Soon the hall became too small for the numbers that came to hear the gospel.  A piece of land was purchased in Green Street (96ft x 56ft) for £84.  This land formed part of “Braggs Field” which was part of  Westcourt Farm.

In April 1879 those of the congregation who were members of other churches arranged for their transfer so as to form a church at Gillingham.  On Sunday 27^th April 1879 our church was duly constituted, in the evening the Rev. James Smith presiding, Messrs, Blocksidge and Blackaby also being present.  The day closed with the observance of the Lord’s Supper.  Eight days later the newly formed church met in the Public Hall for tea and a public meeting.

In the early part of 1881 Mr Spurgeon offered to pay £1 per week for one year and ten shillings per week for a second year towards the support of a minister.  On 8^th March 1881 it was unanimously decided by the 30 members present to invite Mr Blocksidge to the pastorate and on the 19^th April the invitation was accepted.

A Building Fund was started and the land recently purchased was transferred to the Trustees.  The Deed relating to this transaction bears the signature of C H Spurgeon, one of the appointed trustees and Treasurer to the Building Fund.

A schoolroom (56ft x 20ft) was erected at a cost of £700. This was to the rear of the present site roughly where the kitchen & storage areas are now.  At the western end there was a baptistry & a small gallery under which was a classroom, also used as a vestry. The pulpit was at the other end near the [now disused] rear side door.

The memorial stone was laid by Miss Dean, of Sittingbourne on the 21^st September 1881, (and later re-laid by her on the 19^th July 1888) as can be seen at the front of the present lower hall (schoolroom).  The opening service was held on Tuesday 8^th November 1881.    See picture on the right.  To get a larger view of the poster please click on the picture.

The first Baptism by immersion was held on Wednesday 10^th May 1882 when ten people were baptised.

This new hall soon became too small.  Sunday Services then commenced in the Public Hall.  On the 28^th February 1883 it was agreed that new Chapel had to be built.  In 1888 after £1,400 had been raised it was decided to commence building the Tabernacle.  The old schoolroom was taken down and the materials incorporated into the new structure.  The memorial stones for the new church were laid on the 16^th May 1888.  Two months later, the top stone was laid by Mr J R Featherby (the stone being inscribed with his initials).

The official opening of the new church (Tabernacle) was on the 30^th January 1889.  The Dedication Service was conducted by the Pastor at 11am.  In the afternoon the Rev. Charles Spurgeon (son of C H Spurgeon) conducted another service, preaching from 1 Corinthians 2, verse 2, “For I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified”.

Only ten years had passed since those first eighteen people met in the Workmen’s Hall and now the Tabernacle was an accomplished fact.

By 14^th June 1896 all the necessary funds to clear the debt on the Tabernacle had been raised.  The total receipts into the Building Fund being £4,703 16s 9d.

The membership in 1896 had grown to 300.  The number of scholars in the school at this time was nearly 600.  In 1900 an extension scheme was put into operation.  This included the purchase of the two houses adjacent to the Tabernacle, and the building of additional classrooms on the land at the rear.  Electric light was brought into use on the 29^th December 1901.

The memorial stones for the new buildings were laid on the 3^rd September 1900.  These were completed and opened in January 1901.

In the early 1970’s a new extension to the church was built  - see the picture on the left.  This comprised a new Main Hall and Toilets on the Ground Floor plus an Office and another large meeting room on the first floor.  A lift was also added to the other side of the church to enable easier access for those unable to climb the church entrance steps.

Up to the summer of 2001 the School Room (the room under the sanctuary) was used as a “Coffee Shop” (Wednesday & Saturday morning) as well as by the different church groups/organisations.  Unfortunately the Coffee Shop had to close.

In August 2002 work started to refurbish the old school room to provide a suitable place to meet the ongoing needs of the Church’s mission to the community of central Gillingham.  This work was completed in April 2003 and it was officially opened on the 18^th April 2003 by the Mayor of Medway, Councillor Ted Baker.  The refurbished room is now known as the “Lighthouse”.  Various other improvements including lift access from inside the building on the ground floor have also been carried out.

Our membership (March 2009) is currently over 170 adults plus many children and young people.

Our Ministers:

Our first Senior Minister, the Rev. W W Blocksidge was in post from 1881 to 1925.  In 1925 the Rev Blocksidge was made a Freeman of Gillingham.

Recent senior ministers have included the Rev Tom Rogers and the Rev Chris Voke.  The Rev David John was our Senior Minister from September 1998 to January 2007.  We are currently in an Interregnum.

TOP