Then came the retirement of Rev. Booth Taylor mentioned previously and the coming together of the two communities.  Two men who played a very important part in the move of the Tabernacle were the Secretary and Treasurer at this time Arthur Richardson and Alan Kendall respectively.  Together with Mr Keightley they negotiated the sale of the Tabernacle site to the City Council so that a sum of £24,625 was available towards the new building.  This with the gifts already promised and other donations produced the sum of £29,115 by the time of the opening of the new church in 1968 against a total cost of £40,000.

The Stone-laying ceremony of the new building took place on 25th November 1967 when Mr. Giles officiated on behalf of Mr.Nash.  The role played by William Wilshere in the building of the Tabernacle was taken by Eric Blythe and Col. Reed of Dagnall St,  who maintained an almost daily contact with the builders overseeing the work and conveying the requirements of a demanding building committee drawn from both communities. 

Marshalswick Baptist Free Church under construction

Considerable expense was saved by do-it-yourself work by many members, in particular the pews from Tabernacle were modified and painted for use in the new building once services in the Tabernacle sanctuary were concluded in January 1968.  Services continued in the Schoolroom until 26th May and the building was formally handed over to the City Council on 31st May 1968.

One of the other items removed from the Tabernacle was the organ.  This was reconstructed with electro-pneumatic action at the front of the new church using a large number of the original pipes and with a remote console located at the front of the pews.

The opening of the Marshalswick Church took place on September 7th 1968 when Mr. Jervis now the oldest member and a Life Deacon together with Mr H.C.Janes opened the doors.  The Dedication of the building was conducted by Rev. Douglas Hicks the Area Superintendent and Rev. Howard Williams of Bloomsbury Baptist Church gave the address.  The building was filled to capacity many standing throughout the service.

The programme for that weekend contained a statement from the Treasurer showing that of the total cost of £40,000 just over £10,000 was outstanding in loans at that time.  It is indicative of the spirit of the church that these loans were eliminated within 7 years.

An aerial view showing the church - probably taken in the 1970's

The new building was well equipped with a large upper hail and two smaller halls on the ground floor as well as the main sanctuary which could seat 250 people. There were also additional small classrooms, vestries and a kitchen.  The policy of the Church meeting from the beginning was to become involved with the local community as much as possible and therefore the building was made available to many community activities outside the normal church events.

A toddlers playgroup met each weekday morning and activities as diverse as flower arranging, weight watching, ballet dancing and table tennis took place regularly.  Church members and adherents were often active members of these groups though they were not directly linked as a church organisation.

The initial membership at the opening stood at around 60 but it grew steadily until it grew to over the hundred, despite the problem of the ever shifting population which has been typical of the area.  A large number of Sunday school children and young people were attracted to the church and to the weekday clubs which were organised within Sunday school groupings.

The Women’s meeting, under the leadership of Mrs. Keightiey, transferred happily to its new venue and still atracted many of its former participants who lived in the centre of the City.  A transport pool was organised which still continues to ensure that all those who wish to travel out to the services or meetings can do so.

This development period for the new chuch was a time for some experiment in forms of worship including discussions and drama, all of which was guided and encouraged by the patient ministry of Frank Keightley. Over the following years he was also to play a major role in developing links with the other denominations in the area which led to the eventual formation of the Marshalswick Council of Christians.

This council consists of representatives of the Anglican, United Reformed, Catholic and Baptist churches in the area.  Regular annual events were a procession of Witness on each Good Friday and a Conference each November as well as exchanges of pulpits and combined house group meetings.

In 1974 Mr. Keightley who had been helping in religious education in the local schools decided to go into teaching full-time. The Rev. Norman Plumb came to the church from Northampton and was inducted on 7th September 1975.

The church during his ministry saw a new influx of members particularly among the young people who have grown up through the Sunday school and also those who have found Christ through the work of the leaders of the youth club. It also saw a widening of its contacts in the area through his visits to anybody in need.  Some of this visitation was shared by members of a Road Stewards group organised by the Council of Christians as well as individual members in the church. Norman and Rita Plumb further developed the contacts between the churches and it became a regular feature of Christian Aid Week to see the local ministers working together in the Quadrant shopping centre to challenge the community to the needs of the Third world.

What has been published so far has been a brief outline of the history of a church which was born out of dissension but used by God as a tabernacle able to move with the people as the centres of population have changed. What ever the next hundred years may bring, may it always be conscious of Gods guidance wherever it may lead.

To be continued.....