Post by John on Feb 3, 2009 21:35:46 GMT -5
MISSION CONTINUING from 1550 - 2018 and onwards
JESUS CHRIST THE SAME YESTERDAY TODAY AND FOR EVER
A Summary History of Saffron Walden Baptist Church
23rd edition 2018
As a congregation in recent years we have developed a programme of Small Groups meeting weekly on various days for fellowship, worship, prayer, and discussion of the application to life of what is preached on Sundays.
In the distant past our church grew out of such groups and over the years has been renewed by them. So we find ourselves set here in the present, planning for the future, but we can look back on the past for our inspiration, on the laying of the firm foundations of our church and the building up of it’s work across the centuries that prepared us for today
The text at the top used to appear painted on the wall above the platform of our Mission at Sewards End. It remains as true today
Between Easter Sunday and Advent Sunday 2003 our building went through a transformation, but where do we begin.
Introduction
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The Churches of the first three and half centuries of the Christian Church were autonymous self governing congregations each with it's own pastor [ Shepherd of the flock] or Elders doing the same job, as a ministering group with or without a Pastor
In the Hebrew Christian Churches scattered arounf the Roman Empire the term Elder, Presbyter, or Pastor were synonymous with each other, sharing the same role and duties So we find them in the areas if great Jewish influence,
such as Jerusalem, Alexandria, and Antoich
The same was true in the Gentile Christian Churches of North Africa, Asia Minor, Greece , and other parts of Europe the titles were Bishops or Overseers, doing the same job,
In those early times the churches had also Deacons and Deaconesses
After the initial decades Baptism was not administered immediately to new candidates, They had serve a period of probation to learn how to behave as Christians, and then in the 6 weeks before their baptism they had to have an intensive course as to what they believed or were supposed to believe.
Baptism was a big affair often with many candidates. Separate services were held for men and women using Women elders and Deacons for the women, as all candidates were baptised entirely naked by total immersion 3 times, once in the Name of the Father, then in the Name of the Son, then in the name of the Holy Spirit, with sets of questions in between which they had to answer correctlly or their baptism could be delayed a year.
After the developmement of Infant Baptism and Baptismal Regenerion, this 6 weeks preparation period for baptism became Lent the preparation period for Easter.
By AD 700 Believers Baptism had been wiped out apart from in distant locations, small alpine villages and other remote places, and anyone who thought of such practices was persecuted
So extended the Dark Ages until the birthpangs of Reformation.
began to happen,
As a distinctive community within the wider Christian Church, modern Baptists trace their roots back to a small group of radical reformers who gathered around Ulrich Zwingli in Zurich, Switzerland.
Their decisive separation from the emerging Reformed church came in 1525 when they baptised each other in the River Limmat. They were quickly suppressed, but, as with the early church, repression only meant that they went elsewhere, taking their beliefs with them and spreading their faith.
Baptists in England trace their roots back to forebears who brought Baptist principles and practice from continental Europe about a century later.
The Reformation in England had been a rather messy and protracted process, influenced not least by the personal beliefs of a succession of monarchs.
Eventually, following the settlement under Elizabeth I in the late sixteenth century,
The Anglican Church emerged as the major and dominant grouping .
A significant Roman Catholic minority also survived.
There was also a "third force" known as the Puritans, the respectable end of a wide spectrum of radical sects and groups.
In the early seventeenth century, the Puritans split into various factions. Some remained within the Anglican church, others became Presbyterians, whilst others became known variously as Dissenters, Separatists, Independents or –somewhat later – as Congregationalists.
They maintained infant baptism but disassociated themselves from any notion of a state church or centralised authority. They saw themselves as gathered communities, each one autonomous under Christ. Hence the various names.
After 1548 John Bradford
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Fellow of Pembroke Hall, Cambridge University, Chaplain to the young boy-King Edward the Sixth preached the doctrines of the Reformed Faith in and around Cambridge and some of his followers lived in and around Walden. During the following reign of Queen Mary he was arrested and burnt at the stake for his faith
A young preacher, John Newman,
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a pewterer from Maidstone but a native of Walden was arrested crossing Essex from one of the East coast ports carrying the banned English Bible. He was flogged, kept in custody and finally burnt to death in Walden on Aug 31st 1555 as an example and a warning to groups of dissenting believers in this neighbourhood. However, 15 years later there were small groups meeting in the villages including some who met in the woods at Strethall
The first reference to Baptists locally occurred in 1653 when Henry Denne formerly Vicar of Pyrton in Herts and a cornet in Cromwell’s army, as Messenger, of the Fenstanton General Baptist Church visited scattered members of it at Littlebury and Newport.
The Independents after the Great Ejection of the Clergy in 1662 are credited with commencing a Church in the town in 1665
In the late 1600’s Mary Churchman was one of the leading evangelists. At her death Mary’s remains were buried at Abbey Lane Independent Church Saffron Walden which was built on Frogg’s Orchard in 1691.
Born out of the struggles of the Cromwellian period and persecution and ostracism of the Restoration period the Abbey Lane Church became a strong focus for Dissenters from the Church of England and had a large congregation. It was influenced a bit from George Whitfield’s visit when he preached to large crowds on the Common,
In this Church later known as Abbey Lane Congregational Church and now the United Reformed Church, were the origins of Saffron Walden’s 3 Baptist Churches
Independents were like the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches Paedobaptists
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This means they baptised babies by sprinkling water on the forehead while making the sign of the Cross, a practice more widely called Christening which resulted from a decision of the bishops of Rome and Alexandria in AD 251.
Baptists refer back to the first church in Jerusalem about AD 35, the practice of John the Baptist, and the way Jesus Christ was baptised as practised by the early Church, of only baptising people old enough to understand what they were doing and in Greek, the language of the New Testament, “to baptise” means “to plunge”. So Baptists practise Believers Baptism by total immersion in the name of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Around 1708 some people disaffected by the Abbey Lane minister’s preaching began meeting privately in a house in Gold Street where in 1711 a General Baptist Church was formed following Arminianism, as taught by the Dutch reformer Jacob Arminius that all humans could be saved through God’s grace revealed by Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for us and become part of God’s elect people exercising their freewill to choose to decide.
Around 1725 they moved to Robert Cozen’s home in Hill Street, now number 25 which served as his residence and the home of later pastors, and a meeting room. In the garden was a burial ground.
Later along with most General Baptists they turned their back on the idea that god was Triune, a Trinity of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, denied the divinity of Jesus Christ and relegated the Holy Spirit from a person to a mere power. Thus they followed the teaching of the 4th Century heretic Arias, and became a Unitarian Chapel.
As such in 1791 they built a new meeting house, later redesigned in 1874 at the start of the long ministry of Jabez Brinkworth (now Goddards Interior Furnishings Show Depot to the east of Waitrose’s Car Park.)
Back at Abbey Lane after a series of ministers by 1758 the Church was in a weak state with a small congregation and no pastor.
From 1760 Joseph Gwennap
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a young Cornishman from Falmouth preached to a small group at Abbey Lane.
introduced there by his uncle the Rev Andrew Gifford, minister of Eagle Street Baptist Church Holborn, a friend of a local spinster Miss Elizabeth Fuller of Myddlyton Place, whose late father Thomas had been a member at Abbey Lane with his wife Mary, and been a trustee of Hill Street Chapel.
In May 1760 Joseph preached 2 sermons on one Sunday at Abbey Lane and they particularly liked the second. He returned to London but was invited back for 2 months which was begun sometime around June or July,
After this he was invited to come and minister for a year from late autumn 1760 to same time 1761. Whether he then returned to live in London we are uncertain of as at one point he suggested he remained at Walden.
In 1763 in April he was invited to become Pastor but he hesitated and sought advice of friends and was encouraged to accept when a further invitation came.
In Jan 1763 a Deacon Lewis Andrews began keeping minutes of meetings in an old account book, which was our first Minute Book 1763-1775.
. In 1764 Joseph accepted an invitation to become the Minister of Abbey Lane Independent Church.
In 1767 he helped baptise some 40 people in the River at Whittlesford Mill some of them from Walden, in the grounds of the Manor, the property of his fried Ebenezer Hollick, an oil merchant, two of whose sons were deacons at Stoneyard Baptist Church, St Andrews Street, Cambridge, where the minister was then Rev Robert Robinson.
In 1771 the Baptists then out numbering the Independents disputes occurred. Lewis Andrews died in 1771 and 2 new deacons were appointed, Edward Prior and James Moul.
On Friday June 10th 1774 the Chapel Trustees met and voted Gwennap out of using the pulpit or building by 5 votes to 2 thereby expelling him. This was because of their distaste of some conduct of his described by his critics as “unbecoming of a gentleman leave alone a minister”, and described by his supporters “as an unhappy family matter”.
Information came to us in 2006 from a descendant of the Gwennap family living in Australia . In 2009 he reported further research which suggests that Joseph Gwennap was married to Esther (Hettie) Blaws at the at Savoy Chapel in London in 1755 by a Revd J Wilkinson at one time a C of E clergyman, whose licence may have been revoked.
. That Joseph and Hettie then returned to Falmouth where they consummated their marriage. In 1756 Joseph became very depressed and felt that the Devil was after him and went out at nights into nearby countryside where he railed upon God.
Fearing someone might hear and recognise him he sought privacy in a cave on the cliff about a mile from the town, There he believed he met God and was at peace with himself and God but returning to it some days later, he found that the entrance had caved in and he could not gain access.
At first he took this to mean that God had forsaken him and he wrote to his uncle Andrew Gifford about it and he counselled that this was God reassuring him of his salvation and that he no longer needed to call upon God there. Hettie found it difficult to cope with his moods.
In 1771 something happened in the home that according to what Hettie said later in Court in London caused him to evict her onto the street. Hettie then appears to have returned to London.
So In April 1774 they were both involved in divorce proceedings in London and having lived with her for years and having had 4 children Joseph claimed that he was not lawfully married to her,
Certainly, when he died in 1813, both his wives were living in London, and the second was another Elizabeth Fuller the widow of John Fuller of Audley End who farmed at Dunmow.
On Sunday June 12th 1774 some sixty church members met at Myddlyton House [ here pictured] the home of Elizabeth Fuller to decide their next move. The barn next to her house was used temporarily for worship. 12 members remained at Abbey Lane, who held a Church Meeting in July and called another pastor, and 77 years later they had a congregation of 700.
On June 23rd the Baptists bought an orchard on the corner of Bailey’s Lane and Cuckingstool End Street which had a row of cottages across it’s eastern end. These were demolished in 1813 to build a manse.
Elizabeth provided the purchase money £210 and £400 to pay for the construction of the Meeting House. She also endowed money for the Minister and poor of the congregation. The foundation stone for the Meeting House was laid on 24th June and the church opened for worship on 6th November. This was the home of our church for the next century.
Joseph moved to London in 1783 to care for his uncle’s church in his old age and when Andrew died, Joseph became a minister of Piccadilly Strict Baptist Church which melted away when he embraced notions about polygamy. He retired to Walworth.
Matthew Walker
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our next minister Walker led us in 1806 to begin the Sunday school which is now called the Sunday Club. and about that time we began supporting the Baptist Missionary Society and the Bible Society. He led a church plant at Ashdon and became it’s minister in 1809 causing consternation at Walden when he left. His wife Sarah
Josiah Wilkinson (1809-48)
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came next ,He came from Tooley Street Baptist Church London where his mother had been a member for over 60 years. He was a 23 yearold lay preacher but was ordained and inducted to our church. He stayed with us all his life and had a huge impact on the Baptist life of the area, including the formation of the Baptist Union, training lay preachers and preparing students to enter the ministry including 2 later BU Presidents and Benjamin Hodgkin Minister at Bishop’s Stortford for 50 years.
We persuaded Thaxted to leave their barn and build their Chapel in the middle of a potato field. From 1825 we encouraged formation of the Church at Langley. Some of our members. the Wakefield family, several of them chapel trustees, started Great Chesterford Congregational Church and built it's chapel in 1841. It continues today.
Nathaniel Haycroft
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from Bristol assisted Josiah during his last four years.
John Dane Player
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a young member of Abbey Lane Church, son of the Deacon there and a solicitors clerk, in 1818 decided that the minister of Abbey Lane was unsound, he extended his theological reading according to the teaching of the Dutch reformer Arminius who believed in sovereign grace as did the Particular Baptists as Upper Meeting had become, but they then held Calvinistic views about salvation only of a pre-selected elect company,.
John Dane Player began a prayer meeting in a hired room in Park Place which soon became known as Saffron Walden Strict Baptist Church, Several younger members of Upper Meeting joined him. This church built a chapel in London Road in 1822 with John Dane Player as Minister.. It survived until mid way through the 2nd World War becoming first the HQ of the ATC, and then a meeting place of the Christian Science sect, and is now a private dwelling.
Thomas Burditt (1848-55)
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was our next minister who in the religious census of 1851) led 699 people in worship including 189 Sunday School children and their 27 teachers. He was subject to unfair criticism that went to court of law. Exonerated by a vote of confidence he nevertheless had some unpleasantness at Walden.
William Audley Gillson ( 1855-74)
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was a much loved and respected pastor known over a wide area for his support for social, educational and moral reform and supporting many local societies for improvement. He had to resign and retire as he was laid low by illness that robbed him of the use of his voice and he died in 1881.
Originating from our church a Baptist Mission at Sewards End (from the 1830’s to 1963) began in an old rented shed and moved in 1938 to this purpose built hall erected under the leadership of the then minister Sidney Gray. The building passed eventually into private hands and is now part of a beautiful house.
Rev Alfred Rollason (1874-1894)
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became our next minister who at a public meeting to celebrate the Centenary of the Church referred to a proposal to build a new Schoolroom across the manse lawn. This was changed to our present chapel being built in 1878-79. The memorial stone in the west wall was set up on June 3rd 1879. The building was opened for worship on Oct 15th 1879 and in 1884 the old meeting house opened as an upgraded Sunday school building with a library. The completed project cost over £4000.
Rev John Sage
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the retired minister of Ashdon was in 1897 appointed deputy minister and later served 1898-1914 as a deacon. He prepared our first unpublished history in 1911.
Rev John Young (1895-1916)
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formed the first Diaconate with six members - although in 1845 when the three young deacons were appointed to help the two aged deacons they had formed a committee. Today we seek to have 12 elected deacons and we have a Life Deacon. John was much loved by the children and produce some good Sunday talks for them.
Edgar Jackson (1917-1934)
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led our church through the post World War One trauma in which hardly a family in town was unaffected by the appalling casualties.
In 1929 the chapel was redecorated and the hall restored having been used for billeting troops. During this time the Women’s Own was founded and lasted until April 12th 2000, and the first three women Deacons were elected. A Men’s Fellowship existed and the Baptist Institute for young people did well and latter the Christian Endeavour society was popular and useful.
In 1926 several people joined us from the closing of the Primitive Methodist Church in Castle Hill including Arthur E Coote later to become a Life Deacon and Supt of the Sewards End Mission, and Percy Swan. A Sunday school teacher and Press Secretary who later joined the United Methodist Church where one of his granddaughters became a Girls Brigade officer.
Sidney Gray (1935-1945)
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united the district’s Free Churches in the Saffron Walden District Free Church Federal Council as chairman through the years of World War Two. New wooden gates were hung, and new trees were planted in 1944 in the grounds in memory of Petty Officer Dennis R. Andrews RN, and all the other members of the congregation who served in the War. These trees were removed in 2003 when a ramp and a walkway was laid out along the South side of the building.
Arthur Blower (1946-1952)
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rallied our depleted church after the war. GLB Captain Mary Turnbull became a B. U. Deaconess.
Arising from an interdenominational committee set up by some of the Churches here in 1944, we assisted in setting up the Christian Council with St Mary’s, Abbey Lane, the Methodist Church and Hill Street Baptist, forerunner of the Council of Churches, now Churches Together.
The Blind club met regularly in out Hall. A Men’s Fellowship was very popular again for some years after which they let in the ladies and it became the Forum until it closed.
There was for a time a Girl’s Life Brigade Company one of whose Captain’s Joyce Chipperfield as Mrs Oxley, is still with is in 2008 in her mid nineties. Later this gave way to the creation of the Girl’s Auxillary of the BMS when one it’s members was Heather Reed who died in her early thirties but was Missionary Secretary for 15 years.
Len Addicott (1953-1956)
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led in new evangelistic outreach including local Youth for Christ. and presided over growth including the Young Peoples Fellowship and Youth Witness Team from which the MCC Prayer Fellowship developed later.
From AD 2000 this has been called Lighthouse Prayer Ministry (MCCPF) which over the next 50 years reached out with the Gospel to people in over 190 countries.
Also during this period a Young Wives Club was popular.
Horace Webb (1957-1968)
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consolidated this growth. ”LIFE” Magazine was launched and lasted 37 years.. The Free Church Scouts were formed. In 1965 the Missionary Council was set up which served until 1999. The sale of the Hill Street premises paid for the building of two of the Rowntree Way Bungalows for retired Baptist ministers. The manse was sold and 31 Linton Close was bought. Horace’s son Philip went into the ministry and later served as Ecumenical Officer for Derbyshire
Dennis Horwood (1969-1982)
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saw the Followers Youth Group flourishing. Out of that came Revd James Grote who went on to be for a time a BMS missionary in El Salvador in Central America, and later long while a minister at Oxford.
During 1974-75 the Church’s Bicentenary was celebrated. Our history was researched and published.
The Bicentenary Project was to rebuild the Hall with the second floor and a new kitchen enabling us to commence Guides & Boy’s Brigade.
Church rules were revised. Diaconate changes took place. Tots and Co began. Outreach into the community and links with the wider world were developed. We pioneered the Hill House Project.
We twinned with Bromma Baptist Church in Sweden and established close ties with some Christians in a town in Germany. During some of this time Rev Stephen Heap was with us as Student Pastor later to become a city chaplain at the centre of Milton Keynes.
Brian Tucker (1983-1992)
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ministered here from 1983 during which time he was Chairman of the BMS. He led us in activities that broadened our understanding of the history and development of the world wide Church. Our worship was liberated and new songbooks introduced. Brian in teaching often used his 3 puppet dolls. A Church lending library was established that operated until 2003 and restarted about 2006.
Tricia Troughton (1990-1997)
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was appointed as a second minister and extended our ministry more widely into the local community encouraging many people to exercise their gifts. Together with Brian they pioneered assembly work in local schools. When Brian moved Tricia maintained the ministry of the church whilst an additional minister was sought.
Malcolm Brown (1995-2004)
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was appointed and he with Tricia worked in partnership until Tricia felt it was time for her to move on. Malcolm then led the church through a time of great challenge as we sought God’s will for our church and for our building. The church embraced “the age of the computer”, and the services evolved,. opening the way for church members to be more actively involved in leading
Malcolm’s wife Colleen, was appointed as Pastoral Co-ordinator and worked untiringly in setting up a Pastoral Care Scheme to ensure support and care for all those who attended our church. This has since been reorganised. The Prayer Team Ministry was established.
These last few years saw an increase and development of outreach into the local community and in links with communities in other parts of the world. Most notably we developed a close relationship with Bisser and Maria Ovtcharov who led a Baptist Church at Dobrich in Bulgaria but now live in the USA..
Our Millennium Project was to redevelop our buildings. Committees spent many hours planning. Architects Margaret and Richard Davies and Associates were appointed and “Bakers of Danbury” were commissioned to do the professional work, while a team of volunteers redecorated the halls.
Our organ was dismantled and moved to a Roman Catholic Church in Bavaria West Germany.. Our pulpit was removed. Our Communion furniture was transferred to a church on the Essex coast. Our downstairs pews were replaced with chairs from the USA. Easier access was provided for disabled people, including a lift in the hall.
We worshipped in the local County High School whilst our own building was being re-developed. We moved back into our refurbished building with a fresh enthusiasm and a renewed thankfulness for the wonderful provision of our God. and this was rededicated in 2004.
During 2003 and 2004 we participated together in our Church Review organised by Rev Ron Messenger, looking at every facet of our Church life, worship, witness, membership, partnership, mission and outreach. We took decisions and made changes.
Lighthouse Prayer Ministry began a project funded by 3 members of our congregation to distribute once to every home in the town a copy of the NEW LIFE Newspaper with a flier offering links with various churches and ministries by web sites, and encouraging direct subscription, for completion by 2010.
Early in 2004 Malcolm and Colleen left to minister in Yorkshire. The deacons became a management team dividing between them a wide range of responsibilities. Revd David Doonan, pastor at Ashdon who became soon afterwards the last president of BMS World Mission, became our Moderator. We had an Advent Festival over 4 weeks prior to Christmas 2004. We established closer ties with Gold Street, including in youth work.
The Luncheon Club was established twice a month. We started to develop small groups ministry. Evolution a group for the 18-30’s on Sunday evenings was launched. A Fund Raising Committee was set up with a varied programme of monthly events to help clear the loan repayments by 2010.
During 2005 and 2006 several new members were added. Our website was upgraded www.sw-bc.org by Gavin Rowden who also pioneered and expanded the Small Groups Ministry with house groups meeting on different days.
The wooden West Doors of the chapel were replaced with a central glass door with a new flight of steps and the side doors replaced with glass windows with our logo on.. A new metal safety rail was installed around the gallery. The Hall’s North staircase was carpeted. We obtained a microwave cooker and a dishwasher.
The Drury Gates were rehung in a new position and two new trees planted. Our Boy’s Brigade Company celebrated their Silver Jubilee. A new Mission Co-ordinator was appointed. We joined with our other Baptist Cluster Churches at Ashdon, Great Sampford, and Thaxted for monthly Tea Services. We hosted a Maundy Service in the form of a supper in the chapel and Churches Together Pentecost Praise. Jamie Sawtell served us well as a youth worker while in training to do so as a career.
Rev Simon Mattholie
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from North Winchester Community Church was appointed as our 18th Minister.
Our young people’s Evolution Group created a band, held a gig attracting 150 people, established a web site and began introducing Next Generation worship and in 2006 played at the BB/GB Firm Foundations weekend festival and again in 2008 when they also made a CD, competed on Premier Christian Radio, a played in the local Battle of the Bands.
Lighthouse Prayer Ministry established a web board which is linked to the Church website and provides the Church History and Archives Catalogue on-line. Also in the west entrance was placed a history of our church with 140 coloured illustrations which is also available in CD form and we hope to eventually get on a blog site.
A new Ministers study and an office for Emma Turner the Church Administrator were created.
In 2006.
On Jan 22nd we signed the Covenant with the other 8 churches of Churches Together in Saffron Walden at the beginning of it’s 60th year. We set up the “passing of the cross” prayer ministry encompassing all the CTSW member churches. Ex-BB member Barnaby Linscott of the Thaxted Baptist church spent some weeks in short term mission with Jamie Sawtell near Hyderabad in India.
Changes were made in the organisation of Church Meetings, and allowing non-church Members to take part in them. Closer ties were established with RAB Schools The Church Anniversary was held at Long Acres. A Church Outing was made to Thorpe Park and our first group went to Spring Harvest and another to Firm Foundations.
Matthew Player served a short term with the BMS in Calcutta before beginning training at Leicester to become a doctor.
We had a successful Holiday at Home Day since repeated. Joan Horwood died in her 90’s.. We began a Year of Prayer ”The Father’s heart a time of listening” with a 24 Hour Day of Prayer.
In 2007
we had a Depression- Hope in Dark Places Information Day attended by 120 people over a wide area. We began a course to help parents protect their children from drug abuse. We celebrated the Centenary of the Boy Scout Movement.
More foyer furnishings were added and more notice boards created. We hosted a Youth choir visit from Alabama. A Youth Alpha Course was run. More Small Groups developed. One hosted a wine and cheeses supper for the manager and 19 Volunteers of MIND. Another “Holiday at Home day was successfully run for elderly people. Another Day of Prayer was held.
We took part in the first Nonconformist Walk when a group of visitors visited 6 Nonconformist sites in the town and our Archivist introduced it with a chart and talk at the Town Hall Committee Room..
We held another Monster Party at Halloween and a Praise Party at Christmas when 6 children made commitments. Gold Street Evangelical Church united with us for the Carols by candlelight service.
We explored the development “Our Vision” Simon became Chair of CTSW. Some of us helped to fund Bibles in Shona for 15 pastors in new Bible-less churches in Mozambique.
In 2008.
We moved forward to appointing a Youth Pastor. Monthly “Songs of Praise” Tea services were developed. Simon moved to his own home at 44 Shepherds Way, now the Manse. 31 Linton Close was let out for rent. School children visited the church and we had the baptistry open for that. Proposals continued for establish a professional clinic to help people with problems of depression.
We took part in the second Nonconformist Walk when a group of visitors visited 10 Nonconformist sites in the town and we gave away kits containing history leaflets, a gospel and a Bible reading commentary booklet.
We helped supply Bibles to flood victims in Malawi and for a Christian community on an island on a lake in Northern Zambia on the frontier with Congo.
In September Elizabeth and Sergio Veldi from Brazil became joint (time sharing) youth pastors. Elizabeth is the daughter of our previous minister Malcolm Brown. Deacons elections were suspended in November to allow the Minister and Deacons to sort out a proposed new leadership structure including an Elder-ship
In 2009
About 20 young people went with the youth pastors, and Andrew Heinrich BB Company section officer in charge, and Sarah Spaxman leader of the youth group to a Christian Activity Centre in Northampton for a weekend bonding.
Andrew Heinrich began a new Church Website
We supported Ashdon Baptist Church's Bicentenary celebrations.
The New Church Constitution was published for debate and adopted unanimously on Sept 14th and added to this website.
We had a Church Picnic and Pinkneys Manor Wimbish
We gave support to Ashley Townsend, baptised member of Thaxted Baptist Church where he serves in the community as a Scout Leader, and on the VBS Leadership committee, He looks after audio and projection and IT at his church. He has been accepted for a place in a BMS Youth Action Team to Brazil
This Summer member Dr Matthew Player, in training at Leicester Medical College accompanied one of the Mercy Ships
Lighthouse Prayer Ministry extended evangelistic literature during the summer to Sewards End, Littlebury, Little Walden, Newport and Great and Little Chesterford and Stansted, using VIA magazine house to house.
Our monthly Missionary Prayer Meeting was resumed after a 2 year break
We supported the Bicentenary of Ashdon Baptist Church, and Ashley Townsend of Thaxted Baptist Church who went to Brazil with a BMS Action Team.
In 2010 our last Life Deacon Jack Turnbull died. He first became a deacon in 1952. We developed Room 4 as a café style meeting area.
2011 marked the 300th Anniversary of the formal beginning of our General Baptist Church, 1711 - 1950 and the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Confession of Faith at Abbey Lane, the formal beginning of our present Baptist Church 1761 - 2011 for which an 8 member Exhibition Action Team led by Church Archivist John Maddams organised The MISSION CONTINUED Exhibition in September assisted by 45 people which displayed about quarter of our Church Archives Simon Mattholie resigned to become CEO of Rural Ministries. We had a rich variety of preachers lay or ordained.
During 2012 we appointed Rev Patricia Heap as our Moderator.
2013 saw Rev John Goddard of Barrow in Furness Cumbria appointed Minister. Gavin Walter was appointed Minster in training at Ashdon.
In 2014 Elizabeth and Sergio Vilela became BMS missionaries in Mozambique. Several members became Street Pastors locally & others supported it. We started supporting Meninadanca in Brazil. We got involved with X:site for children & Revolution for teenagers. Introduced Alternative Worship and Celtic Prayer. We got involved with XL Mentoring. Supporters of LHPM in 2011-2015 funded 8188 Bibles for use in Nigeria.
In 2015 John Goddard participated in an ecumenical reconciliatory Pilgrimage to Israel & Palestine supported by weekly Friday Prayer Sessions, Searchlight Theatre Company
presented “Woodbine Willie.”. We celebrated Easter with Bucks Fizz & Chocolates. We introduced All Age Communion. We considered upgrading the Kitchen and appointing a second minister but later decided not to do so. Our BB Company camped at Beeston Regis in Norfolk for a week. “Good Old Mr Scrooge” was well attended and much enjoyed.
Ken & John having reached every parish in Uttlesford distributing VIA magazine extended deeper into South Cambs and new homes at Saffron Walden. At Christmas 14 Sunday Club members presented a good Nativity. We welcomed, lots of school children to a SVST Celebration, and the Annual EACH Service. The Kitchen project began.
In 2016 After Christmas we enjoyed a visit by Adrian Plass We convened a Conversation to consider Christian Moral Relationships. Over 60 attended. Afterwards 40 of the adult congregation left and most of Sunday Club members. Several Members resigned, but 20 were welcomed into the congregation.The new session began with an Open Day at St Marks Youth Centre Audley End and then a Barn Dance and an all age Nativity with a cast of over 30.
The laying of that Meeting House foundation stone on 24th June 1774, sent out ripples which have not decreased over the centuries and are still having an influence over life in our community today.
This Church on the Hill has been a lighthouse to thousands and the seedbed from which have developed 17 Baptist, Anglican and United Reformed Ministers , 8 missionaries [ who served in Brazil, China, Germany, Congo and India, Ethiopia, El Salvador, Poland and the USA ], plus people going on short term mission projects in Brazil, Bulgaria, India, Uganda, South Africa, & Thailand,
Well over 3000 people have been members of our church since 1774 and they have contributed to mission in many parts of Britain and across all the continents.
The church has a wide spreading and growing ministry and it’s best years may still lie ahead in the future.
This is the 23rd edition of our history and since 1974 altogether over 1390 copies have been circulated plus those who have read it on line which was over 300 on the previous board.
(C) JEM 2018 Modified January 2018
The ongoing history is added to the article at the beginning of this history section, concerning the Pastorates of Upper Meeting now on two pages and the printed series by 2013 reached Edition 23
JESUS CHRIST THE SAME YESTERDAY TODAY AND FOR EVER
A Summary History of Saffron Walden Baptist Church
23rd edition 2018
As a congregation in recent years we have developed a programme of Small Groups meeting weekly on various days for fellowship, worship, prayer, and discussion of the application to life of what is preached on Sundays.
In the distant past our church grew out of such groups and over the years has been renewed by them. So we find ourselves set here in the present, planning for the future, but we can look back on the past for our inspiration, on the laying of the firm foundations of our church and the building up of it’s work across the centuries that prepared us for today
The text at the top used to appear painted on the wall above the platform of our Mission at Sewards End. It remains as true today
Between Easter Sunday and Advent Sunday 2003 our building went through a transformation, but where do we begin.
Introduction
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The Churches of the first three and half centuries of the Christian Church were autonymous self governing congregations each with it's own pastor [ Shepherd of the flock] or Elders doing the same job, as a ministering group with or without a Pastor
In the Hebrew Christian Churches scattered arounf the Roman Empire the term Elder, Presbyter, or Pastor were synonymous with each other, sharing the same role and duties So we find them in the areas if great Jewish influence,
such as Jerusalem, Alexandria, and Antoich
The same was true in the Gentile Christian Churches of North Africa, Asia Minor, Greece , and other parts of Europe the titles were Bishops or Overseers, doing the same job,
In those early times the churches had also Deacons and Deaconesses
After the initial decades Baptism was not administered immediately to new candidates, They had serve a period of probation to learn how to behave as Christians, and then in the 6 weeks before their baptism they had to have an intensive course as to what they believed or were supposed to believe.
Baptism was a big affair often with many candidates. Separate services were held for men and women using Women elders and Deacons for the women, as all candidates were baptised entirely naked by total immersion 3 times, once in the Name of the Father, then in the Name of the Son, then in the name of the Holy Spirit, with sets of questions in between which they had to answer correctlly or their baptism could be delayed a year.
After the developmement of Infant Baptism and Baptismal Regenerion, this 6 weeks preparation period for baptism became Lent the preparation period for Easter.
By AD 700 Believers Baptism had been wiped out apart from in distant locations, small alpine villages and other remote places, and anyone who thought of such practices was persecuted
So extended the Dark Ages until the birthpangs of Reformation.
began to happen,
As a distinctive community within the wider Christian Church, modern Baptists trace their roots back to a small group of radical reformers who gathered around Ulrich Zwingli in Zurich, Switzerland.
Their decisive separation from the emerging Reformed church came in 1525 when they baptised each other in the River Limmat. They were quickly suppressed, but, as with the early church, repression only meant that they went elsewhere, taking their beliefs with them and spreading their faith.
Baptists in England trace their roots back to forebears who brought Baptist principles and practice from continental Europe about a century later.
The Reformation in England had been a rather messy and protracted process, influenced not least by the personal beliefs of a succession of monarchs.
Eventually, following the settlement under Elizabeth I in the late sixteenth century,
The Anglican Church emerged as the major and dominant grouping .
A significant Roman Catholic minority also survived.
There was also a "third force" known as the Puritans, the respectable end of a wide spectrum of radical sects and groups.
In the early seventeenth century, the Puritans split into various factions. Some remained within the Anglican church, others became Presbyterians, whilst others became known variously as Dissenters, Separatists, Independents or –somewhat later – as Congregationalists.
They maintained infant baptism but disassociated themselves from any notion of a state church or centralised authority. They saw themselves as gathered communities, each one autonomous under Christ. Hence the various names.
After 1548 John Bradford
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Fellow of Pembroke Hall, Cambridge University, Chaplain to the young boy-King Edward the Sixth preached the doctrines of the Reformed Faith in and around Cambridge and some of his followers lived in and around Walden. During the following reign of Queen Mary he was arrested and burnt at the stake for his faith
A young preacher, John Newman,
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a pewterer from Maidstone but a native of Walden was arrested crossing Essex from one of the East coast ports carrying the banned English Bible. He was flogged, kept in custody and finally burnt to death in Walden on Aug 31st 1555 as an example and a warning to groups of dissenting believers in this neighbourhood. However, 15 years later there were small groups meeting in the villages including some who met in the woods at Strethall
The first reference to Baptists locally occurred in 1653 when Henry Denne formerly Vicar of Pyrton in Herts and a cornet in Cromwell’s army, as Messenger, of the Fenstanton General Baptist Church visited scattered members of it at Littlebury and Newport.
The Independents after the Great Ejection of the Clergy in 1662 are credited with commencing a Church in the town in 1665
In the late 1600’s Mary Churchman was one of the leading evangelists. At her death Mary’s remains were buried at Abbey Lane Independent Church Saffron Walden which was built on Frogg’s Orchard in 1691.
Born out of the struggles of the Cromwellian period and persecution and ostracism of the Restoration period the Abbey Lane Church became a strong focus for Dissenters from the Church of England and had a large congregation. It was influenced a bit from George Whitfield’s visit when he preached to large crowds on the Common,
In this Church later known as Abbey Lane Congregational Church and now the United Reformed Church, were the origins of Saffron Walden’s 3 Baptist Churches
Independents were like the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches Paedobaptists
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This means they baptised babies by sprinkling water on the forehead while making the sign of the Cross, a practice more widely called Christening which resulted from a decision of the bishops of Rome and Alexandria in AD 251.
Baptists refer back to the first church in Jerusalem about AD 35, the practice of John the Baptist, and the way Jesus Christ was baptised as practised by the early Church, of only baptising people old enough to understand what they were doing and in Greek, the language of the New Testament, “to baptise” means “to plunge”. So Baptists practise Believers Baptism by total immersion in the name of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Around 1708 some people disaffected by the Abbey Lane minister’s preaching began meeting privately in a house in Gold Street where in 1711 a General Baptist Church was formed following Arminianism, as taught by the Dutch reformer Jacob Arminius that all humans could be saved through God’s grace revealed by Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for us and become part of God’s elect people exercising their freewill to choose to decide.
Around 1725 they moved to Robert Cozen’s home in Hill Street, now number 25 which served as his residence and the home of later pastors, and a meeting room. In the garden was a burial ground.
Later along with most General Baptists they turned their back on the idea that god was Triune, a Trinity of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, denied the divinity of Jesus Christ and relegated the Holy Spirit from a person to a mere power. Thus they followed the teaching of the 4th Century heretic Arias, and became a Unitarian Chapel.
As such in 1791 they built a new meeting house, later redesigned in 1874 at the start of the long ministry of Jabez Brinkworth (now Goddards Interior Furnishings Show Depot to the east of Waitrose’s Car Park.)
Back at Abbey Lane after a series of ministers by 1758 the Church was in a weak state with a small congregation and no pastor.
From 1760 Joseph Gwennap
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a young Cornishman from Falmouth preached to a small group at Abbey Lane.
introduced there by his uncle the Rev Andrew Gifford, minister of Eagle Street Baptist Church Holborn, a friend of a local spinster Miss Elizabeth Fuller of Myddlyton Place, whose late father Thomas had been a member at Abbey Lane with his wife Mary, and been a trustee of Hill Street Chapel.
In May 1760 Joseph preached 2 sermons on one Sunday at Abbey Lane and they particularly liked the second. He returned to London but was invited back for 2 months which was begun sometime around June or July,
After this he was invited to come and minister for a year from late autumn 1760 to same time 1761. Whether he then returned to live in London we are uncertain of as at one point he suggested he remained at Walden.
In 1763 in April he was invited to become Pastor but he hesitated and sought advice of friends and was encouraged to accept when a further invitation came.
In Jan 1763 a Deacon Lewis Andrews began keeping minutes of meetings in an old account book, which was our first Minute Book 1763-1775.
. In 1764 Joseph accepted an invitation to become the Minister of Abbey Lane Independent Church.
In 1767 he helped baptise some 40 people in the River at Whittlesford Mill some of them from Walden, in the grounds of the Manor, the property of his fried Ebenezer Hollick, an oil merchant, two of whose sons were deacons at Stoneyard Baptist Church, St Andrews Street, Cambridge, where the minister was then Rev Robert Robinson.
In 1771 the Baptists then out numbering the Independents disputes occurred. Lewis Andrews died in 1771 and 2 new deacons were appointed, Edward Prior and James Moul.
On Friday June 10th 1774 the Chapel Trustees met and voted Gwennap out of using the pulpit or building by 5 votes to 2 thereby expelling him. This was because of their distaste of some conduct of his described by his critics as “unbecoming of a gentleman leave alone a minister”, and described by his supporters “as an unhappy family matter”.
Information came to us in 2006 from a descendant of the Gwennap family living in Australia . In 2009 he reported further research which suggests that Joseph Gwennap was married to Esther (Hettie) Blaws at the at Savoy Chapel in London in 1755 by a Revd J Wilkinson at one time a C of E clergyman, whose licence may have been revoked.
. That Joseph and Hettie then returned to Falmouth where they consummated their marriage. In 1756 Joseph became very depressed and felt that the Devil was after him and went out at nights into nearby countryside where he railed upon God.
Fearing someone might hear and recognise him he sought privacy in a cave on the cliff about a mile from the town, There he believed he met God and was at peace with himself and God but returning to it some days later, he found that the entrance had caved in and he could not gain access.
At first he took this to mean that God had forsaken him and he wrote to his uncle Andrew Gifford about it and he counselled that this was God reassuring him of his salvation and that he no longer needed to call upon God there. Hettie found it difficult to cope with his moods.
In 1771 something happened in the home that according to what Hettie said later in Court in London caused him to evict her onto the street. Hettie then appears to have returned to London.
So In April 1774 they were both involved in divorce proceedings in London and having lived with her for years and having had 4 children Joseph claimed that he was not lawfully married to her,
Certainly, when he died in 1813, both his wives were living in London, and the second was another Elizabeth Fuller the widow of John Fuller of Audley End who farmed at Dunmow.
On Sunday June 12th 1774 some sixty church members met at Myddlyton House [ here pictured] the home of Elizabeth Fuller to decide their next move. The barn next to her house was used temporarily for worship. 12 members remained at Abbey Lane, who held a Church Meeting in July and called another pastor, and 77 years later they had a congregation of 700.
On June 23rd the Baptists bought an orchard on the corner of Bailey’s Lane and Cuckingstool End Street which had a row of cottages across it’s eastern end. These were demolished in 1813 to build a manse.
Elizabeth provided the purchase money £210 and £400 to pay for the construction of the Meeting House. She also endowed money for the Minister and poor of the congregation. The foundation stone for the Meeting House was laid on 24th June and the church opened for worship on 6th November. This was the home of our church for the next century.
Joseph moved to London in 1783 to care for his uncle’s church in his old age and when Andrew died, Joseph became a minister of Piccadilly Strict Baptist Church which melted away when he embraced notions about polygamy. He retired to Walworth.
Matthew Walker
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our next minister Walker led us in 1806 to begin the Sunday school which is now called the Sunday Club. and about that time we began supporting the Baptist Missionary Society and the Bible Society. He led a church plant at Ashdon and became it’s minister in 1809 causing consternation at Walden when he left. His wife Sarah
Josiah Wilkinson (1809-48)
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came next ,He came from Tooley Street Baptist Church London where his mother had been a member for over 60 years. He was a 23 yearold lay preacher but was ordained and inducted to our church. He stayed with us all his life and had a huge impact on the Baptist life of the area, including the formation of the Baptist Union, training lay preachers and preparing students to enter the ministry including 2 later BU Presidents and Benjamin Hodgkin Minister at Bishop’s Stortford for 50 years.
We persuaded Thaxted to leave their barn and build their Chapel in the middle of a potato field. From 1825 we encouraged formation of the Church at Langley. Some of our members. the Wakefield family, several of them chapel trustees, started Great Chesterford Congregational Church and built it's chapel in 1841. It continues today.
Nathaniel Haycroft
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from Bristol assisted Josiah during his last four years.
John Dane Player
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a young member of Abbey Lane Church, son of the Deacon there and a solicitors clerk, in 1818 decided that the minister of Abbey Lane was unsound, he extended his theological reading according to the teaching of the Dutch reformer Arminius who believed in sovereign grace as did the Particular Baptists as Upper Meeting had become, but they then held Calvinistic views about salvation only of a pre-selected elect company,.
John Dane Player began a prayer meeting in a hired room in Park Place which soon became known as Saffron Walden Strict Baptist Church, Several younger members of Upper Meeting joined him. This church built a chapel in London Road in 1822 with John Dane Player as Minister.. It survived until mid way through the 2nd World War becoming first the HQ of the ATC, and then a meeting place of the Christian Science sect, and is now a private dwelling.
Thomas Burditt (1848-55)
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was our next minister who in the religious census of 1851) led 699 people in worship including 189 Sunday School children and their 27 teachers. He was subject to unfair criticism that went to court of law. Exonerated by a vote of confidence he nevertheless had some unpleasantness at Walden.
William Audley Gillson ( 1855-74)
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was a much loved and respected pastor known over a wide area for his support for social, educational and moral reform and supporting many local societies for improvement. He had to resign and retire as he was laid low by illness that robbed him of the use of his voice and he died in 1881.
Originating from our church a Baptist Mission at Sewards End (from the 1830’s to 1963) began in an old rented shed and moved in 1938 to this purpose built hall erected under the leadership of the then minister Sidney Gray. The building passed eventually into private hands and is now part of a beautiful house.
Rev Alfred Rollason (1874-1894)
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became our next minister who at a public meeting to celebrate the Centenary of the Church referred to a proposal to build a new Schoolroom across the manse lawn. This was changed to our present chapel being built in 1878-79. The memorial stone in the west wall was set up on June 3rd 1879. The building was opened for worship on Oct 15th 1879 and in 1884 the old meeting house opened as an upgraded Sunday school building with a library. The completed project cost over £4000.
Rev John Sage
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the retired minister of Ashdon was in 1897 appointed deputy minister and later served 1898-1914 as a deacon. He prepared our first unpublished history in 1911.
Rev John Young (1895-1916)
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formed the first Diaconate with six members - although in 1845 when the three young deacons were appointed to help the two aged deacons they had formed a committee. Today we seek to have 12 elected deacons and we have a Life Deacon. John was much loved by the children and produce some good Sunday talks for them.
Edgar Jackson (1917-1934)
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led our church through the post World War One trauma in which hardly a family in town was unaffected by the appalling casualties.
In 1929 the chapel was redecorated and the hall restored having been used for billeting troops. During this time the Women’s Own was founded and lasted until April 12th 2000, and the first three women Deacons were elected. A Men’s Fellowship existed and the Baptist Institute for young people did well and latter the Christian Endeavour society was popular and useful.
In 1926 several people joined us from the closing of the Primitive Methodist Church in Castle Hill including Arthur E Coote later to become a Life Deacon and Supt of the Sewards End Mission, and Percy Swan. A Sunday school teacher and Press Secretary who later joined the United Methodist Church where one of his granddaughters became a Girls Brigade officer.
Sidney Gray (1935-1945)
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united the district’s Free Churches in the Saffron Walden District Free Church Federal Council as chairman through the years of World War Two. New wooden gates were hung, and new trees were planted in 1944 in the grounds in memory of Petty Officer Dennis R. Andrews RN, and all the other members of the congregation who served in the War. These trees were removed in 2003 when a ramp and a walkway was laid out along the South side of the building.
Arthur Blower (1946-1952)
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rallied our depleted church after the war. GLB Captain Mary Turnbull became a B. U. Deaconess.
Arising from an interdenominational committee set up by some of the Churches here in 1944, we assisted in setting up the Christian Council with St Mary’s, Abbey Lane, the Methodist Church and Hill Street Baptist, forerunner of the Council of Churches, now Churches Together.
The Blind club met regularly in out Hall. A Men’s Fellowship was very popular again for some years after which they let in the ladies and it became the Forum until it closed.
There was for a time a Girl’s Life Brigade Company one of whose Captain’s Joyce Chipperfield as Mrs Oxley, is still with is in 2008 in her mid nineties. Later this gave way to the creation of the Girl’s Auxillary of the BMS when one it’s members was Heather Reed who died in her early thirties but was Missionary Secretary for 15 years.
Len Addicott (1953-1956)
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led in new evangelistic outreach including local Youth for Christ. and presided over growth including the Young Peoples Fellowship and Youth Witness Team from which the MCC Prayer Fellowship developed later.
From AD 2000 this has been called Lighthouse Prayer Ministry (MCCPF) which over the next 50 years reached out with the Gospel to people in over 190 countries.
Also during this period a Young Wives Club was popular.
Horace Webb (1957-1968)
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consolidated this growth. ”LIFE” Magazine was launched and lasted 37 years.. The Free Church Scouts were formed. In 1965 the Missionary Council was set up which served until 1999. The sale of the Hill Street premises paid for the building of two of the Rowntree Way Bungalows for retired Baptist ministers. The manse was sold and 31 Linton Close was bought. Horace’s son Philip went into the ministry and later served as Ecumenical Officer for Derbyshire
Dennis Horwood (1969-1982)
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saw the Followers Youth Group flourishing. Out of that came Revd James Grote who went on to be for a time a BMS missionary in El Salvador in Central America, and later long while a minister at Oxford.
During 1974-75 the Church’s Bicentenary was celebrated. Our history was researched and published.
The Bicentenary Project was to rebuild the Hall with the second floor and a new kitchen enabling us to commence Guides & Boy’s Brigade.
Church rules were revised. Diaconate changes took place. Tots and Co began. Outreach into the community and links with the wider world were developed. We pioneered the Hill House Project.
We twinned with Bromma Baptist Church in Sweden and established close ties with some Christians in a town in Germany. During some of this time Rev Stephen Heap was with us as Student Pastor later to become a city chaplain at the centre of Milton Keynes.
Brian Tucker (1983-1992)
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ministered here from 1983 during which time he was Chairman of the BMS. He led us in activities that broadened our understanding of the history and development of the world wide Church. Our worship was liberated and new songbooks introduced. Brian in teaching often used his 3 puppet dolls. A Church lending library was established that operated until 2003 and restarted about 2006.
Tricia Troughton (1990-1997)
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was appointed as a second minister and extended our ministry more widely into the local community encouraging many people to exercise their gifts. Together with Brian they pioneered assembly work in local schools. When Brian moved Tricia maintained the ministry of the church whilst an additional minister was sought.
Malcolm Brown (1995-2004)
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was appointed and he with Tricia worked in partnership until Tricia felt it was time for her to move on. Malcolm then led the church through a time of great challenge as we sought God’s will for our church and for our building. The church embraced “the age of the computer”, and the services evolved,. opening the way for church members to be more actively involved in leading
Malcolm’s wife Colleen, was appointed as Pastoral Co-ordinator and worked untiringly in setting up a Pastoral Care Scheme to ensure support and care for all those who attended our church. This has since been reorganised. The Prayer Team Ministry was established.
These last few years saw an increase and development of outreach into the local community and in links with communities in other parts of the world. Most notably we developed a close relationship with Bisser and Maria Ovtcharov who led a Baptist Church at Dobrich in Bulgaria but now live in the USA..
Our Millennium Project was to redevelop our buildings. Committees spent many hours planning. Architects Margaret and Richard Davies and Associates were appointed and “Bakers of Danbury” were commissioned to do the professional work, while a team of volunteers redecorated the halls.
Our organ was dismantled and moved to a Roman Catholic Church in Bavaria West Germany.. Our pulpit was removed. Our Communion furniture was transferred to a church on the Essex coast. Our downstairs pews were replaced with chairs from the USA. Easier access was provided for disabled people, including a lift in the hall.
We worshipped in the local County High School whilst our own building was being re-developed. We moved back into our refurbished building with a fresh enthusiasm and a renewed thankfulness for the wonderful provision of our God. and this was rededicated in 2004.
During 2003 and 2004 we participated together in our Church Review organised by Rev Ron Messenger, looking at every facet of our Church life, worship, witness, membership, partnership, mission and outreach. We took decisions and made changes.
Lighthouse Prayer Ministry began a project funded by 3 members of our congregation to distribute once to every home in the town a copy of the NEW LIFE Newspaper with a flier offering links with various churches and ministries by web sites, and encouraging direct subscription, for completion by 2010.
Early in 2004 Malcolm and Colleen left to minister in Yorkshire. The deacons became a management team dividing between them a wide range of responsibilities. Revd David Doonan, pastor at Ashdon who became soon afterwards the last president of BMS World Mission, became our Moderator. We had an Advent Festival over 4 weeks prior to Christmas 2004. We established closer ties with Gold Street, including in youth work.
The Luncheon Club was established twice a month. We started to develop small groups ministry. Evolution a group for the 18-30’s on Sunday evenings was launched. A Fund Raising Committee was set up with a varied programme of monthly events to help clear the loan repayments by 2010.
During 2005 and 2006 several new members were added. Our website was upgraded www.sw-bc.org by Gavin Rowden who also pioneered and expanded the Small Groups Ministry with house groups meeting on different days.
The wooden West Doors of the chapel were replaced with a central glass door with a new flight of steps and the side doors replaced with glass windows with our logo on.. A new metal safety rail was installed around the gallery. The Hall’s North staircase was carpeted. We obtained a microwave cooker and a dishwasher.
The Drury Gates were rehung in a new position and two new trees planted. Our Boy’s Brigade Company celebrated their Silver Jubilee. A new Mission Co-ordinator was appointed. We joined with our other Baptist Cluster Churches at Ashdon, Great Sampford, and Thaxted for monthly Tea Services. We hosted a Maundy Service in the form of a supper in the chapel and Churches Together Pentecost Praise. Jamie Sawtell served us well as a youth worker while in training to do so as a career.
Rev Simon Mattholie
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from North Winchester Community Church was appointed as our 18th Minister.
Our young people’s Evolution Group created a band, held a gig attracting 150 people, established a web site and began introducing Next Generation worship and in 2006 played at the BB/GB Firm Foundations weekend festival and again in 2008 when they also made a CD, competed on Premier Christian Radio, a played in the local Battle of the Bands.
Lighthouse Prayer Ministry established a web board which is linked to the Church website and provides the Church History and Archives Catalogue on-line. Also in the west entrance was placed a history of our church with 140 coloured illustrations which is also available in CD form and we hope to eventually get on a blog site.
A new Ministers study and an office for Emma Turner the Church Administrator were created.
In 2006.
On Jan 22nd we signed the Covenant with the other 8 churches of Churches Together in Saffron Walden at the beginning of it’s 60th year. We set up the “passing of the cross” prayer ministry encompassing all the CTSW member churches. Ex-BB member Barnaby Linscott of the Thaxted Baptist church spent some weeks in short term mission with Jamie Sawtell near Hyderabad in India.
Changes were made in the organisation of Church Meetings, and allowing non-church Members to take part in them. Closer ties were established with RAB Schools The Church Anniversary was held at Long Acres. A Church Outing was made to Thorpe Park and our first group went to Spring Harvest and another to Firm Foundations.
Matthew Player served a short term with the BMS in Calcutta before beginning training at Leicester to become a doctor.
We had a successful Holiday at Home Day since repeated. Joan Horwood died in her 90’s.. We began a Year of Prayer ”The Father’s heart a time of listening” with a 24 Hour Day of Prayer.
In 2007
we had a Depression- Hope in Dark Places Information Day attended by 120 people over a wide area. We began a course to help parents protect their children from drug abuse. We celebrated the Centenary of the Boy Scout Movement.
More foyer furnishings were added and more notice boards created. We hosted a Youth choir visit from Alabama. A Youth Alpha Course was run. More Small Groups developed. One hosted a wine and cheeses supper for the manager and 19 Volunteers of MIND. Another “Holiday at Home day was successfully run for elderly people. Another Day of Prayer was held.
We took part in the first Nonconformist Walk when a group of visitors visited 6 Nonconformist sites in the town and our Archivist introduced it with a chart and talk at the Town Hall Committee Room..
We held another Monster Party at Halloween and a Praise Party at Christmas when 6 children made commitments. Gold Street Evangelical Church united with us for the Carols by candlelight service.
We explored the development “Our Vision” Simon became Chair of CTSW. Some of us helped to fund Bibles in Shona for 15 pastors in new Bible-less churches in Mozambique.
In 2008.
We moved forward to appointing a Youth Pastor. Monthly “Songs of Praise” Tea services were developed. Simon moved to his own home at 44 Shepherds Way, now the Manse. 31 Linton Close was let out for rent. School children visited the church and we had the baptistry open for that. Proposals continued for establish a professional clinic to help people with problems of depression.
We took part in the second Nonconformist Walk when a group of visitors visited 10 Nonconformist sites in the town and we gave away kits containing history leaflets, a gospel and a Bible reading commentary booklet.
We helped supply Bibles to flood victims in Malawi and for a Christian community on an island on a lake in Northern Zambia on the frontier with Congo.
In September Elizabeth and Sergio Veldi from Brazil became joint (time sharing) youth pastors. Elizabeth is the daughter of our previous minister Malcolm Brown. Deacons elections were suspended in November to allow the Minister and Deacons to sort out a proposed new leadership structure including an Elder-ship
In 2009
About 20 young people went with the youth pastors, and Andrew Heinrich BB Company section officer in charge, and Sarah Spaxman leader of the youth group to a Christian Activity Centre in Northampton for a weekend bonding.
Andrew Heinrich began a new Church Website
We supported Ashdon Baptist Church's Bicentenary celebrations.
The New Church Constitution was published for debate and adopted unanimously on Sept 14th and added to this website.
We had a Church Picnic and Pinkneys Manor Wimbish
We gave support to Ashley Townsend, baptised member of Thaxted Baptist Church where he serves in the community as a Scout Leader, and on the VBS Leadership committee, He looks after audio and projection and IT at his church. He has been accepted for a place in a BMS Youth Action Team to Brazil
This Summer member Dr Matthew Player, in training at Leicester Medical College accompanied one of the Mercy Ships
Lighthouse Prayer Ministry extended evangelistic literature during the summer to Sewards End, Littlebury, Little Walden, Newport and Great and Little Chesterford and Stansted, using VIA magazine house to house.
Our monthly Missionary Prayer Meeting was resumed after a 2 year break
We supported the Bicentenary of Ashdon Baptist Church, and Ashley Townsend of Thaxted Baptist Church who went to Brazil with a BMS Action Team.
In 2010 our last Life Deacon Jack Turnbull died. He first became a deacon in 1952. We developed Room 4 as a café style meeting area.
2011 marked the 300th Anniversary of the formal beginning of our General Baptist Church, 1711 - 1950 and the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Confession of Faith at Abbey Lane, the formal beginning of our present Baptist Church 1761 - 2011 for which an 8 member Exhibition Action Team led by Church Archivist John Maddams organised The MISSION CONTINUED Exhibition in September assisted by 45 people which displayed about quarter of our Church Archives Simon Mattholie resigned to become CEO of Rural Ministries. We had a rich variety of preachers lay or ordained.
During 2012 we appointed Rev Patricia Heap as our Moderator.
2013 saw Rev John Goddard of Barrow in Furness Cumbria appointed Minister. Gavin Walter was appointed Minster in training at Ashdon.
In 2014 Elizabeth and Sergio Vilela became BMS missionaries in Mozambique. Several members became Street Pastors locally & others supported it. We started supporting Meninadanca in Brazil. We got involved with X:site for children & Revolution for teenagers. Introduced Alternative Worship and Celtic Prayer. We got involved with XL Mentoring. Supporters of LHPM in 2011-2015 funded 8188 Bibles for use in Nigeria.
In 2015 John Goddard participated in an ecumenical reconciliatory Pilgrimage to Israel & Palestine supported by weekly Friday Prayer Sessions, Searchlight Theatre Company
presented “Woodbine Willie.”. We celebrated Easter with Bucks Fizz & Chocolates. We introduced All Age Communion. We considered upgrading the Kitchen and appointing a second minister but later decided not to do so. Our BB Company camped at Beeston Regis in Norfolk for a week. “Good Old Mr Scrooge” was well attended and much enjoyed.
Ken & John having reached every parish in Uttlesford distributing VIA magazine extended deeper into South Cambs and new homes at Saffron Walden. At Christmas 14 Sunday Club members presented a good Nativity. We welcomed, lots of school children to a SVST Celebration, and the Annual EACH Service. The Kitchen project began.
In 2016 After Christmas we enjoyed a visit by Adrian Plass We convened a Conversation to consider Christian Moral Relationships. Over 60 attended. Afterwards 40 of the adult congregation left and most of Sunday Club members. Several Members resigned, but 20 were welcomed into the congregation.The new session began with an Open Day at St Marks Youth Centre Audley End and then a Barn Dance and an all age Nativity with a cast of over 30.
The laying of that Meeting House foundation stone on 24th June 1774, sent out ripples which have not decreased over the centuries and are still having an influence over life in our community today.
This Church on the Hill has been a lighthouse to thousands and the seedbed from which have developed 17 Baptist, Anglican and United Reformed Ministers , 8 missionaries [ who served in Brazil, China, Germany, Congo and India, Ethiopia, El Salvador, Poland and the USA ], plus people going on short term mission projects in Brazil, Bulgaria, India, Uganda, South Africa, & Thailand,
Well over 3000 people have been members of our church since 1774 and they have contributed to mission in many parts of Britain and across all the continents.
The church has a wide spreading and growing ministry and it’s best years may still lie ahead in the future.
This is the 23rd edition of our history and since 1974 altogether over 1390 copies have been circulated plus those who have read it on line which was over 300 on the previous board.
(C) JEM 2018 Modified January 2018
The ongoing history is added to the article at the beginning of this history section, concerning the Pastorates of Upper Meeting now on two pages and the printed series by 2013 reached Edition 23