Rosebery Park Baptist Church

Rosebery Park Baptist Church, facing High Street

During Worship Service

Rosebery Park Baptist Church is a Baptist church in Bournemouth. Founded in 1891, the church is a member of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, member of Southern Counties Baptist Association, and also a member of the Churches Together in Boscombe.^[1] The Church has a membership of 50, and is actively involved in serving the local community. In 2016, the church will be celebrating their 125th anniversary.

History

The first members of Rosebery Park separated from the Baptist Mission Chapel at Freemantle and started this church.^[2] A moderately sized, privately owned room intended for a day school on Stantely Road (now Livingstone Road) in Bournemouth became available. Here the first members regularly gathered for fellowship and worship.^[3] The construction of the first chapel costed around £250. The church building was constructed in 1892 at the junction of Harcourt and Morley Roads on the new Rosebery Park Estate.^[4] The first pastor of the church was Mr Edward Lawrence (1983-1898). Later, the church moved to its current premises on Old Christchurch Road.

Ministers

Alison Overton

Seidel Abel Boanerges

List of Ministers who served at Rosebery Park

• 1893 - 1898 Pastor Edward Lawrence
• 1889 - 1918 The Reverend William Henry Perkins
• 1918 - 1921 The Reverend Henry T. Bury
• 1923 - 1929 The Reverend J. Greig Douglas
• 1929 - 1936 The Reverend Ernest George Rudman
• 1938 - 1947 The Reverend Richard Noel Fry
• 1948 - 1955 The Reverend Eric Peter Sharpe
• 1957 - 1960 The Reverend Cyril Smith
• 1962 - 1969 The Reverend William Thomas Cowlan
• 1969 - 1980 The Reverend Dennis Ronald Banfield
• 1983 - 1997 The Reverend Reginald Joseph Cook
• 1997 - 2006 The Reverend Philip Parfit
• 2007 Interregnum
• 2009–Current The Reverend Alison Overton (Minister)
• 2012–2015 The Reverend Seidel Abel Boanerges (Associate Minister)

The current Minister is Rev Alison Overton who joined Rosebery Park in 2009.^[5] She was previously the Pastoral Minister at Queen’s Road Baptist Church and Minister at Uppingham Road Baptist Church.^[6]

Rev Seidel Abel Boanerges was the Associate Minister at Rosebery Park. This post was created to oversee the evangelism and outreach of the church. He joined the leadership team at Rosebery Park in 2012 and served till end of 2015 before taking on a new role as the Director of Outreach at Capernwray Bible School at Capernwray Hall.^[7]

References

1. Baptist Church, Rosebery Park. "About Us".
2. Jeans, Robert J. (1991). Rosebery Park Baptist Church: The First 100 Years. Baptist Press. p. 5.
3. Jeans, Robert J. (1991). Rosebery Park Baptist Church: The First 100 Years. Baptist Press. p. 6.
4. Jeans, Robert J. (1991). Rosebery Park Baptist Church: The First 100 Years. Baptist Press. p. 2.
5. Baptist Church, Rosebery Park. "About Us".
6. Baptist Church, Rosebery Park. "About Us".
7. Baptist Church, Rosebery Park. "About Us".