A striking statistic, looking back over just the last century, is the size of the Sunday School relative to the number of church members. Our membership has probably never reached 100, whilst there have certainly been times when we have had over 250 children. Over a long period, the church struggled to find enough committed teachers. It is perhaps no surprise that we have failed to hold on to children who were sent rather than brought to church.
1972 Brief ministry
One year later, the church inducted Rev Harold J Hyde. Together
with his wife and four daughters, he came to us from Yorkshire although
he was born in Monmouthshire and trained in South Wales. Though a
minister of ten years' experience, he was unable to work effectively
amid the challenges to his ministry from some quarters. He resigned
after little more than two years without a call to another church.
With nowhere else to go, he lived on in the manse with his family
whilst the church was seeking his replacement. He eventually resumed
employment on the railways.1975 Brave start
1975
When Rev Brian Scott began his ministry in August 1975, he had
to leave his pregnant wife,Janet, in South Wales because, in the words
of our local paper, "the former minister and his family are
occupying the Manse". During their seven years amongst us, the
Scotts had three daughters. It is perhaps no surprise that this was
when the mid-week Mother & Toddler Group started! In late 1981, Brian
was called to Nailsworth, Gloucestershire and has since moved again
to Pill, west of Bristol.1982 Three years without a minister
Our church has been without a full-time minister for a total of over 35 years since it was first able to afford one in 1840. Was this the result of cautious hands on the purse strings or lack of clarity about whom to call? At such times, the worship and witness of the church go on and we are served by willing and gifted lay-preachers - but it becomes harder to maintain the vision and to plan for the future.
1985 The expanding community
In 1985, we looked once more to South Wales to fill our vacant
pastorate. Rev Vivian Rees came to us in March, with his wife
Margery and daughter Carys. During his ministry, efforts were made to
visit the growing number of people coming to live to the south and east
of us, for whom we were the nearest church, and to reach young people
through Holiday Clubs. Viv also served the community as an assistant
chaplain at the George Eliot Hospital. In 1996, he moved to Long Eaton,
Nottinghamshire.1996 New experience
While women have been ordained ministers in the denomination since 1925,
it is only in the last 20 years that they have come into our
Theological Colleges in any numbers. Attleborough apart, many churches
are unwilling to invite a woman even to discuss their vacant pastorate.
Rev Jenny Few came to us straight from
Northern Baptist College. Her reflective style of worship and
leadership no doubt benefit in part from her having trained later in
life after a career and raising a family. Jenny moved to the Robert Hall Memorial Baptist Church, Leicester, in June 2005.2006 The next minister
Rev Andy Jones was invited to take up the pastorate in September 2006.
How do you write a few words about what your minister is like?
Being a minister is only really possible if God's blessing is on your life. Andy is greatly blessed by God, he has giftings in worship and prayer and a love for people. He has a great smile and a dry sense of humour We are glad he is our minister and that God called him to Attleborough Baptist Church.
See the webpage entitled the minister for more information.
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