The 1990s saw steady growth, but were not without their difficulties and challenges!
Early in the 90s, the decision was taken to cease applying for support for Home Mission. This needed a great leap of faith by the membership, but was a decision that proved to be the right one. By the 1992 the loan for the extension work in 1983/4 at the back of the church was paid off, and the church could really start to look forward.
The Church had a flourishing Youth Club and the re-launching of the Sunday School as “Sunday Live” was a great success, bringing many more young people into the Church. In July 1992, 15 members of the Youth Group and 4 adults took part in the recording of the BBC’s “Songs of Praise” programme which was being filmed at the Alton Towers Theme Park. The Group managed to get to the front of the crowd and made several appearances on television!
However, in the mid-1990s, some of the Youth Club leaders felt that it was time for them to move on from the Church. The Youth Clubs continued for a while but eventually had to close, although the youth work has carried through the Sunday School, albeit on a much smaller scale.
Partnership Mission
The Surrey and North East Hampshire Baptist Association organised a Partnership Mission in September 1994 with a team from the United States coming to work with nine of the Association’s churches. A team of six Americans came to our Church and a full programme of mission events and outreach was undertaken, using the visitors as an introduction (or excuse) to get into places and meet people. This ranged from visits to Coldingley Prison, Knaphill and Woking Police Stations to local schools. A special series of events was also arranged in the Church. One of the American Missionaries, Anne Colson, brought with her some puppets and we were thrilled when we discovered that she intended leaving them with us.
New classroom
One rainy Sunday morning in 1998 it was discovered that the flat roof above the back room had started to leak and the floor had to be mopped up before the Sunday School could use it. As the Sunday School desperately needed more room, this was seen as being very definitely an “Act of God” and the decision was taken to extend the upstairs vestry to create a new room upstairs above the backroom.
Here you can see the steel beams being craned over the length of the church at 6am one morning, and the finished classroom upstairs.
NDBA now!
The Surrey and North East Hampshire Baptist Association took the decision to rename itself, and we are now part of the North Downs Bapist Association. Is NDBA better then SNEHBA?
Coffee Shop / Churches together
The King’s House Coffee Shop opened in November 1994 as an initiative of four Knaphill churches – Holy Trinity, St Hugh’s, the Methodists and the Baptists. The vision was for a joint venture where the Churches would be seen working together to serve the community by the provision of food and drink in a welcoming and caring environment. The Coffee Shop celebrated its 10th Birthday in 2004.
