Post by JEM on Aug 19, 2010 1:12:07 GMT
INTRODUCING Christians Together in Saffron Walden
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Published by Lighthouse Prayer Ministry MCCPF
lhpm.proboards.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Why are there so many churches? There is in fact only one Church.
#######################################################
The Holy Apostolic Catholic Church set in being by Jesus Christ in the first century AD
with it’s headquarters in Jerusalem and with congregations throughout Judea and Galilee.
After the death and resurrection of it’s leader Jesus Christ, and after he had returned into Heaven, from Heaven came the Holy Spirit to lead the Church on Earth, God’s people, citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven.
It is HOLY because it has been set apart, created, called and chosen by God.
It is APOSTOLIC because it was established by Christ’s first followers the Apostles and their followers ever since.
It is CATHOLIC because the word means complete and universal.
It is the CHURCH because that is the collective name of all Christians together in Christ Jesus.
The Church’s strength on Earth is it’s diversity. Over 2 billion members. Millions of congregations, in 7 main categories in historical order.
1st Eastern Catholics [ Orthodox ]
2nd Western Catholics [ Roman Catholics ]
3rd Protestant Episcopalian Lutheran , Anglican [ C of E ], Presbyterian [ Scottish ]
4th Protestant Reformed Dutch, French, Swiss,
5th Protestant Independent. Quaker [ Puritan ] Baptist, Congregationalist, Free Evangelical, Methodist, Brethren, Sal
vation Army, URC, M
6th Pentecostal [ NewLife and Elim ] and, others out of the Welsh revival
7th Charismatic
in over 35,000 denominational groups.
In the things that matter most united, but by many historical diversions differing in traditions and practices. God renews the Church in each succeeding generation.
Unfortunately being humans Christians have often disagreed with each other and have
sometimes fought each other.
The tie that should bind all Christians together
with God, with one another, with their neighbours, and their enemies is LOVE.
That is the main weapon of the Church along with PRAYER. These are the weapons with which God would have us change the world, and given a chance they work well.
Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
The early Church in the Middle East became established around several centres Antioch in Syria, Alexandria in Egypt, various cities in Greece, Constantinople in Asia Minor and Rome in Italy.
There were many small congregational churches over the first 3 centuries and to some degree ever since.
But gradually Rome as the capital of the Roman Empire became the dominant centre of leadership until the major split of the Western Catholics that became the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Catholics who became the Orthodox Churches.
Western Christianity remained Roman Catholic until the 15th century when the Renaissance in Europe led to the Reformation of the Church through the rediscovery of the Bible and it’s translation into the ordinary languages of the people of various European countries including England and Scotland.
Then all manner of men and women began to question the dogmas, traditions and behaviour of the Roman Catholic Church.
This led to changes. Some peaceful and some violent.
Today we recognise the past, and respect those who gave their lives in defence of faith and freedom. We seek tolerance and harmony and co-operation between all Christians.
There have been Christians in Walden from Saxon times to the middle of the 16th century they were Roman Catholics.
When Henry the Eighth fell out with the Pope declaring himself as king within his realms and territories, to be Head of the Church in England, Defender of the Faith. he began a trail of events that changed the face of our country and it’s life and history.
From 1546 the Reformed Faith was proclaimed out of Cambridge by king Edward the Sixth’s chaplain John Bradford, and groups of followers sprang up. During the reign of Queen Mary the Roman Catholic faith was restored. Then clandestine groups met in villages around town studying the new English Bible smuggled in from the continent
During the reign of the Protestant Queen Elizabeth the First these groups grew bolder but the laws of the land still required that everyone in their parishes should worship at their Parish Church.
In 1570 Separatist Christians met for communion under the oaks at Strethall and other groups met in private homes to study the Bible and apply it to the way they lived and worshipped. .
With the rise of Cromwell and the Republic, or Commonwealth, there was a Presbyterian Church in Walden with a lecturer authorised by Parliament to preach on Sundays and the vicar ordered not to intervene.
In 1656 Quakers began to meet separate from the Church of England and were persecuted for doing so. Their descendants today form the Society of Friends.
In 1662 new laws required clergymen of the Church of England to believe in certain articles of faith which many could not agree with, and over 1800 left their parishes in what is known as the Great Ejection. Some of these formed Independent Churches, congregations of Christians who rejected the new limitations of the Established Church of England.
So in 1665 was formed in Walden an Independent Church which in 1691 built a place of worship, a meeting house on Frogges Orchard in Abbey Lane on the banks of the Slade or Kings Ditch.
This became Saffron Walden Congregational Church and after the Congregationalists united with the Presbyterians in 1971 they became Saffron Walden United Reformed Church
From the Abbey Lane Independent Church 3 Baptist churches were formed in 1711, 1774 and 1818.
The General Baptist Church in Hill Street was formed in a house in Gold Street in 1711 and moved to what today is 25 and 25A Hill Street about 1726 and became a Unitarian Church, meeting in a new building built in 1791 until 1914 when it again became a General Baptist Church and continued so until it closed in 1957 in what is now Goddard’s Interiors Showroom off Waitrose Car Park.
In 1761 a group of 25 people at Abbey Lane Church signed a Confession of Faith adhering to Baptist teaching which led to baptisms of believers in the Granta tributary of the River Cam at Whittlesford Mill in 1767. In1774 a Particular Baptist Church was formed when the chapel trustees at Abbey Lane by a small majority of 2, expelled Pastor Joseph Gwennap after 10 years ministry there, because of his divorcing his wife and three quarters of the congregation left with him and met for 21 Sundays in Miss Elizabeth Fuller’s barn next to what is now Myddlyton House. They built a new building in an orchard at the top of what is today the southern end of High Street, since extended in 1879 and refurbished in 1978 and 2004.
During the 19th century London Road Strict Baptist Church was formed out of prayer meetings at Park Place from 1818.
They survived until just before the Second World War. From the present Baptist Church 1774-2010 during the 19th century Baptist Churches were set up at Ashdon, Thaxted, Sewards End, Radwinter and Langley and Great Chesterford Congregationalist Church. Abbey Lane with the Baptist church set up United chapels at Debden and Wimbish. Abbey Lane established chapels at Little Walden and Hinxton. The Friends established a chapel at Hadstock. Many of these no longer exist
The Church of England from early days set up a network of Parish Churches in all the villages of Uttlesford. Some of these around Walden work as part of a Team ministry centred on Walden.
During the 19th century the spread of Methodism led to the establishment of two Methodist Chapels in Walden, the Primitive Methodists in Castle Hill and the Wesleyan Methodists in Castle Street where today’s Methodist Church is located into which they both united. They established churches at Ickleton, Hempstead, Arkesden, Chrishall, Clavering, and Little Chesterford.
Also in that century a Railway Mission Chapel was established in Debden Road, later a grocers shop, now a house site. Also Gold Street Chapel Brethren Assembly was formed later to be called Gold Street Evangelical Church. This closed in 2016 and the congregation moved to the former Wesleyan Methodist Church buildings in Castle Street relaunching as Saffron Walden Community Church.
Early in the 20th century Salvation Army Corps were established at Saffron Walden in Castle Street and at Wimbish Green later dispersed.
In 1906 a new Roman Catholic Church of our Lady of Compassion was established in Castle Street.
In 1926 following another movement of the Holy Spirit who prompted all these other movements
Assemblies of God were formed at Debden, and in Castle Street in Walden. That is now New
Life Pentecostal Christian Centre Shire Hill.
Towards the end of the 20th century the Wellspring Evangelical Church operated in the town but closed and dispersed to other congregations.
About 1994 the Salvation Army reappeared from Haverhill and has set up it’s centre in Abbey Lane.
Some local churches in 1946 formed the Christian Council which since 2002 has been Churches Together in Saffron Walden covenanted together since in 2006.
In 2013 a branch of Street Pastors was set up to serve the town.
In 2014 the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Castle Street closed, some members went to the Bishops Stortford Methodist Church and others joined Abbey Lane United Reformed Church.
In 2016 the Gold Street Chapel congregation moved into the former Methodist Church building in Castle Street relaunched as Saffron Walden Community Church and soon joined by a lot of people from the Baptist Church after a conference there showed how divided that Church was over same sex relationships.
Vacation Bible School founded by Gold Street Chapel held in August in marquees for some 50 years that developed into an ecumenical evangelical evangelistic ministry reaching up to 600 children ceased operations in 2019.
Several years before that, 2017, Saffron Walden Bible Focus began having Keswick Convention style meetings locally first at Joyce Frankland Academy Newport, and later at Saffron Walden United Reformed Church in the autumn, that went on line during the Pandemic and issued a monthly message by email and social media.
During the Pandemic of 2020 onwards due to the spread worldwide of the Covid 19 virus and variants all the church congregations closed down, some for many months. Some carried on eventually with smaller congregations and some with booking opportunities to attend, sitting 6 feet apart, wearing face masks, unable to engage in congregational singing. Most congregations proceeded to use the Zoom service and YouTube for worship services, Deacons Meetings, Churches Together meetings, youth activities, prayer meetings and Bible Studies. and installed special equipment so they could stream their events to social media. Weddings were delayed and later reduced to attendance of 6, Funerals were limited to 10 present or to services at gravesides. For months schools and colleges were closed and many work establishments closed down Thousands of people were furloughed to protect them but many jobs were lost and whole companies and many shops and other businesses closed down. Church incomes plummeted Some Church staff were laid off and their roles discontinued. Others took a pay cut. Many Christians got more involved in community services reaching out to help people in new and numerous ways.
#########################################
Published by Lighthouse Prayer Ministry MCCPF
lhpm.proboards.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Why are there so many churches? There is in fact only one Church.
#######################################################
The Holy Apostolic Catholic Church set in being by Jesus Christ in the first century AD
with it’s headquarters in Jerusalem and with congregations throughout Judea and Galilee.
After the death and resurrection of it’s leader Jesus Christ, and after he had returned into Heaven, from Heaven came the Holy Spirit to lead the Church on Earth, God’s people, citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven.
It is HOLY because it has been set apart, created, called and chosen by God.
It is APOSTOLIC because it was established by Christ’s first followers the Apostles and their followers ever since.
It is CATHOLIC because the word means complete and universal.
It is the CHURCH because that is the collective name of all Christians together in Christ Jesus.
The Church’s strength on Earth is it’s diversity. Over 2 billion members. Millions of congregations, in 7 main categories in historical order.
1st Eastern Catholics [ Orthodox ]
2nd Western Catholics [ Roman Catholics ]
3rd Protestant Episcopalian Lutheran , Anglican [ C of E ], Presbyterian [ Scottish ]
4th Protestant Reformed Dutch, French, Swiss,
5th Protestant Independent. Quaker [ Puritan ] Baptist, Congregationalist, Free Evangelical, Methodist, Brethren, Sal
vation Army, URC, M
6th Pentecostal [ NewLife and Elim ] and, others out of the Welsh revival
7th Charismatic
in over 35,000 denominational groups.
In the things that matter most united, but by many historical diversions differing in traditions and practices. God renews the Church in each succeeding generation.
Unfortunately being humans Christians have often disagreed with each other and have
sometimes fought each other.
The tie that should bind all Christians together
with God, with one another, with their neighbours, and their enemies is LOVE.
That is the main weapon of the Church along with PRAYER. These are the weapons with which God would have us change the world, and given a chance they work well.
Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
The early Church in the Middle East became established around several centres Antioch in Syria, Alexandria in Egypt, various cities in Greece, Constantinople in Asia Minor and Rome in Italy.
There were many small congregational churches over the first 3 centuries and to some degree ever since.
But gradually Rome as the capital of the Roman Empire became the dominant centre of leadership until the major split of the Western Catholics that became the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Catholics who became the Orthodox Churches.
Western Christianity remained Roman Catholic until the 15th century when the Renaissance in Europe led to the Reformation of the Church through the rediscovery of the Bible and it’s translation into the ordinary languages of the people of various European countries including England and Scotland.
Then all manner of men and women began to question the dogmas, traditions and behaviour of the Roman Catholic Church.
This led to changes. Some peaceful and some violent.
Today we recognise the past, and respect those who gave their lives in defence of faith and freedom. We seek tolerance and harmony and co-operation between all Christians.
There have been Christians in Walden from Saxon times to the middle of the 16th century they were Roman Catholics.
When Henry the Eighth fell out with the Pope declaring himself as king within his realms and territories, to be Head of the Church in England, Defender of the Faith. he began a trail of events that changed the face of our country and it’s life and history.
From 1546 the Reformed Faith was proclaimed out of Cambridge by king Edward the Sixth’s chaplain John Bradford, and groups of followers sprang up. During the reign of Queen Mary the Roman Catholic faith was restored. Then clandestine groups met in villages around town studying the new English Bible smuggled in from the continent
During the reign of the Protestant Queen Elizabeth the First these groups grew bolder but the laws of the land still required that everyone in their parishes should worship at their Parish Church.
In 1570 Separatist Christians met for communion under the oaks at Strethall and other groups met in private homes to study the Bible and apply it to the way they lived and worshipped. .
With the rise of Cromwell and the Republic, or Commonwealth, there was a Presbyterian Church in Walden with a lecturer authorised by Parliament to preach on Sundays and the vicar ordered not to intervene.
In 1656 Quakers began to meet separate from the Church of England and were persecuted for doing so. Their descendants today form the Society of Friends.
In 1662 new laws required clergymen of the Church of England to believe in certain articles of faith which many could not agree with, and over 1800 left their parishes in what is known as the Great Ejection. Some of these formed Independent Churches, congregations of Christians who rejected the new limitations of the Established Church of England.
So in 1665 was formed in Walden an Independent Church which in 1691 built a place of worship, a meeting house on Frogges Orchard in Abbey Lane on the banks of the Slade or Kings Ditch.
This became Saffron Walden Congregational Church and after the Congregationalists united with the Presbyterians in 1971 they became Saffron Walden United Reformed Church
From the Abbey Lane Independent Church 3 Baptist churches were formed in 1711, 1774 and 1818.
The General Baptist Church in Hill Street was formed in a house in Gold Street in 1711 and moved to what today is 25 and 25A Hill Street about 1726 and became a Unitarian Church, meeting in a new building built in 1791 until 1914 when it again became a General Baptist Church and continued so until it closed in 1957 in what is now Goddard’s Interiors Showroom off Waitrose Car Park.
In 1761 a group of 25 people at Abbey Lane Church signed a Confession of Faith adhering to Baptist teaching which led to baptisms of believers in the Granta tributary of the River Cam at Whittlesford Mill in 1767. In1774 a Particular Baptist Church was formed when the chapel trustees at Abbey Lane by a small majority of 2, expelled Pastor Joseph Gwennap after 10 years ministry there, because of his divorcing his wife and three quarters of the congregation left with him and met for 21 Sundays in Miss Elizabeth Fuller’s barn next to what is now Myddlyton House. They built a new building in an orchard at the top of what is today the southern end of High Street, since extended in 1879 and refurbished in 1978 and 2004.
During the 19th century London Road Strict Baptist Church was formed out of prayer meetings at Park Place from 1818.
They survived until just before the Second World War. From the present Baptist Church 1774-2010 during the 19th century Baptist Churches were set up at Ashdon, Thaxted, Sewards End, Radwinter and Langley and Great Chesterford Congregationalist Church. Abbey Lane with the Baptist church set up United chapels at Debden and Wimbish. Abbey Lane established chapels at Little Walden and Hinxton. The Friends established a chapel at Hadstock. Many of these no longer exist
The Church of England from early days set up a network of Parish Churches in all the villages of Uttlesford. Some of these around Walden work as part of a Team ministry centred on Walden.
During the 19th century the spread of Methodism led to the establishment of two Methodist Chapels in Walden, the Primitive Methodists in Castle Hill and the Wesleyan Methodists in Castle Street where today’s Methodist Church is located into which they both united. They established churches at Ickleton, Hempstead, Arkesden, Chrishall, Clavering, and Little Chesterford.
Also in that century a Railway Mission Chapel was established in Debden Road, later a grocers shop, now a house site. Also Gold Street Chapel Brethren Assembly was formed later to be called Gold Street Evangelical Church. This closed in 2016 and the congregation moved to the former Wesleyan Methodist Church buildings in Castle Street relaunching as Saffron Walden Community Church.
Early in the 20th century Salvation Army Corps were established at Saffron Walden in Castle Street and at Wimbish Green later dispersed.
In 1906 a new Roman Catholic Church of our Lady of Compassion was established in Castle Street.
In 1926 following another movement of the Holy Spirit who prompted all these other movements
Assemblies of God were formed at Debden, and in Castle Street in Walden. That is now New
Life Pentecostal Christian Centre Shire Hill.
Towards the end of the 20th century the Wellspring Evangelical Church operated in the town but closed and dispersed to other congregations.
About 1994 the Salvation Army reappeared from Haverhill and has set up it’s centre in Abbey Lane.
Some local churches in 1946 formed the Christian Council which since 2002 has been Churches Together in Saffron Walden covenanted together since in 2006.
In 2013 a branch of Street Pastors was set up to serve the town.
In 2014 the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Castle Street closed, some members went to the Bishops Stortford Methodist Church and others joined Abbey Lane United Reformed Church.
In 2016 the Gold Street Chapel congregation moved into the former Methodist Church building in Castle Street relaunched as Saffron Walden Community Church and soon joined by a lot of people from the Baptist Church after a conference there showed how divided that Church was over same sex relationships.
Vacation Bible School founded by Gold Street Chapel held in August in marquees for some 50 years that developed into an ecumenical evangelical evangelistic ministry reaching up to 600 children ceased operations in 2019.
Several years before that, 2017, Saffron Walden Bible Focus began having Keswick Convention style meetings locally first at Joyce Frankland Academy Newport, and later at Saffron Walden United Reformed Church in the autumn, that went on line during the Pandemic and issued a monthly message by email and social media.
During the Pandemic of 2020 onwards due to the spread worldwide of the Covid 19 virus and variants all the church congregations closed down, some for many months. Some carried on eventually with smaller congregations and some with booking opportunities to attend, sitting 6 feet apart, wearing face masks, unable to engage in congregational singing. Most congregations proceeded to use the Zoom service and YouTube for worship services, Deacons Meetings, Churches Together meetings, youth activities, prayer meetings and Bible Studies. and installed special equipment so they could stream their events to social media. Weddings were delayed and later reduced to attendance of 6, Funerals were limited to 10 present or to services at gravesides. For months schools and colleges were closed and many work establishments closed down Thousands of people were furloughed to protect them but many jobs were lost and whole companies and many shops and other businesses closed down. Church incomes plummeted Some Church staff were laid off and their roles discontinued. Others took a pay cut. Many Christians got more involved in community services reaching out to help people in new and numerous ways.
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