Goldington Evangelical Church was established in 1983, having been ‘planted out’ from Bedford Evangelical Church (now re-named Grace Community Church and meeting in Hastingsbury Upper School, Kempston). Originally called ‘Putnoe Evangelical Church’ and meeting in a hall in Meadway, the church began with about 17 members from BEC and grew rapidly through conversions and transfers from other churches.

In 1987 we moved to alternative rented premises, the Goldington Social Centre, a Day Centre for the elderly and disabled, run by Bedfordshire County Council Social Services. Over the next few years as the church continued to grow, a number of families began to attend who lived in the villages of North Bedfordshire. A decision was made to begin Sunday Services in Sharnbrook, meeting in Sharnbrook Upper School in January 1992, and this is now known as Sharnbrook Evangelical Church. We maintain strong links with these two churches.

In 1997, out of a desire to associate with other like-minded churches nationally, the church affiliated to the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC).

Following much deliberation, the church then moved premises again, this time to the larger Goldington Middle School, where we now meet for both morning and evening Sunday services. The decision was also taken to move Kids on Friday (our Friday evening youth club) to this new venue, to give continuity. The move has opened up a new area of the town for outreach, and we pray that God would bring people in from the locality so that the church fills this new building also!

Congregation

After the sending out of a small but significant section of the congregation to form the core of the Sharnbrook Church in 1992, the church has grown again, now numbering over 65 members. The Sunday morning congregation is between 80 and 90, and evening 40-50. There is a cross-section of all ages from a few months to the over-80’s, and one of our aims is for the whole ‘church family’ to worship and enjoy fellowship together.