Since 1974
Article written by Alec Barber, Ruishton
The cottage just south of the chapel property, Brookings, had been virtually rebuilt by Mr Woodford and Mr Alec Tout and it became the home of the next minister Rev. David Winfield and his young family. After about three years he left to study at Bristol Baptist College and had a successful ministry at Old King Street, Bristol.
Rev. David Goodyear came in 1981, when the membership had been static at about 35 for a number of years. He had been an assistant to the minister at Silver Street. The old buildings were swept away and the present buildings opened. In the first half of David Goodyear’s ministry the membership grew to well over 200. Only one or two memorial stones remain from the old building. In 2000 Mr Goodyear left for ministry in Aberdeen. During this ministry a second congregation meeting in Taunton formed a separate church known as Oakwood.
In November 2001 Rev Dr. Lance Birks moved to Creech from Cambridge until he retired to Norfolk in June 2010.
There is a mass of material for future historians – not only the church book, but also deacons’ minutes ‘produced in book form’, and the file copies of “Outlook” which was commenced by our late brother Brian Thomas. A minibus was given to the church and was most useful but it no longer leaves its trail of rust in our streets!
There is a good deal of activity – Children’s Clubs, Youth Club, Girls’ Brigade – but there is also much quiet prayer that the Spirit of God will move in the village and bring about the revival for which we long, and which cannot be produced by any human activity.
Article copyright Alec Barber of Ruishton, May 2011