consideration was given to improving facilities, such as kitchen, toilets, storage and crèche. In 2006 the decision was made to build a 99m² extension, which offers a Minor Hall, larger kitchen, storage and modern toilet facilities.
The extension was completed by August 2008, with the refurbishment of the Main building commencing in 2009. This includes a new ceiling, platform improvements, up-graded seating, modern lighting and audio-visual facilities including a loop system.
