Barnston Mission Evangelical Church

Approximately 100 years ago (Established 1903) an evangelical tent mission was held on a meadow in the village. The message and the teaching of this mission made such a deep impression on some of the people of Barnston that they became committed Christians and decided they must have an evangelical church of their own. But where were they to find a building.

Mr Bowtell, a local farmer, came to their rescue. He had a building which served as a stable, cow byre and piggery and he made part of this available to them for conversion.

Barnston people set about the work on a "do-it-yourself" basis. Later Mr Bowtell was succeeded by a Mr Lukies and when Mrs Lukies his widow died she left the remainder of the building to the church and the land on which it stood.

The church was created spontaneously to meet a spiritual need and has been run very much independently. There is no priest in charge. Three trustees are responsible for the building and land, three elders look after financial matters and three take care of the spiritual needs. Although all these are not necessarily different people.

The church is now affiliated to the Fellowship of Independant Evangelical Churches.

Pastor: Mr. C. E. Noble. Tel: 01371 872717

Reproduced from "BARNSTON: An Essex Village" by Harry de Caux with permission from Dorothy de Caux.