On 15 December 1954 a meeting of the Church was held, when there were 24 Officers and Church Members present. At the meeting it was moved by Mr J Sutton, seconded by Miss E Earl and carried unanimously that Mr Hubbard become our Pastor.
The Induction service took place on 16 April 1955 when Rev Moss of Loughborough Woodgate Baptist Church and Rev Sleeman of Mountsorrel Baptist Church ministered. Tea preceded the meeting and the service commenced at 6.30 pm.
Mr Hubbard's pastoring took the church through a time of adjusting and readjusting. Morning services had not been reinstated since the war years. Each Sunday there was held an afternoon Sunday School and an evening service. He reopened a morning Sunday School and brought the afternoon school into up to date teaching methods; one way was to begin a primary and beginners department in the large upstairs room. Towards the end of 1957 a once a month Family Service was begun and these were an encouragement to the church.
Numbers and names of the membership were looked into and a three year, cycle of Deacons to serve was introduced. At the Annual General Meeting held in March 1955 church membership numbered 40, and there were 86 children and 9 teachers in the Sunday School.
New organists were appointed to share; Mr Kendrick of Barrow, Mr P Howe of Loughborough, Mrs F Sudbury of Barrow and Mrs D Hudson to have tuition from Mr C Peat.
The inside of the church and the school room were redecorated at a total cost of £500.
Gifts were given to the church - an electric organ blower, a communion table and chairs and two brass vases, a pulpit Bible, a new church clock and a visiting communion set.
A short stay mission with the Cliff Trekkers was arranged along with the Methodist church; sharing the two churches for sleeping arrangements and ministry. Homes were opened up for meals and the opportunity brought new life to the fellowships and to the village.
Our tennis court became a garden in 1956.
In that same year the village Boy Scout group celebrated 40 years with special services in each of the churches. And at Christmas a large village Christmas tree was set up by the War Memorial when carols were sung over three evenings.
It was in January 1958 that Pastor Dennis Hubbard gave in his notice of resignation. Although the lay pastoring only took the church over three yeara, yet there had been growth. This young man, who had preached as a local preacher before becoming our Pastor, along with his young wife Barbara, had faithfully served the fellowship with his presence Sunday by Sunday, coming in to Barrow by bus each time from Loughborough. The village recognised him in his ministry, always using at least one evening each week for visitation. Coming from a large Baptist church in Loughborough there must have been times of frustration, but in his usual cheerful manner he shared all his spare time with us and continued the line of lay pastoring which brought growth to the fellowship at Barrow upon Soar.
On Sunday evening 6 April 1958 a farewell service was arranged and a gift of books presented.
It was on 30 April that the Rev Grant, the Superintendent minister of the East Midlands suggested a Mr R E Milton might be met with the view of becoming our new lay pastor. Deacons present: J H Hyman (Chairman), E Lewin, D Hudson, A Glover, J Dakin, Ms M Dakin, E Hyman, E Sutton and A Harris.
And then 'Yes', said a dear friend, Mr Herbert Lockton, 'Let's join together to go places, an outing one year and a local event another' so the Anglican Sunday School joined with us; to the seaside, zoo, Alton Towers and others - and tea booked and prepared in restaurants. We really were going places. This was in the 50's/60's and the 70's. They were great times when between six and nine buses drove us to our destinations - families together.
However, the 'looking forward' to these special days faded, and so the Sunday School Anniversary Day became a weekend with sports, games, tea on the Saturday previous.
Fashions change, we have camps, this is a vision of fellowship together, particularly for children ..... really coming true ......we have outings 'Isn't it good to come together, Isn't it good to know Jesus.
