History

A Brief History of the Beacon Church Centre

Key Dates

1841
Primitive Methodist Church opened in Rubery

????
Congregationalists meet in Rubery as offshoot from Bromsgrove Congregational Church

1851
September 29th Sunday School formed
Rubery Congregational Church opened in former Methodist Church – initially renting the building

1853?
Building purchased from Methodists

1857
September 20th Church properly constituted with signing of Declaration of Congregationalism and a Covenant

Rubery Congregational Church

The Covenant

We whose names are here unto 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

1925
February 5th Freehold of land on Whetty Lane for new church building transferred from the Cadbury Estate to Rubery Congregational Church

by 1926
Boy’s Brigade and Girls Life Brigade meeting at the church

1928
March 26th 49th Birmingham Boys Brigade formally registered
June 30th New Congregational Chapel opened on Whetty Lane

1931 August
Boys Brigade Company closed and 277th Birmingham Scout Troop formed

1932
January 12th 49th Birmingham Boys Brigade formally closed
July First Civic Service held in the church for North Bromsgrove Rural District Council

1933
Hall built for children’s work

???? Sometime between 1938 and 1942
the Girls Life Brigade ceases and 150th Birmingham Girl Guides begin meeting in the church

1944
September 12th 150th Birmingham Brownies registered

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 Churches Together in B45 (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.

1997
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

1854-1855
James Wilson called from Repton & Barrow

1855-1856
Rev W Harvey

1856-1859
Mr Benjamin Worton called from Oldbury

1860
Mr Carter

1861-1864
Mr George Hinds called from Swanage

1864-1868
Mr Thomas Edwards called from Northlea, left for 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 called from Drybrook. Retired from Rubery

1947-1955 Rev Glanmor Jenkins called from Ely & Saintwell. Left for Bodmin (chaplaincy)

1955-1965
Rev Bert Jordan called from Stroud, left for Castleford

1966-1976
Rev Donald Davies called from Pype Hayes, left for Lichfield

1979-1986
Rev Leslie Ivory called from Hartest. Retired from Rubery

1987-1989
Rev Stella Jones called from Cheshunt. Retired from Rubery

1990-1991
Rev Philip Smith called from Northern College and ordained at Rubery. Left to go out of pastoral charge to the Isle of Man

1992-1997
Rev Joan Johansen-Berg serving at the Community for Reconciliation became a Minister at Rubery and left to return to the Community for Reconciliation

1992-2001
Rev John Johansen-Berg serving at the Community for Reconciliation became a Minister at Rubery. Left on Retirement from both posts

2001- 2020
Rev Ian Ring called from The Rock Church Centre, Liverpool and also serves at the Community for Reconciliation.  Left on Retirement from both posts.

2020 – Present
Rev James Hamilton called from Northern College and ordained at Rubery.