History of HCF
The History of HCF, Written by Rev. Les Clark
Chapter One. In the beginning.
Being the oldest member of this church I have been asked to have recorded in print as many memories of our history as my ninety year old memory allows.
From it’s earliest days it has been a member of The Old Baptist Union, the history of which can be found in an excellent publication entitled Treasure in Earthen Vessels, so beautifully written by Rev J. P. Warburton. It is in that booklet that we are introduced to Alonzo Clark, taking a mission in Wales, the Land of our Fathers, although in my case it is the Land of my Grandfather! As a very young boy I remember hearing my parents speak of my grandfather serving the Lord in a chapel in Whetstone, London. Our next sight of Alonzo finds him working (possibly founding) a chapel in Lillie Road, Fulham. From there he moved the fellowship to a room above a shop in Greyhound Road, Fulham, and it is generally accepted that it was there that the present church in Hammersmith was started. From Greyhound Road the small fellowship moved to the neighbouring Borough of Hammersmith, to a corrugated iron chapel situated immediately below a railway bridge in Leamour Street. I went there on, at least, one occasion with my mother and I have a very vague memory of that visit as the meeting was regularly interrupted by the roar of trains overhead!
I do not know how long the church was in Leamour Street, but while I was still very young, possibly seven or eight, the church moved again, to a brick built chapel in Redmore Road, Hammersmith with Pastor H A. Emmins as the pastor.
Chapter Two. Leading up to World War Two.
It was in Redmore Road Church, then known as Bethel Baptist Church where I committed my life to Jesus Christ at a Watch Night service to welcome in the New Year of 1937. My eldest brother, Syd, had been the organist there for several years and when he came home one day and told the family that he played the organ for the BBC it came as a surprise, until we realised it had nothing whatever to do with the British Broadcasting Corporation but rather the initials of a small and rather insignificant Baptist Church in a very ordinary back street in Hammersmith. We had “open-air” meetings on Sunday evening in addition to the service in the church and Syd needed no amplification! His booming voice could be clearly heard the length of Redmore Road! I was baptised by immersion on Sunday August 28th.at the age of fourteen.
On Sunday September 3rd 1939 the Prime Minister, Neville. Chamberlain announced that our Nation was at war with Germany. The Government had repeatedly given instructions that whenever the air raid siren sounded all inhabitants should hurry to the nearest air raid shelter, so, .when the siren sounded during the morning service on 3rd September, what were we to do? Being the youngest member of the congregation I thought I should follow the lead of others, so, within minutes, we deserted our visiting, elderly preacher, Pastor Wicks, in the pulpit and hurried to the nearest air raid shelter in Hammersmith Broadway, wondering what devastation we would find when the all clear sounded. As it turned out there was no air raid! It was a false alarm. I have often thought of that incident with a very real sense of shame and regret; O you of little faith, why did you doubt? I was never able to find out what happened to our visiting preacher! Perhaps I should record here, to the Praise and Glory of our Great and Glorious God that not a single person throughout the UK who was in membership of a church belonging to the Old Baptist Union, whether civilian or military, was killed by “enemy action”. None were killed but there was plenty of damage due to the bombardment London endured night after night in the blitz. In Redmore Road there were occasions when we had to sweep up glass and debris from a window which had blown in, then start the service.
Chapter Three What, another move?
American evangelist, Dr Billy Graham was due to lead a six week mission in Harringay arena, London in 1954 and my wife Dorothy was trying to drum up prayer support for the Mission. She noticed the side door of the local Methodist Church was open one afternoon and went in, hoping some ladies might be interested to pray for the greatest interdenominational Christian outreach ever planned for London. When Dorothy walked in, the leader mistakenly thought she was the speaker. Undeterred, Dorothy attended the meeting for a few months then was told the church was to be closed and sold because of lack of support. When Dorothy shared the news with me my ears pricked up in faith-filled excitement. Without going public with the news I began to pray about it, and within a few days, while travelling on a bus, I read in 1 Corinthians 16 verse 9 “for a large and effectual door is opened up for me and there are many adversaries”. O Lord, can this be Your promise to the tiny group of Your children? What should I do? I shared the vision with the members, followed by a letter of enquiry to the Methodist Union. The reply confirmed that the church was to be sold for the sum of £8000. I well remember the reaction of our Treasurer, Miss Rose Jennings, fondly known throughout the OBU as Auntie Rose, she said “well that closes the door”, and she knew that we did not have £800 (never mind £8000!) I told the members that I was prepared to negotiate and the Lord had made it clear to me that we should offer £3500. Looking back, I wonder at the cheek of a young, unheard of pastor daring to offer less than 50% of their professional valuation. However I assured the Methodist Union that we could not increase our offer, and if they would accept it, God would bless them as well as us After what seemed a very long wait, our offer was finally accepted, leaving us the piped organ, communion table and lovely lectern at no extra cost! O! What a faithful God is ours, what a faithful God! We obtained a mortgage from The Temperance Permanent Building Society, whose Chairman was Sir Cyril Black MP and was also the Superintendent of the Sunday School I attended as a boy, and we moved to Dalling Road on Saturday June 2nd 1956 under our revised name The Dalling Road Evangelical Church. As Rev H, S. Smith, President of the OBU unlocked the door, about one hundred people crossed the threshold and stepped into a miracle, made possible only by the God of miracles – Praise be to His Glorious Name!
Chapter four – Music.
After several years suffering a piped organ playing up (please excuse the pun) it was agreed that we should purchase a new electric powered instrument. My Brother Syd and I were given the task to select the best organ our restricted budget would allow. Church members dismantled the pipe organ in preparation for sale and the empty space was transformed into a small vestry.
Having won several singing competitions between some of the Sunday Schools of the Old Baptist Union, Hammersmith built up a reputation for joyful praise to the Lord, and it was probably in the 1970’s that we formed a small choir to sing at the Sunday evening gospel services. When we bought the building, there were pews on the platform which previous choirs had used, so we were well catered for. Unfortunately, our evening congregations had remained very small and sometimes it seemed there were more in the choir than in the main body of the church. I do not think that was true – it just seemed like it!
Now, please welcome on stage NEW DAWN, our own singing group consisting of Aline, Ron, Elaine, 2 Margarets and Julie. The singers changed a little over the years but what a blessing they were, not only at Hammersmith but at many other venues, including a wedding or two. Many of their songs were composed by themselves. They produced two albums, “The Way, the Truth, the Life and New Dawn. I am hoping to purchase a number of CD’s, the price is likely to be £1.25 each. To be sure of your copy order soon!
Chapter five. Church holidays.
I retired from my secular employment in 1984 and soon realised that several of our ladies had not enjoyed a holiday for many years. I found that the Hammersmith Borough Council let out mini-buses to local charities at a very competitive price, then I enquired if the ladies would be interested in a holiday for one week to the Lake District. It didn’t take long for them to fill a fifteen seated mini-bus. It proved a great success, so much so that the holiday became an annual event finding accommodation in various resorts, such as Isle of Wight; Newquay, Southport, Lake District, Scotland, Barmouth in mid Wales etc. It is not the intention of this little pamphlet to tell of the many memories those holidays stir up, however, I will mention just a few. The mini-bus broke down on two different holidays. Phyllis called out “I’ve lost my purse! I’ve looked everywhere for it and it’s not here, I must have left it at our last stop”. (about 10 miles away), we turned back to the coffee shop only to find the purse had been in the bus the whole time! I, the driver was not a happy bunny!! The four ladies walking around a large lake and not arriving back at the meeting point. Where on earth could they be? What has happened to them? I ran back halfway round the lake and found them huddled together, unable to move because of the mud. I led them individually to a dry and safe place then we set off to join the rest of the group. Later that day Del Clarke’s Cousin was taken ill while walking round the lake. She had not told us that she was diabetic and worse still, she had no emergency sugar rations with her! Praise the Lord Lesley had hers, emptied her own supply, enabling the lady to carry on. Hey Ho the joys of church holidays!
Chapter six. People.
So far we have spent much space looking at buildings, yet, as one of New Dawn’s songs reminds us “the church is not the building but the people of the Lord”. In this chapter I want to leave the buildings and concentrate on some of the members, without whom HCF would not be where it is today. Before I became a regular attendee, two of my uncles, Cyril and Alf were involved, with Cyril playing the small organ. In the very early days of my membership, Harry Reynolds, who later became Mayor of Hammersmith, was an absolute stalwart in his support of the work in Redmore Road. He made a great impact on my young Christian life, for which I am for ever grateful. Harry was a regular Preacher, Sunday School Superintendent, leader of the Wednesday Fellowship and, as a skilled carpenter, always looking for ways to improve the interior of the church.
My eldest brother, Syd was mentioned in an earlier chapter, however, what was not recorded was the travelling to church from his home in Ruislip, about ten miles each way, a journey he undertook twice every Sunday and mid-week, Syd was committed in his love and service for his Saviour.
For about thirty years after I became a minister I also had full time secular employment which was only possible by the terrific support from Dorothy, my wife. For well over twenty years she was in charge of the Women’s Own. She did most of my pastoral visiting, kept in touch with new visitors; opened the church to enable the gas or electricity meters to be read, etc. etc “No job too small” certainly applied to her and only God knows what a difference she made in the lives of many people. To Dorothy there was no other church! When Rose Jennings was unable to continue as treasurer Doris, who had several years experience in book-keeping, took on the responsibility
, and joined the leadership team. Doris was treasurer for many years. What can I say about the vital part played by Tony Brown when he became an elder and we embarked on a team ministry. His wife Margaret had led the “Women’s Own” for many years and our ministry base was being strengthened
Were there other committed encouragers? I think of Mrs Hall who walked around several streets on Sunday afternoons collecting children for Sunday School. On one occasion Kath Keith asked Mrs Hall why she had all these children round her. “I’m taking them to Sunday School in the church round the corner”. From the following Sunday the Keith family introduced themselves to the church and one of their “children” is now an ordained minister!. Kath and Bill Keith introduced their neighbours “the Holman family”. A few more names - Bert & Ivy Inns; Derek, Pat and Pauline, Les Webster, Ron Bryant + guitar,
Ethel teaching the Bible Class for several years, Winnie Inns doing numerous tasks including Captain of our newly formed Company of the Girls Brigade Winnie also ensured there was a drink in the pulpit – not the usual water, but squash! Ralph tending the garden, Edie Ford; Dolly Woods; Aline; Mick; Lesley; Julie; Henry; Danny and Wendy; Margaret Louise and her Nan, Tony Blackman, Malcolm; Steve Redrupp; Steve and Linda Cronin; Ethel; Glyn and Molly Lewis; The Goodliffe family; Frank; Faye; David Clark; and since my retirement, David Taylor, a very willing worker who left in 2014 to get married. I am so grateful to God as I think of Sharon. In Sunday School about fifty years ago, then left, lost touch and now returned to the fold in spite of numerous physical struggles and pains. It is these experiences and folk, who make a pastor’s life worth the heart-ache and effort. Yes, all these members come to my mind and you, the reader may be wondering “what about so and so? “ I am sorry, please forgive my old memory!.
Chapter seven Pastors.
Although I never met them I certainly heard of them when I was still very young and I believe all three were pastors at Hammersmith at some time, and for the sake of history should be mentioned. Pastors Flanders, Curtis and Hall.
Pastor Emmins was there just before I began regular attendance and to the best of my knowledge Redmore Road was his first pastorate, in fact it was the church where several young men began their ministry. It was true of Stanley Argent who came around 1936 and he confided in me that he considered his time at Hammersmith to be his most fruitful. Not only was he a very good preacher but, together with his wife, he started a Sunday School and a mid-week Youth Group. As I was converted under his ministry he obviously had a massive influence in my formative years as a Christian and when he announced he was leaving us to lead the church at Stoke Newington, I felt the bottom had fallen out of my spiritual world!
Our next pastor was George Mitchell, again in his first ever pastorate. How tireless he worked to maintain our witness for God during war years. Numbers became even smaller because of evacuation and military service yet George was always present, never afraid to get his hands dirty and always ready to encourage his “flock” in their faith.
When George was asked to go to Wood Street, Walthamstow and become their pastor, Hammersmith was left without a minister but it was not too long before the OBU asked John Clifford to fill the role. Now, John lived and had a secular employment in the area of Highams Park and it became apparent that he could not continue indefinitely, therefore left Redmore Road after two or three years. One thing I will always remember about John Clifford was his love for the people and his beaming smile.
Around this time one or two people began asking me if I had considered applying for the ministry. I could give them ten reasons against it! Probably the first reason was I just did not want to be a pastor! However, in the end the Lord had His way, I was appointed to Redmore Road, Hammersmith thinking I’ll do it for a short period until a more suitable and capable man is found. Nearly forty years later in 1992 I retired and moved to Hampshire.
After a time without a pastor Charlie Keene heard of the need at Dalling Road, he gladly embraced the Constitution and Articles of Faith of the Old Baptist Union and became Pastor of the Church. I believe that previously he had been Youth Leader in a Pentecostal Church. Charlie continued at Hammersmith for four years to be followed by Hani Abdulmasih who came as a student pastor from Spurgeon’s Bible College but after about three years he left.
Chapter Eight Time for change.
Around this time the church committee were faced with an enormous decision. Numbers had dwindled and repairs to the building were urgently needed the cost of which would be many thousands of pounds. Aline had a vision of selling parts of the building and having the remainder completely redeveloped .with the Sanctuary moving upstairs to a new mezzanine floor and kitchen, toilets, hall, small hall and office being erected downstairs. Aline was ably supported in the vision by Julie and Lesley. Do you remember the Bible verse in chapter three? “For a large and effectual door is opened up for me and there are many adversaries” Wow! The adversaries and setbacks that were encountered during the next twelve months stretched faith to the limit. Several very valuable members of the leadership team left.
Of course, the OBU were consulted to assess the wisdom and feasibility of such a massive step of faith and they asked Rev J..P..Warburton to visit Aline, then the whole church, to discuss her vision and it’s feasibility. I shall be forever grateful to Philip that, although he had no doubts about the enormity of the project, he felt that it was of God, therefore the vision should be supported. A firm of reputable builders was found to carry out the work How patient they were! Several times the Plans had to be altered to conform with Regulations but, eventually builders moved in and the “bomb site” began! It was very exciting for Dorothy and me to visit them from time to time and see how the work was progressing. The changes from the building I had retired from were quite amazing. The redevelopment took a total of eighteen months, what the church needed now was a Pastor.
Chapter Nine From 2008 to 2014 .
On 1st September 2008 Rev Keith Berry left the church in Hightown, Luton and began his ministry at Hammersmith Christian Fellowship I would describe Keith as a “people’s person” in three points a) He talks to anyone, b) anywhere and c) anytime!. He is never afraid to try new things and, if they work that’s fine, if not, try something else. Shared meals in the church garden are offered to passers by. He gets the young people involved in Sunday services He leads guided tours around historical parts of London He mixes with the ministers and members of other churches from all denominations. H.C.F. is very much a multi-cultural church made up of people from many nations and Keith is equally at home with them all. Is it any wonder then that the church has grown numerically from around twenty to around forty five? But, of course, it isn’t all about numbers. So many folk who visit for a Sunday service express their feeling of joy, love and unity and it is our prayer that the tiny church which began above a shop in Greyhound Road will continue to grow in love, faith and numbers in the years to come - all for the praise and glory of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
And remember next time you feel that you are facing an impossible situation “Nothing is impossible with God”…NEVER!!
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