Baptist Church, Stalham - Norfolk Broads, Past & Present

Town Sign

Stalham Baptist Church

Lower High Street, Stalham, Norfolk.
Rev Ron Skivington - Telephone 01692 582091
(Bottom of the High St, at the junction with Lower Staithe Road)

Just click on the picture for a larger sized image

The Past

In 1653 a small company of people with Bibles in hand, the words of Jesus on their lips and the example of the apostles to follow, formed a gathered Church at Stalham and Ingham. By 1693 there was a flourishing congregation of between two and three hundred people meeting regularly. (right: A Church outing in the early 1900's).

In 1878 it became apparent that the Ingham Meeting House needed many repairs and a large amount of finance to restore it and a decision to build a new Meeting House in the more populous Stalham was made.

The great day was 23rd October 1884, when the first service was held in the newly built Church. When the Rev. J. P. Chown came from Bloomsbury Chapel, London to take the opening service, significantly the first hymn was " Onward Christian Soldiers".

The Rev. A. M. Hertzbergh, who had been Pastor at Ingham, became the first Pastor at Stalham and carried out the first baptism on 23rd November 1884.

Today

Our Pastor, Rev. Ron Skivington and his wife, Jane, very ably lead us.

The last few years have seen a steady growth, both spiritually and in Church membership, which now stands at 60. We are greatly encouraged by the number attending Church, seeking and finding God. (left: The old stables attached to the Church, now used for meetings etc).

Apart from the normal Sunday services, the Church and premises are used for the following: Daily - Play Group; Weekly - Lunch Club, Mothers & Toddlers, Break cluster group and St. John Ambulance.

The Church is involved in diverse outreach activities, taking Jesus to the local and wider community, examples of which are:

Supporting the Haven Coffee Bar
Alpha courses
Looking Further groups
Prayer and Bible study.

Special outreach events have included stars such as Rick Wakeman, Paul Jones, Ricky Valance, and Syd Little. All of these people have not only entertained on what, on occasions, has been a packed Church, but have also shared testimony and how God can help them, to people who would probably not normally enter a Church.

The Church now has its own web site, click here to find out more about Stalham Baptist Church.

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