OUR BACK STORY
The early story of our Church is written up in a delightful little booklet entitled ‘First Meeting in a Barn’ – authored by one of our late members, Bill Withers. Originating in the early 1830’s, the Calverton church was formed under the influence of Friar Lane Baptist Church in Nottingham (where Carey had preached his famous ‘Expect and Attempt’ sermon in 1792) and which provided the Calverton church with its first pastor – a lace maker, Samuel Ward.
The development of Baptist life and work earlier in the C17th had two main streams – that of the ‘General Baptists’ under the influence of Thomas Helwys of Nottingham and John Smyth of Lincolnshire and their contact with the C16th ‘Radical Reformation’ of the continent via Holland and the Anabaptists. General Baptist churches were led by ministers who were Arminian in theology and unhappy with ‘state religion’ even (in nations) where Christianity had been officially ‘reformed’ and ‘purged’ of Catholicism. The other C17th Baptist stream was that of the ‘Particular Baptists’ with even earlier roots in Calvinist Puritanism which had sought to cleanse the Church of England of unreformed and unbiblical teaching and practice. Both Baptist streams in different ways were influenced by the Wesleyan Evangelical Awakening of the 1730’s.
While the two Baptist streams may have differed in their theology of God’s sovereignty and human response-ability, they both agreed on the vital importance of believer’s baptism, liberty under God of the local church, and a congregational form of church government. The two streams finally united in the East Midlands (almost without objection) in 1892 to form the East Midland Baptist Association. (Only the ‘Strict and Particular’ Baptists withdrew.)
The story is well told against its social, political and theological background in ‘It all began here’ (1986) by Fred Harrison.
The Baptist Church in Calverton ‘grew up’ within the Particular Baptist (Calvinist) stream – as did its Nottingham parent church – and as did William Carey! Calverton’s stance is clearly evident from a set of Indentures (legal documentation) possessed by CBC relating to the purchase of its first building (see Appendix below).
Calverton Baptists have always been unashamed of their labelling as Dissenters, Separatists and Nonconformists – and proud of their roots in Scripture and the Radical Reformation (see under WHAT WE BELIEVE) Today, of course, they are happy to enjoy strong relations with all fellow believers of whatever denomination or group who accept the Lordship of Christ.
A date in April 1832 is reckoned as the day when the Baptists of Calverton ‘took over’ the redundant New Connexion Methodist chapel for worship and teaching in ‘The Nook’ – which was then the main thoroughfare through the village from Nottingham to Mansfield. This ‘opening’ saw 20+ members who, with the backing of the Nottingham Friar Lane Church, were able to purchase the chapel free of debt (for the princely sum of £86.10s.0d.) A date in April is now to be kept as the Church’s Anniversary to be celebrated in an appropriate manner. It will celebrate its 200th Anniversary in 2032.
Whilst thinking about premises, the present ‘Baptist Church’ on Main Street was built by the Primitive Methodists in 1907, vacated by them in 1985, sold on to the Pentecostals who abandoned it in 1996 when the Baptists (from over the road in ‘The Nook’) bought it. They then used ‘the Nook’ building as a Church Hall. CBC has now sold that building (in 2022) and can use the proceeds of sale for structural changes to the ex-Methodist building on Main Street for their expanding work in the village.
Evidently, the identity of Calverton Baptist Church belongs to its people and their sterling faith rather than their place of meeting! They may have acquired their present premises third-hand, but their faith is always first-hand (II Cor.5:17) – and brand new!
Appendix – an extract from indentures set down in 1832 when the Calverton (Particular) Baptists purchased it from the New Connexion Methodists. A copy is kept at the Church.
“The chapel was put in trust for the benefit and enjoyment of the congregation of Protestant Dissenters called Particular or Calvinistic Baptists now assembling at the said meeting house maintaining the doctrines of, The one living and true God, three equal persons in the Godhead, Eternal and personal election, Original sin, Particular redemption, Free justification by the imparted Righteousness of Christ, Regeneration, conversion and Sanctification by the Sirit and Grace of God.
The moral law and rule of life and conduct to all believers, the final perseverance of the saints, The resurrection of the body to eternal life. The future judgment. The eternal (bliss?) of the righteous, and everlasting misery of such as the unrepentant.
Practising baptism by immersion in such only year of understanding upon their own confession of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and of such other persons as shall hereafter be united to the said congregation profess the same doctrines and attend the worship of God in the structure, building, chapel or meeting house aforesaid.
And also upon trust until a separate church or chapel meeting house shall be found according to the usual order and form of the churches or societies among the Particular Baptists consisting of at east ten persons, members of or belonging to the said Denomination of Particular Baptists to permit such person/persons to officiate in the said Meeting House.
The early story of our Church is written up in a delightful little booklet entitled ‘First Meeting in a Barn’ – authored by one of our late members, Bill Withers. Originating in the early 1830’s, the Calverton church was formed under the influence of Friar Lane Baptist Church in Nottingham (where Carey had preached his famous ‘Expect and Attempt’ sermon in 1792) and which provided the Calverton church with its first pastor – a lace maker, Samuel Ward.
The development of Baptist life and work earlier in the C17th had two main streams – that of the ‘General Baptists’ under the influence of Thomas Helwys of Nottingham and John Smyth of Lincolnshire and their contact with the C16th ‘Radical Reformation’ of the continent via Holland and the Anabaptists. General Baptist churches were led by ministers who were Arminian in theology and unhappy with ‘state religion’ even (in nations) where Christianity had been officially ‘reformed’ and ‘purged’ of Catholicism. The other C17th Baptist stream was that of the ‘Particular Baptists’ with even earlier roots in Calvinist Puritanism which had sought to cleanse the Church of England of unreformed and unbiblical teaching and practice. Both Baptist streams in different ways were influenced by the Wesleyan Evangelical Awakening of the 1730’s.
While the two Baptist streams may have differed in their theology of God’s sovereignty and human response-ability, they both agreed on the vital importance of believer’s baptism, liberty under God of the local church, and a congregational form of church government. The two streams finally united in the East Midlands (almost without objection) in 1892 to form the East Midland Baptist Association. (Only the ‘Strict and Particular’ Baptists withdrew.)
The story is well told against its social, political and theological background in ‘It all began here’ (1986) by Fred Harrison.
The Baptist Church in Calverton ‘grew up’ within the Particular Baptist (Calvinist) stream – as did its Nottingham parent church – and as did William Carey! Calverton’s stance is clearly evident from a set of Indentures (legal documentation) possessed by CBC relating to the purchase of its first building (see Appendix below).
Calverton Baptists have always been unashamed of their labelling as Dissenters, Separatists and Nonconformists – and proud of their roots in Scripture and the Radical Reformation (see under WHAT WE BELIEVE) Today, of course, they are happy to enjoy strong relations with all fellow believers of whatever denomination or group who accept the Lordship of Christ.
A date in April 1832 is reckoned as the day when the Baptists of Calverton ‘took over’ the redundant New Connexion Methodist chapel for worship and teaching in ‘The Nook’ – which was then the main thoroughfare through the village from Nottingham to Mansfield. This ‘opening’ saw 20+ members who, with the backing of the Nottingham Friar Lane Church, were able to purchase the chapel free of debt (for the princely sum of £86.10s.0d.) A date in April is now to be kept as the Church’s Anniversary to be celebrated in an appropriate manner. It will celebrate its 200th Anniversary in 2032.
Whilst thinking about premises, the present ‘Baptist Church’ on Main Street was built by the Primitive Methodists in 1907, vacated by them in 1985, sold on to the Pentecostals who abandoned it in 1996 when the Baptists (from over the road in ‘The Nook’) bought it. They then used ‘the Nook’ building as a Church Hall. CBC has now sold that building (in 2022) and can use the proceeds of sale for structural changes to the ex-Methodist building on Main Street for their expanding work in the village.
Evidently, the identity of Calverton Baptist Church belongs to its people and their sterling faith rather than their place of meeting! They may have acquired their present premises third-hand, but their faith is always first-hand (II Cor.5:17) – and brand new!
Appendix – an extract from indentures set down in 1832 when the Calverton (Particular) Baptists purchased it from the New Connexion Methodists. A copy is kept at the Church.
“The chapel was put in trust for the benefit and enjoyment of the congregation of Protestant Dissenters called Particular or Calvinistic Baptists now assembling at the said meeting house maintaining the doctrines of, The one living and true God, three equal persons in the Godhead, Eternal and personal election, Original sin, Particular redemption, Free justification by the imparted Righteousness of Christ, Regeneration, conversion and Sanctification by the Sirit and Grace of God.
The moral law and rule of life and conduct to all believers, the final perseverance of the saints, The resurrection of the body to eternal life. The future judgment. The eternal (bliss?) of the righteous, and everlasting misery of such as the unrepentant.
Practising baptism by immersion in such only year of understanding upon their own confession of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and of such other persons as shall hereafter be united to the said congregation profess the same doctrines and attend the worship of God in the structure, building, chapel or meeting house aforesaid.
And also upon trust until a separate church or chapel meeting house shall be found according to the usual order and form of the churches or societies among the Particular Baptists consisting of at east ten persons, members of or belonging to the said Denomination of Particular Baptists to permit such person/persons to officiate in the said Meeting House.