Kingswood

Congregational

Church

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History

 

From the earliest available records we know there has been a fellowship of Protestant Dissenters in Kingswood since the 1650s. It is unlikely there was a formal Meeting House in the early days

When the Rector of the Parish Church was removed from his living by the 1662 Act of Uniformity he joined the the fellowship of "Brownists & Seperatists" [forerunners of the Independents, now known as the Congregationalists] existing in the village. The first Meeting House was established within the next few years.

Nothing further is known until 1719 when Rev. Richard Adey arrived. He was the first of four consecutive ministers who were masters of the Free School endowed by John Mayo.

This charity still exists and is used for children going on to further education.

Opposition from the High Church Party in the village made nonconformity a struggle in the 1700's, and by 1800 the congregation and membership was very small. By the efforts of Miss Counsell of Bristol [of a Kingswood family] and Rev. John Lewis of neighbouring Wotton Under Edge the work was revived.

With the coming in 1806 of Rev. Charles Daniell it went form strength from strength. He established the Sunday School in 1809 and new galleries were added to the Meeting House, but within 10 years the "Little Sanctuary", as it was known, became too small to hold a weekly congregation and it was decided to build a bigger Chapel.

Rev. Daniell purchased an adjoining piece of land for £66 and drew up plans for a building 44 x 33 feet with 3 galleries and a vestry. This building, the present Chapel, was opened in 1821 and paid for by public subscription. With a stipulation that no money be spent on the ornamentation, the total cost was £821.10.0d. It was built of local stone known as clay rags, with a slate roof since replaced with tiles, a typical Gloucestershire Nonconformist Chapel of it's time. A small clock tower still holds the face of a "four poster bedstead" clock, housed in the roof space.

By 1845 there was money available to buy old cottages behind the Chapel which were pulled down to make way for a Sunday Schoolroom, which was also used as a British and then Infant School. The gardens became the graveyard. Though it is now closed and the graves levelled, the old tombstones are still in place and are largely legible.

The Chapel was heated by a central stove with a vent in the roof, then with a boiler and steam pipes, replaced in 1962 with electric tubular heating. The Old Meeting House was turned into 3 cottages which were pulled down about 1905. The small plot of land is now used as the Chapel car park.

 

Registers from about 1800 are lodged in the Gloucester Records Office.

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Mission Statement:

 

The intention of this fellowship is to serve the Lord in all His ways and to continue to do so until His Kingdom comes. “By their fruits you shall know them” Matt.7:16

 

The following are statements of intent in the pursuance of the above:

 

  1. To put Jesus at the centre of all we say and do.

  2. To promote a centre of Christian life and influence in the community.

  3. To facilitate learning, provide teaching and develop spiritual knowledge, by so doing proclaiming the love of God on offer.  In particular the need for truth and assurance of salvation.

  4. To be available to help those outside the church explore answers to their deepest questions.

  5. To help those outside the church discover God’s love, acceptance and forgiveness for themselves.

  6. To provide clear bible based teaching in our church that will help people to grow in their relationship with God and help them deal with the pressures and relationships of everyday life.

  7. To make everyone welcome.

 

 

Role and Responsibilities of Members:

 

Role

 

Members shall:

 

  1. Pray for the Church family.  Be supportive in any practical ways needed.  Gather together for worship on a regular basis.

  2. Partake on a regular basis of the Lord’s Supper (Communion).

  3. Be privately committed in prayer for the fellowship and to be actively seeking the Lord’s will for the Church.

  4. Work under the guidance of the Holy Spirit to increase and strengthen the Kingdom of God on the earth.

  5. Regularly attend church meetings.

 

Responsibilities

 

Members responsibility will be:

 

  1. To live in obedience to Christ’s perfect will and to be actively seeking the will of God for their lives and to establish the God given gift.

  2. To endeavour, with Christ’s help, to lives which are true to the Christian principles of honesty, purity and love.

  3. To be actively engaged in serving others in Christian love under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

  4. To read the Bible and pray every day.

  5. To give first importance each Sunday to worship at church; to join regularly in the observance of the Lord’s Supper; to join wherever possible with others in prayer and the study of God’s word.

  6. To render whatever practical service they can in the work and witness of our church and its organisations.

  7. To play their part in the government and administration of this church being present, whenever possible, at church meetings and being loyal to church decisions.

  8. To do all they can to encourage love and fellowship among members of the church and congregation and all Christians everywhere.

  9. To set aside and give regularly for the work of Christ’s Kingdom in this church, the money they believe God would have them give.

  10. To do all they can to help the work of the mission at home and overseas.

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