Whilst Moat church was being built, a congregation was formed at the "Temperance Hall", a small iron room near the Railway Inn by an evangelist though prayer meetings were intermittent and sometimes poorly attended.

The church, designed and built by Mr Steer, was opened on 5 April 1870, the Rev. Joshua Harrison and Rev. Dr. Stoughton, two fellow students of Mr SLIGHT's conducting the services. Services took place on the Wednesday afternoon and evening (6 April), the other on the following Sunday (10 April). There was no permanent pastor at Moat throughout 1870 when various preachers were invited to preach. In August, a young man, Joseph Townsend Maxwell, was asked to step into the breach and found Mr Steer's attitude towards his youthfulness rather off-putting. However, a note from Mr SLIGHT ensured that he was invited back the following week.

Benjamin acted as Treasurer in charge of the building fund, receiving and disbursing contributions and expenses, in collaboration with Joshua Wilson who held to his promise to make up any shortfall in Mr. Maxwell's salary of £100 per annum for two years which Mr Wilson had promised as an incentive to engaging him at Moat. There was no other organisation of any kind so the responsibility lay squarely on Benjamin's shoulders.

Samuel Morley (1809-1886), Liberal politician and statesman, was a life-long friend of Benjamin and frequently helped him in his work. He was one of the chief subscribers to the building and, several years later, when funds were low, made a further contribution towards its upkeep.

On the snowy morning of Sunday 1 January 1871, Reverend Joseph Townsend Maxwell became first pastor of Moat Congregational Church, having received a letter from Joshua Wilson urging him to take up the post and guaranteeing him the income referred to earlier. The following morning, Rev. Maxwell met Mr SLIGHT for the first time. On Tuesday, 31 January, as the church grew in numbers, a meeting was held of volunteers who had put their names forward to participate in a more formal organisation of the church. A "Committee of Management" was set up and a Sub-Treasurer and Secretary appointed. The Sub-Treasurer was to manage the day-to-day finances of the church, handing over to Mr. SLIGHT any surplus at the end of the month, so as to relieve Mr SLIGHT of some of his burden as Treasurer.