A brief history of Lakenheath Baptist Church

 

 

On the 12th of April 1815 it is recorded that a “newly erected building situated in the parish of Lakenheath was set apart for religious worship of Protestant Dissenters”. This is a flint faced Chapel in Back Street.

The first Church-Minute Book records the formation of the Church:

“7th December 1818 ten persons gathered at the house of John Trudgett and agreed to form a Church agreeable to the Apostolic order. Having a good hope that a work of grace was begun upon each heart we gave ourselves unto the Lord.”

Six of these people had already been baptised and on the afternoon of Sunday 20th December 1818 the other four were baptised in the Lode (a stream just outside the village). On Sunday afternoon 14th February 1819 seven more people were baptised at the same spot.

The following day all seventeen baptised persons gathered at the Chapel in Back Street and formed themselves into a gospel Church being Calvanistic, Baptist and practising Restricted Communion. Mr Trudgett was appointed as the pastor. On the Lord’s Day afternoon 7th March, the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper was administered for the first time.

Disagreements arose during the 1830s leading those who held to the original Church order, to withdraw in 1841 and commence their own meetings. Desiring to have their own meeting place, Mr Charles Place gave a plot of land in Mill Road, and in 1845 the Chapel was built. The worship of God has continued at the chapel to the present day. The Church minutes record many ups and downs during the subsequent years, but throughout the long history of the church, we continually see the patience and mercy of our Covenant keeping God.

Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever.