The story of BRBC as it is today, really started on the 20th May 1894 when a group of Baptists in Horsham first met together in the upper assembly rooms of the Kings Head hotel. Services later moved to an upper room of the original Co-op building in East Street.
1897 The Tin Tabernacle
 Three years later an iron building with a brick frontage was erected on land acquired in the Brighton Road to become known as East Parade Baptist Church or more colloquially as the 'Tin Tabernacle'. The dedication and opening took place on the 14th October 1897.
The 'Tin Tabernacle' saw services held there until July 1917 when it was sold to the Y.M.C.A., shipped out to France and used there during the First World War. |
1907 The Old Hall
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 The 'Old Hall' as it became known was built to the rear of the main church building and opened in 1907 and gave service for the next 100 years.
A Sunday School was set up for young people and, soon afterwards, Boys' and Girls' Brigade companies were founded. These were later followed by youth clubs, football and cricket teams, playgroups and mothers and toddlers groups.
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1923 A New Church
 A new church was built on the site and the foundation stone was laid in 1922 with the church being opened on the 17th May 1923.
The church has been outward looking and socially active from its inception and this strong tradition has continued down through the years, underpinning the current church's mission of service to the community.
This mission has also been projected beyond the confines of Horsham to the wider community, with significant continuing contributions being made to causes at home and overseas including charities, relief agencies and missionary societies, and the support of individuals from the church as they go out into the world to offer their services to those in need. The church has strong links with communities throughout the world including: Brazil, Cambodia, Haiti, Kenya, Nepal and Romania, supporting charities and churches with funding and people. |
1968 The New Hall
 The 'New Hall' was built in two stages in 1968 and 1972 as can be seen by the different coloured bricks used.
By the 1990's this 'hotch potch' of buildings, which served former generations well, had reached the end of their useful and economic lives, both physically and practically, and needed to be replaced.
Not only did the buildings not meet our needs, they hindered many of the activities planned for the future. It was our desire to see the church as a resource to the local and wider community that lay behind our decision to redevelop the whole site, which started in the late 1990's.
After many years of planning and fund raising we finally moved out of the building in Brighton Road and moved into The Royal British Legion Hall in Chichester Terrace in January 2007. |
2008 The Church Today
 During the next 18 months the buildings on the site were demolished and our new building was erected.
We moved into the new building in June 2008. |
Ministers
Over the years a number of ministers have served the church
1893-1894 Rev Thomas Breewood
1894-1898 Mr Hill
1894-1898 Mr Walter Ridley Chesterton
1894-Nov 1907 Rev Charles Clapp
Aug 1908-1917 Rev Adam Waugh
Jan 1919-Oct 1923
Rev Henry Francis Cross
1924-1928 Rev W B Stapley
1929-1938 Rev Charles Clapp
Oct 1939 Rev A E Johnson
1946-1961
Rev David Rigden Green
Aug 1961-1965 Rev David Gardner
Feb 1967-Jul 1980 Rev Paul Bishop
1982-2008
Rev David Richardson
1985
Rev Dr Andrew Jones
1986-1989
Rev Mark Burleigh
Sep 1990 -Sep 1993 Rev Andrew Westlake
Sep 1994 - Jan 1998
Rev Julie Shimizu
Sep 1994 - Jan 2001
Rev Nick Lear
Jan 2002 - Aug 2005 Rev Jayne Durham
Nov 2009 -
Rev Dr Tim L Carter
Sep 2013 - Jun 2017
Rev Jac Parson
Sep 2019-
Rev Michael Hogg
There are more details
here.
Whoever you are, we believe that there is something for you at BRBC, so why not come along and meet us? You would be very welcome.