The name plate above the original entrance

It all began when the church at Little Stonham invited a Mr. John Hicks to preach ‘with a view’ to becoming their pastor. Although the majority of the members felt no inclination towards his ministry, six did. In fact they felt so strongly about it that they withdrew from Stonham and, along with Mr. Hicks and his wife, moved the four miles to Mendlesham Green, invited him to be their pastor, and established a church on the foundation of the Word of God, summed up in what is known as the ‘Doctrines of Grace’ or in modern terms, ‘The reformed Faith’.

Those six men and women, though unsung in the eyes of the world, have their names indelibly recorded in the old minute book of that era. They were John and Mary Hayward, Samuel and Mary Steggall, George Buckle and Elizabeth Brame. With Mr. and Mrs. Hicks it made a church membership of just 8 members. Their diligence and commitment to the Lord is a challenge to us all. Within the space of a year the present chapel building was erected and, apart from an extension which was added in the 1860’s at a further cost of £120, has remained basically the same to the present day.

A Mr. Steggall of Mendlesham made a gift of the land and a Mr. Brame of Thorndon, who owned some cottages next to the land, suggested that one of his properties ‘form’ one of the walls of the chapel.

Then, in 1861 a Mr. Bartholomew gave up his business in Coggeshall and accepted the call to the pastorate. In those days the church had to find the princely sum of 30/- (£1.50) per week for the support of the pastor, plus an additional £5 per year for rented accommodation.

There then followed what appears to have been a most blessed and fruitful period in the whole of the history of the church. Again and again there were requests for baptism and by 1864 the numbers of the church members was 146. In all, during the almost 8 years of this ministry, over 100 people were baptised and added to the church. It was during this period that the last written constitution and ‘rules of practice’ was produced (1863).

During 1866 at the Annual Meetings of the Suffolk and Norfolk Association of Strict Baptist Churches (now The association of Grace Baptist Churches ‘East Anglia’), which were held at Grundisburgh, the church was welcomed into membership and has remained a member church ever -since. Sadly since those days there seems to have been a steady decline, and the present membership (18) has only memories of it being ‘days of small things’.

From 1888 to 1916 a Mr. Dickerson served the church. For the 28 years of his ministry he traveled from Battisford (12 miles each way) until, one Sunday, when returning home, he was thrown from his pony and trap and could no longer continue. The largest ‘gap’ between pastors was from 1925 to 1937 (12 years). Mr. J. Harvey, from the church at Horham, had to resign after 20 months because of family commitments, but he is still remembered by some of the present members.

Better known locally, are the two most recent of the former pastors, Mr. Victor Moss served from 1937 – 1944. He was known throughout the Association being also the pastor of Crowfield and Gt. Blakenham in later years and was called home as recently as October 1987. Mr. Victor Baker, who is also well known among the churches of the Association, followed him. His ministry stretched from 1947 – 1984 (37 years) – the longest of the pastorates to date, and he, with his wife, remained in membership of the church until his home call in December 1998.

Special services were held in July 1939 to give praise to God for His faithfulness during 100 years. In those days it was recorded that there was room for 500 people in the chapel. Since then the chapel has been reseated and today it is possible to comfortably seat more than 200 people. 1987 saw the call to the pastorate of Brian Thompson from the church at Bradfield and Rougham. In July 1987 he began his ministry, moving into the village on ‘hurricane’ Friday (16th October 1987). Pastor Thompson’s ministry concluded at his retirement in October 1997.