We are a Christian church formed on Strict Baptist principles. The origin of Strict Baptist churches goes back to the time of the reformation in the mid 17th century. There is no overall ruling body of the churches, such as a synod or presbytery, but each local church is independent and self-governing.
Hope Chapel was built in 1859 by a Mr Mehew who came to Stotfold from St Neots in the 1830's. He first built a chapel in Church Road called 'Rehoboth' where two houses now stand. A plaque on the houses commemorates that chapel. After leaving 'Rehoboth' Mr Mehew built Hope Chapel and a church was formed here. The deeds of the chapel incorporate the Articles of Faith of the Gospel Standard Strict Baptists.
Strict refers to the order of 'Strict Communion' whereby the partaking of the Lord's Supper (Communion) is restricted to those who have been baptised by immersion upon the profession of their faith, and received into membership by us. This we believe is the church order given in the Bible. 'Communion’ is administered as a separate service on the first Sunday of each month following the close of the afternoon service of worship
Our Pastor was born in 1945 and grew up in the West Midlands. He has attended Hope Chapel, Stotfold, since his marriage to Judith in 1973. He was baptised at Hope Chapel in March 1977 and appointed a deacon of the church in November 1980. The church sent him into the ministry of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ in September 1995 and appointed him Pastor of the Church in 1998.
Since 2007 he has acted as chairman of the Trinitarian Bible Society Auxiliary for Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and District (now named the West Anglia Auxiliary). He also served for 20 years on the committee of the charity 'Christian Values in Education' (to 2015) and authored a number of their publications.
He and Judith have five married children (1 son and 4 daughters) and nineteen grandchildren.
Pastor Graham Hadley