New way in to Dereham Baptist Church

Work has started to create a new entrance to Dereham Baptist Church from Chapel Walk in the town, alongside a new wheelchair and pram accessible entrance to the building.

Once the project is completed it will mean there will be four ways into the church, which has been in the town for more than 240 years – one from the main drive off the High Street, a second off Norwich Street, a third through a gate from the Ellenor Fenn Garden plus the new one.
 
A badly damaged wall opposite the QD store is being taken down and replaced with a new one, with a gateway into the church’s garden. The initial phase of the work has already started, and the aim is for it all to be completed by the summer. The project is being carried out by Bunting & Son Ltd of Stibbard, funded by a generous legacy as well as donations from church members.
 
The church is planning to have a special celebration event later in the year so people from the town can see what has been done.
 
Rev Nigel Bayley, Dereham Baptist Church lead minister, said: “This is a really exciting opportunity for our church to make ourselves much more visible to the town and help more people see how God is using the building."
 
Associate minister Rev Dave Ward added: “God has shown amazing blessing in making the finances available for the work and it will fulfil a vision given to us for our building to be accessible from all four directions in the town.”
 
As well as the Sunday services and a Saturday evening service for the Portuguese congregation, the church is involved with a large number of activities during the week including a coffee shop, table tennis, and a parent and toddler group.
 
The church is also in a partnership with the Love Dereham charity and Green Pastures, which operates the book shop and community hub in Norwich Street where the community fridge is based. In addition DBC runs a weekly Little Fishes parent and toddler group and a twice-monthly Little Fishes Sunday family church at Toftwood Village Hall.
 
For more information, visit: derehambaptist.org.
 
The picture above shows, L-R: Facilities administrator Tim Bash, associate minister Dave Ward, lead minister Nigel Bayley, office administrator Julie Mann and Simon Bunting, of Bunting and Son. The Image is courtesy of Dereham Baptist Church.
 
This story is taken from an article in the Eastern Daily Press.

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