Community for Reconciliation Main Page

The Beacon Church Centre,
Whetty Lane Rubery B45 9DL

A SHORT HISTORY

Key Dates

1841		Primitive Methodist Church opened in Rubery
????		Congregationalists meet in Rubery as offshoot from Bromsgrove Congregational Church
1851	September 29th October	Rubery Congregational Church opened in former Methodist Church - initially renting the building Sunday School formed
1857	September 20th	Church properly constituted with signing of Declaration of Congregationalism and a Covenant
Rubery Congregational Church The Covenant We whose names are hereunto subscribed assembling for religious worship in Rubery Chapel near Rednall, Worcestershire, hereby agree in obedience to the will of the Lord Jesus Christ, to unite as a church in His Name, in order to promote each other’s spiritual progress by observance of those Ordinances which He has appointed. We hereby mutually and cordially give ourselves thus publicly to the Lord and to each other to worship God and to walk together in love as a Church of the Lord Jesus, in accordance to the revelation of the Word, as the Holy Spirit shall enable us. In testimony whereby we have hereunto subscribed our names this twentieth day of September 1857 (Ten names are subscribed)
1867		Restoration of Chapel
1890		Church Enlarged
192?		150th Birmingham Guide Company formed
1928	June 30th	New Congregational Chapel and Halls opened on Whetty Lane
1931	August	Boys Brigade Company closed and 277th Birmingham Scout Troop formed
1933		Hall built for children's work
1953		Church celebrated 25 years of new building & centenary of Congregationalism in Rubery
1959	August 25th	Church Hall destroyed by fire
1961	May 6th	Opening of new Church Hall
1972	October 5th	As a result of the union of the Congregational Church in England and Wales with the Presbyterian Church in England Rubery Congregational Church becomes Rubery United Reformed Church
1992	September 20th	CTB45 created by Covenant signed with Longbridge Methodist Church, Our Lady Of Perpetual Succour Catholic Church, St Chad Church of England, St Christopher Church of England and St Stephen the Martyr Church of England.
199?		Rubery United Reformed Church renamed the Beacon Church Centre
2000		Field at rear of halls sold
2005		New Building linking halls and church opened

Ministers

DATES NAME Came From Went to

1854-1855 James Wilson Repton & Barrow

1855-1856 Rev W Harvey

1856-1859 Mr Benjamin Worton Oldbury

1860 Mr Carter

1861-1864 Mr George Hinds Swanage

1864-1868 Mr Thomas Edwards Northleach Melbourne (Australia)

1868-1874 Rev Tout

1874-1883 Rev Charles Parker

1883-1894 Rev R J Boardman

1894-1901 Mr Leach

1901-1904 Mr Gilbert Smith

1904-1921 Pastor R J Boardman

1922-1946 Rev William J Roach Hier Drybrook Retirement

1947-1955 Rev Glanmor Jenkins Ely & Saintwell Bodmin (chaplaincy)

1955-1965 Rev Bert Jordan Stroud Castleford

1966-1976 Rev Donald Davies Pype Hayes Lichfield

1979-1986 Rev Leslie Ivory Hartest retirement

1987-1989 Rev Stella Jones Cheshunt retirement

1990-1991 Rev Philip Smith Northern College out of pastoral charge
(Isle of Man)

1992-1997 Rev Joan Johansen-Berg* Community for Reconciliation Community for Reconciliation

1992-2001 Rev John Johansen-Berg* Community for Reconciliation Retirement

2001- Rev Ian Ring* The Rock Church Centre, Liverpool

*also at The Community For Reconciliation, Barnes Close

POSTAL ADDRESS:
Whetty Lane, Rubery, Birmingham

CONTACT ADDRESS
Beacon Church Centre
Whetty Lane
Rubery
Birmingham
B45 9DL

CONTACT DETAILS:
Minister Tel: 01562 710213
Minister Fax: 01562 710278
Email: beacon

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This website has been constructed, and is maintained, by Rev Ian Ring, Community Co-ordinator of the Community for Reconciliation and Minister of the Beacon Church Centre, Rubery. Any views expressed in this website are personal views and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Community for Reconciliation, The Beacon Church Centre or The United Reformed Church as a whole.

Site last updated 19th February 2006