WHERE WE’VE BEEN
CHURCH HISTORY
Looking Back Together
100 Years of Worship
At the start of the 1900s the small villages of Laindon and Langdon Hills faced the first influx of newcomers, mainly from the East End of London, to areas on either side of the railway line. The non-conformists among these settlers were able to accept the lack of mains sewerage and electricity but not the absence of any chapel, mission or Sunday School – the only places of worship being the two Anglican parish churches.
However, a Mr Foulger had just built the Nightingale Hall on the High Road and he agreed to rent it out for divine worship, so they seized the opportunity to open a non-sectarian mission with services starting on December 12th 1902. The work flourished and the following year a further mission church was started at the Manor Hall.
In 1907 the Wesleyans among the congregation completed the building of a new Nightingale Mission Church and moved into what was to form the basis of the current Methodist Church. Meanwhile the Baptists continued at the Old Nightingale Hall and on October 24th 1909 the Baptist Fellowship of Laindon officially came into being under the leadership of the first pastor, Mr G S Read.
It is interesting to note from church records that one of the earliest purchases, on February 11th 1910, was of trestle tables for a church social. Still today, as well as meeting for worship, the church enjoys socialising, playing and eating together at every opportunity.
The land on which the current church stands was purchased in 1926, although work did not begin until 1931. The doors of the new building were opened on 1st August 1931, and a rapidly increasing Sunday School led to a new Sunday School Hall being opened in 1933.
The Girls’ Life Brigade was formed in November 1934, and apart from a temporary gap continues today under the new title of Girls’ Brigade. The 1st Laindon Company of the Boys’ Brigade was formed in May 1945 although, sadly, it has since ceased.
The 1950s and 60s was a time of upheaval as the New Town of Basildon was starting to be developed; enormous changes occurred as the development engulfed the existing villages, sweeping away known landmarks and unsettling the familiar way of life. Numbers in the Sunday School remained high and the church purchased a minibus for transport.
The church has developed links over the years with a number of other churches and secular groups, joining in mission, evangelism and care for the community. Meetings and musical groups have taken place on and off over the years, as has mother and toddler group, Alpha courses and midweek meetings.
The church praises God for His guidance during these last hundred years, through the periods of growth and outstanding blessing and also during the times when it felt beleaguered and unsure of where or what its future would be. It has emerged from these experiences strengthened in its faith and firmly knit together in fellowship. Now the members of the church family look forward to God’s continuing presence and leading as they re-commit themselves to working and worshipping together here in future.
– Adapted from ‘Laindon Baptist Church: 100 Years of Worship’ compiled by Rene Baker, 2009