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Around 1937, [[Fred Allison Thompson]] founded an open brethren assembly in Augusta, Kennebec, southwest [[Maine]] that continues thru the present day, known as "Christians at the Gospel Hall". It was founded with five others as a breaking of bread and Sunday School.
Fred was formerly a Baptist preacher in a couple churches in nearby Sidney. He was introduced to the Brethren thru his brother [[Walter Eric Thompson]] in the 1910's, the nearest assembly at that point was [[Byfield Gospel Hall, MA]], he would drive over Saturday and break bread Sunday. By 1920 he was involved at [[Bethany Gospel Hall, ME]] in Westbrook. Words in Season 1920 obit of dad's first wife. Fred initially utilized an old Baptist church in Manchester, Maine for the assembly, then paid $500 for an unused Methodist-Episcopal church on Belgrade, where the meeting continues. One of the recent correspondents, James "Jim" P. Thompson (1938-'''2024'''), was a son of the founder. See [https://www.khrfuneralhomes.com/obituaries/james-thompson-nov-11-2024 Jim's obit].
==Letters of Interest 1938==
This is my 14th year with periodical visits to this State of Maine, both in winter as well as summer, having meetings in homes and in schoolhouses also. As far as I know, there are no assemblies in [[Vermont]], [[New Hampshire]] and only one in [[Maine]], until recently when about six Christians near Augusta gathered together to remember the Lord and to conduct a Sunday School. So there is need of young men who are willing to "peddle the Gospel" in these states mentioned."
