Morden Baptist Church
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Morden Baptist Church is a Baptist church on the Morden one-way system in the London Borough of Merton.
[edit] History of the church
In 1880 Morden was a place of cornfields and cattle, a country district with three little far sundered groups of houses. Each group of houses had a public house at its centre. Those public houses can still be found - "The Plough","The George" and "The Crown".In 1885, those who visited this part ... found roads marked out but not made up, field paths, traversing which they had to climb over gates and stiles which guarded railway lines, along which half-dozen trains meandered daily ... and then the cornfields and cattle came into view.
On a certain Sunday evening in 1885 a little company of "Lovers of Jesus" gathered in one of the shops in [what is now] London Road to hold a simple evangelistic service. They met, and sang, and prayed and read the Scriptures. Near Morden one of the iron building firms had a few sample buildings on show. When they abandoned the pitch, they offered an iron chapel for sale and Queens Road Church Wimbledon, London offered to buy it for Morden".
In 1915 the membership was only 16. However the extension of the Northern Line and development of Merton Park, Morden and St Helier Estates resulted in the numbers of church members rising to 84. 1929 saw the fellowship moving across the road from the 'Tin Chapel' to the "new" School Hall. This building still remains, and is now used for sports, playgroup, luncheon club and other activities. From small beginnings above a shop in 1885, who could have foreseen that exactly 50 years later, a new chuch would be needed (in addition to the School Hall) to accommodate the rapidly growing fellowship. So on the 9th March 1935, the new church was formally opened.
As Morden ceased to be a quiet rural parish, and become part of London's suburbia, so the Church grew, developed and changed.This growth took place during a period of extraordinarily rapid and significant change. Not only locally but worldwide. Changes, in culture, industry, travel and communications. Morden centre changed during this period......Caters supermarket opened...Odeon Cinemas demolished...Co Op shut...yellow lines introduced...Civic Centre of Merton transferred to Morden from Wimbledon...one way traffic system...bus lanes and...red routes.
As the church continued to grow and respond to the needs of the community, so the old buildings proved inadequate to meet those needs. In 1990 a very substantial building scheme was undertaken to provide the current improved facilities, an including an enclosed concourse new offices and a sound-proofed cresh with a view into the main church. Morden Baptist Church now stands with the main entrance facing up Crown Lane part of the Morden one way system.
[edit] Leadership
The Current Minister is Rev Gavin Murry, there is also an associate minister Ellen Wild and a youth minister Dave Marvin. These are also 'Elders' elected from the congregtion for a term of 5 year. Currenly there are three elders whose role is to be the spiritual leaders of the congregation, responsible guiding growth and development of the church both, internally and though links with the community, part of there role is also for seeking future vision and care of the full time leaders.
