About Us
Our Story
Wivenhoe Congregational Church has had a presence in the life of the Wivenhoe since 1672 with its first being Minister being Rev. John Argor from Copford. There was however a congregation before that which met in secret in West Street in a house that was later to become Greens Wet Fish Shop. This congregation met in secret as they would have been persecuted at the time. Through centuries of history and four Chapels Wivenhoe Congregational Church still has a strong presence in the Community of Wivenhoe and a growing Congregation. History will say that Wivenhoe Congregational Church closed and joined the United Reformed Church in 1972, but this is far from the truth and is still a Congregational Church to this very day.
Wivenhoe Congregational Church History Book
In 1965/1966, the then minister, The Rev. Clementina M. Gordon B.D. while on her sick bed wrote The History of Wivenhoe Congregational Church. One day it
will be updated but for now it is the only source of our history, and it has been recently digitalised and attached, enjoy the read. (click here)
Below is a Potted History of our Church and about what we call ‘The Congregational Way’ and what we are about.
Protestant Nonconformity
Early Nonconformists (1664–1719)
One Quaker and a few Anabaptists were recorded in 1664. (fn. 1) John Argor (d. 1679), who had been ejected from the church at Braintree, was licensed as a Presbyterian teacher in 1672. He had a congregation at Wivenhoe, which probably met in the houses of John Tylor and William Giles, licensed for Presbyterian meetings in 1672. (fn. 2) Samuel Wood, who ran a small nonconformist academy, served as minister from 1709 until 1719 during which time the first Independent chapel was probably built. The congregation numbered 150 in 1715, but a division apparently occurred between the Presbyterians and the Paedobaptists (perhaps Independents) in the congregation, and each group worshipped separately. (fn. 3)
Independent Chapel Development (1796–1829)
Between 1796 and 1805 some Independents worshipped in a house at the corner of West Street and High Street; no trace of the first chapel remained. They were led by ministers from Colchester until 1803 when James Hyde, a lay pastor, came from London and the number of services and the size of the congregation increased. A house was bought in West Street and on land behind it a new Independent chapel with seating for 350 was built, and opened in 1805. A schoolroom was added in 1807. A church was constituted in 1808 and James Hyde ordained as its pastor. (fn. 4) In 1829 there was a congregation of 500 and the Sunday school, which had been founded by 1816, had 150 children. (fn. 5)
Conflict and Expansion (1831–1856)
Charles Riggs, pastor 1831-4, was once horsewhipped on his way from his home in Colchester to the chapel by someone very antagonistic to dissenters, alleged to be Gen. Francis Slater Rebow of Wivenhoe Park. The church soon afterwards rented Colne House, West Street, for a manse. (fn. 6)
During the vigorous ministry of Samuel Hubbard (1840-56) a new chapel, financed by Thomas Sandford (Sanford), oyster merchant, was opened in 1847 on the corner of West Street and Quay Street. Designed by James Fenton in the Italian style with a plaster dome, it had 600 seats. (fn. 7) A small mission was started at Wivenhoe Cross in 1848. (fn. 8) On census Sunday 1851 attendances of 319 in the morning, 422 in the afternoon, and 450 in the evening were recorded, including 100 Sunday school children in the morning and in the afternoon. (fn. 9)
Later Developments and Ministry (1883–1941)
Under the ministry of W. F. Tyler (1883-1927) a Band of Hope met, there were men’s bible classes and prayer meetings, and the earlier preaching station at Wivenhoe Cross was reopened. Between 1927 and 1941 an early 19th-century house, formerly part of Wivenhoe Hall, was used as a manse. (fn. 10)
Decline and Revival (Mid 20th Century–1972)
The church faced financial problems and declining membership in the mid 20th century, but there was some revival in the 1960s. Wivenhoe Hall Cottage, on the west side of High Street, was bought in 1956, the old church was sold, a new church was built in the grounds of the cottage and opened in 1962, and the cottage was converted to a manse. (fn. 11) In 1972 Wivenhoe Congregational joined the United Reformed church.
Wesleyan and Methodist Activity (1805–1998)
About 1805 there were Methodist teachers in Wivenhoe. (fn. 12) Wesleyan Methodists at Wivenhoe were included in the Colchester circuit from 1823 when there was a class of six led by John Grimes, perhaps with a break between 1836 and 1839. Between 1840 and 1866 the Wesleyans seem to have given way to the Primitive Methodists, but Wesleyan meetings were recorded again in 1866 and a new chapel, opened in Chapel Road in 1871, was adopted by the Colchester circuit in 1872. (fn. 13) By 1881 the seating capacity of 162 was inadequate, but the new chapel, designed and built by Thomas Marriott Locke of Colchester, was not opened until 1901 in the road later called The Avenue. By the 1950s numbers were dwindling, but membership increased in the late 1960s and the church premises were modernized c. 1970-1, partly with funds bequeathed by Stanley Osborne in his will, proved 1965. (fn. 14) There were 46 members in 1998. (fn. 15)
Primitive and Reform Methodists (1837–1868)
The Ipswich Primitive Methodist circuit included Wivenhoe in its plan in 1837; there was preaching, apparently in a member’s house, every Sunday afternoon and evening, and fortnightly on a weeknight. (fn. 16) The Primitives apparently continued to meet, having six members in 1857 when they were part of the Colchester circuit. In 1868 the congregation lost its preaching house and dispersed. (fn. 17)
In 1853 the Reform Methodists took over a mission the Congregationalists had started in 1848 at Wivenhoe Cross. (fn. 18)
Swedenborgian Society (1848–1933)
David George Goyder, minister of the Swedenborgian Society at Ipswich, founded a small society in Wivenhoe by 1848. The New Jerusalem church in Sun Yard, Bethany Street, was opened in 1849, and on census Sunday 1851 had attendances of 22 in the afternoon and 54 in the evening, with another 12 at the Sunday school in the morning and 14 in the afternoon. The Harvey shipbuilding family was associated with the church. James Husk, another shipbuilder, financed and built a Swedenborgian chapel at the top of Alma Street in 1864. (fn. 19) There was a lapse but services were resumed in a house in East Street by a minister from Brightlingsea, and later in the former Wesleyan Methodist chapel in Chapel Road, and finally in a school in High Street, where they continued until 1933. (fn. 20)
Evangelical Efforts (1864–1868)
In 1864 Henry Ruffnell, a railway official, held evangelical meetings, mainly for railway navvies, in a barn. His successor, George Carter Needham, an Irish evangelist, rented the Swedenborgian chapel for six months in 1866, changing its name to the Gospel Hall. He left for America in 1868, having failed to raise money for a new hall, and his followers presumably dispersed. (fn. 21)
Salvation Army Presence (c. 1895–c. 1923)
The Salvation Army held meetings c. 1895 in a sail loft at The Quay, and later in the former Swedenborgian chapel in Alma Street. (fn. 22) They remained until c. 1923. (fn. 23)
Other Sects and Teachers (1761–c. 1805)
In 1761 the ‘Seventh Day Sabbath’ sect, presumably the Seventh Day Baptists from Colchester, provided a tenement for poor adherents. (fn. 24) About 1805 there were Baptist and Arminian teachers. (fn. 25)
Footnotes
1. Guildhall MS. 9583/2, part iv, no. 105.
2. Cal. S. P. Dom. 1672, 578; Davids, Nonconf. in Essex, 355-6.
3. E.R.O., Acc. C271 (uncat.), Box 1, Congregational Ch. Bk. 1808-27; C. M. Gordon, Wivenhoe Congregational Ch. 8-9.
4. E.R.O., Acc. C271 (uncat.), Box 1, Congregational Ch. Bk. 1808-27; Gordon, Wivenhoe Congregational Ch. 11-19.
5. E.R.O., Q/CR 3/2/129; Gordon, Wivenhoe Congregational Ch. 18.
6. B. Slaughter, Growth of Popular Educ. in Wivenhoe, unpaginated; Gordon, Wivenhoe Congregational Ch. 21.
7. Gordon, Wivenhoe Congregational Ch. 23-9, 60; H. Colvin, Biog. Dict. of Brit. Architects 1600-1840, 305.
8. Gordon, Wivenhoe Congregational Ch. 32; G. King, We nearly closed – Hist. of Wivenhoe Meth. Ch. 7.
The Congregational Way
The Congregational Way refers to the beliefs and practices of Congregationalist churches, emphasizing the autonomy of each local church and the direct relationship between believers and God. It’s characterized by a belief in the priesthood of all believers, a reliance on Scripture, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit in interpreting faith and practice.
Here’s a more detailed look at the key aspects of the Congregational Way:
Core Beliefs
Christ as Head of the Church
Congregationalists believe that Jesus Christ is the ultimate authority and head of the church, not a hierarchical structure or human leader.
Autonomy of the Local Church
Each individual church is considered independent and self-governing, responsible for making its own decisions about worship, governance, and belief.
Priesthood of All Believers
Congregationalists believe that all believers have direct access to God and are called to ministry, not just ordained clergy.
Guidance of the Holy Spirit
Congregationalists rely on the Holy Spirit to guide their understanding of Scripture and their decisions as a church.
Practices
Emphasis on Scripture
Congregational churches use the Bible as their foundation for faith and practice.
Diverse Worship Styles
Due to the autonomy of each church, worship styles can vary significantly between Congregational churches.
Emphasis on Freedom of Conscience
Congregationalists value individual freedom of belief and conscience, leading to a diverse range of theological perspectives within the movement.
Involvement in Social Issues
Congregationalists have historically been involved in social justice movements, such as the abolition of slavery and promoting civil rights.
Historical Context
Origins in England
Congregationalism emerged in England during the 16th and 17th centuries as a form of Protestantism that sought greater autonomy for local churches.
Arrival in America
Many early settlers in America, including the Pilgrims, were Congregationalists, and the movement played a significant role in the development of the United States.
Modern Congregationalism
Today, Congregational churches can be found in various parts of the world, often participating in ecumenical partnerships and united churches.
When described to people who are not churchgoers, they are amazed – that Christians can operate without hierarchies or elaborate ritual. ‘If all churches were like that’, they say, ‘I might go!’ By trusting God and trusting the members whom God has called together in a covenant relationship, congregational Christians open the door to the power of God’s Spirit. The Bible describes the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and we expect to see these in action, through the members of the church.
This is true not just in the confines of church life.
- Congregationalists challenged the might of a corrupt State in the seventeenth century and changed the face of the nation.
- Isaac Watts gave birth to modern hymnody in the eighteenth century, and the London Missionary Society carried the gospel around the world.
- In the nineteenth century, a congregational minister helped to overthrow slavery in Guyana, because he treated the slaves as people called by God, able to become church members as much as anyone else.
- Congregationalists were at the heart of political reform in Britain.
- A hundred years ago, a congregational church was the first of the mainstream churches to ordain a woman to its ministry.
- Around the millennium, Congregationalists played their part in placing diversity at the heart of the ecumenical movement in Britain and Ireland.
Mission Statement
The purposes for which this fellowship was formed and is continuing are as follows:
To maintain a centre of Christian life and influence in the community and to support the fellowship of the Churches of Jesus Christ throughout the world.
To develop a depth of spiritual knowledge and commitment within the fellowship and proclaim clearly to those outside the fellowship the love of God offered towards them and in particular the need, truth and assurance of salvation.
To do such things and to have and exercise such rights, privileges and powers conferred by law upon a religious corporation or church as may from time to time seem good to the Church Meeting under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
While recognising the expedience and privilege of seeking the advice of other Christian Churches and associating with them for mutual advantage and service to others, to remain a free and autonomous body in matters of church governance and not to accept any form of ecclesiastical constitution or authority other than that formed and accepted by the Church Meeting under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
To work alongside Wivenhoe Churches Together. To regularly take part in inter-denominational services and events.
To be a positive influence in our community, to enrich people’s faith and to enlighten our community as a team.
To be an enabling church for disability and mental health inclusion.
To continue our learning and development of the Minister and members, and to offer support and guidance to a learning church.
Participation in the Lord’s Supper is an open table to all those who love the Lord Jesus.
We place a greater emphasis on the gift of music in our praise to God.