Witard Road Baptist Church began life as ‘JH Shakespeare Memorial Baptist Church’ in 1954 on land bought by the Baptist Union of Great Britain as the Heartsease Estate was being built.

However the membership has always had the dream of developing the whole site into a suite of premises that could be used to extend God’s Kingdom.

Thanks to the generous giving of its growing congregation that dream has become a reality.

In 2010 the church was able to hold its first service in the new 250-seater worship and conference centre. Now the next stage of the work is complete, and a special service took place month to mark it.

There was much excitement and gratitude to God as special guest the Revd Richard Lewis, Regional Minister for the Northern Sector of the Eastern Baptist Association cut the red ribbon and dedicated the buildings for the Lord’s work in the community.

Pastor David Adams said the opening was in one sense, ‘the end of one stage of development and the beginning of a new phase.’

‘God’s Kingdom does not rest in bricks and mortar,’ he explained, ‘and the challenge continues for the church to build the spiritual house in continuing to see lives transformed and ministries released.’