Introduction

The Bible shows us that in the early days of the Christian church believers gathered together for worship in their homes. This is also how the history of Yateley Baptist Church begins in 1825.

The Nest

A group of like-minded Christians met in a house known as “The Nest” on Cricket Hill, to pray and read the Bible on Sundays under the guidance of Reverend William Hartley, a godly man who steered this faithful group in the building and founding of a church.

The Chapel

The church was named Zoar (‘little’ in Hebrew) Chapel. The chapel was officially opened on February 20th 1827, with services in the morning, afternoon and evening. In 1832 the original 11 members made a commitment to faithfully serve God and the church was formally instituted.

The Church

The church which we now know as Yateley Baptist Church is in the same location as the original building and for almost 200 years the members have sought to bring the gospel message to all the generations that have passed since those early days.

Government Census

A government census of religious worship took place in 1851 during the population census.  The records show that on Sunday 30th March 40 people attended Zoar in the morning and 51 in the afternoon. This is an indication of how the church had grown over just a few years.

Sunday School

It was in the early part of 20th century that a Sunday School was formed and flourished. In later years this work was faithfully taken forward under the direction of Nell Newman and Doreen Justice.

Centenary Celebration

The work of the church continued throughout the period of the Great War and in 1927 a “Centenary Celebration” took place and a photograph, which still exists, was taken of this event.

During WW2

During WW2 some members joined and served in the Armed Forces and were away for the duration of the hostilities. However, they were replaced by an influx of members of the Royal Air Force, stationed on the doorstep of the chapel at RAF Hartfordbridge (now Blackbushe).

The Haven

The church was ever present within the community throughout the 1950’s, not least in the support for “The Haven”.  The Baptist Union purchased the “Haven” as a home for mothers and babies.  The story of the home is related in “The Haven Story” published by The Baptist Union of Great Britain and Ireland.

The New Church Building

During the 1960’s it became clear to the church members that the original building was no longer meeting the needs of the fellowship. After much prayer and investigation, it was decided to erect a new building on the same site.  The new church building was opened on Saturday May 28th 1966, when over 300 gathered for the service. 

Boy’s & Girl’s Brigades

In 1975 a Boy’s Brigade was formed, shortly followed by a Girl’s Brigade. This work formed a vital role in gospel ministry to the young people of the area and was well-attended and loved by everyone involved. In subsequent years Sonseekers young people’s work has taken on this important ministry.

1990’s Building Project

In the 1990’s a building project was launched and on April 1st 1995 a Thanksgiving Service was held for the opening of the new rear premises.

175th Anniversary

In 2002 the church commemorated the 175th anniversary of the formation the church and a number of special events and services took place.

Pastors

Since the earliest days of the work on Cricket Hill, the Lord has blessed the church with 14 faithful men who have led the people in the role of pastor. During this time the church has continued to seek the Lord’s will in declaring the gospel to the local community.

Nearing 200 Years!

As we approach our 200th anniversary in 2027, we look to the Lord to bless the work as he has so graciously done over the years. We give thanks to God and pray that the work on Cricket Hill continues to give Him all the honour and all the glory.