Coleford Gospel Hall Radstock Somerset

Coleford Gospel Hall started almost 100 years ago. The village of Coleford is situated on the Mells river and on the north side of the beautiful Nettlebridge Valley in the Mendip Hills.

Historically, the village grew due to the existence of the Somerset Coalfield. Now most people commute out to find work.

From our earliest records, we know that the work being carried out from Coleford Gospel Hall was commenced by a small group of Christians in the early 1920’s. The meetings took place first of all in the corrugated iron hut on Highbury Cross, Highbury, Coleford (for more of this see later) and from January 1984 in the present premises just across the road.

The spiritual leadership and pastoral care of the church is the responsibility of the Elders, but every member is considered of equal importance and is encouraged to take an active part in the life of the church.

We encourage each other to live out our faith every day, at work and at home, not just on Sundays.

We welcome all new faces and continually seek to make new contacts in the district.

We are always willing to provide spiritual help and advice and are happy to hear from you at any time. If you wish us to call and see you, please contacts us, and arrangements will be made for a visit as soon as possible.

 

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https://www.colefordgospelhall.org/  

 

 

If you can get to Coleford (not the Gloucester one!) then you should be able to find us easily. We are on the main street through Coleford (there is only one) next to the British Legion hall, the Co-Op and opposite the Chip shop - Yes the smell is very enticing and the Fish & Chips fantastic!  

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A little bit of History

The Start

The assembly was started by John Beer who purchased a corrugated steel building from the Devizes army camp and erected it on a piece of land he had purchased at Highbury cross probably late 1919 or early 1920.

There may have been an evangelistic campaign arranged by the Christian brethren before this but certainly the old corrugated hut existed by 1921 (see picture).

John Beer lived at Vobster in St Edmunds Farm, as a tenant of Mells Park estate (then owned by Chancellor William McKenna). He and his wife were in fellowship in those early years with their children also attending Harry, Roland and Goldsworthy. John Beer moved to Oldford, Nr Frome but Harry Beer continued as tenant of the farm. He had four children, John, Michael, David & Joy. (David Beer had a son Tim Beer who is now serving the Lord in Zambia as a missionary.)

Missions

In 1925 Harry Beer purchased a small plot of land opposite the old hall with a view to building a more permanent building but this fell through because of the 1926 general strike. The future was made uncertain by these events and some had to move from the district to find employment. However the plot of land was used by the assembly as the location for tent missions. As far as can be recollected the following missions took place: -

Evangelist Time

Garner Thomas Early 1920's

Mr Hindmore Late 1920's or early 1930's

Jimmy Hodgson 1932 (see picture)

David Hyslop 1946

As a result of this mission three were baptized :

Treacey Nicholas, Nancy Collier and John Beer The baptism took place at Trowbridge Gospel Hall.

David Hyslop 1947

In addition a mission was held in the Temperance Hall in the 1920’s by an unknown evangelist and a number professed salvation including Leonard Collier and also Minnie Nicholas. (She was baptised shortly after the birth of her daughter Treacey Nicholas and continued in fellowship until being called home at the age of 99 in the late 1990s). Leonard Collier said later that after his conversion he walked up through the village as if he was walking on air! He also said that within a week or so he was preaching in the open air. A group of the brethren would ride their bikes on a Saturday afternoon to neighbouring villages to preach the gospel.

Also in what is now Mendip Vale (next to the Old Oak tree in what was then a field) during June or July of 1970 David and Eileen Willcox (Counties Evangelistic Worker for Somerset) held a tent mission for two weeks.

In the garden of Rush Ash Farm, then owned by David and Shirley Cooper, Ray Mead and Geoff Bennett from the Frome Gospel Hall held a tent mission for one week - possibly 1973.

Again in 1975 David Wilcox held a tent mission, this time on the sports field (on the site of the present floodlit sports facility).

Sunday School

A Sunday School has been run from the earliest days of the assembly. During the 1930's the numbers attending were approximately 100. Minnie Nicholas was a Sunday School teacher and had 12 girls in her class at this time. It must have been difficult coping with such high numbers in the small corrugated hall.

The Sunday School has continued with only a short break in the late 60's early 70's. Each year since 1970 an annual S.S. outing which included many of the villagers has gone to Swanage (one year also to Brean Sands, another to Sandbanks and another to Weymouth). Each year since 1971, the weather has been fine for the children inspite of rainy starts at Coleford.

Children's Missions

Each year since 1970 an annual children's mission has been held usually in early October. Various evangelists have assisted with these including David Willcox, Ray Mead, Clive Williams, John Baker, Sid Mountstevens, Jim McMaster, Robert Plant. Also in February since the late 1990's a Holiday Bible Club has been held with similar help from various evangelists and also local brethren.

Carers and Toddlers

Since 2004 a carers and toddlers group is held every Thursday during school term time from 9.15 a.m.

Outreach Generally

During the 1970's a monthly Saturday night outreach meeting took place showing a Christian film or inviting along various evangelists. Various young people were converted to the Christian faith as a result of these activities.

At various times young peoples meetings have been conducted on week nights. Presently a fortnightly meeting takes place on Fridays.

Weekly Gospel meetings continue to be held and literature distribution takes place periodically both in Coleford and the surrounding villages. Recently attractive scripture texts and calendars have been distributed.