Our story began in 1905 when a Nurse Warnett of the Church Army, with the aid of a portable organ, began worship services in a greengrocer’s shop in Widnes town centre,for some months these services were held in different venues each week, and these meetings became known as the Cottage Meetings, or just simply missions.

 

These meetings became so popular that by the end of 1908 it was decided that a larger more permanent home was needed, and so a disused blacksmith’s shop, in Appleton Quarry was rented by the growing group of worshippers.

 

In May 1914, the then Bishop of Liverpool, Dr Chavasse, opened a new brick and corrugated iron building in Regent Road, Widnes.  This new daughter church of St Luke’s, Farnworth, was dedicated to St John the Baptist.   

The congregation grew steadily and by 1932 there was talk of building a larger and more modern church building.   However, because of the approach of the Second World War, and also because of a lack of finance, it was not until the 1950’s that fund raising began in earnest in order to build a new modern church building.

 

Our current church building was eventually opened and dedicated by the then Bishop of Warrington, the Rt Rev L.A.Brown on the 19th June 1963.

 

In 1999 it was discovered that the Church Centre roof was in a state of collapse, and for Health and Safety reasons the Centre could not be used.   However following receipt of a number of financial grants, the generosity of the congregation, and a Bank Loan from Lloyds/TSB the new Main Hall and Centre was opened in time for the Millennium celebrations.

 

Since that time the Centre has been greatly expanded with more store rooms and toilets, and the lounge and dining room have been re-positioned and re-furbished, and we also have a dedicated Prayer Room.

 

 

 

             Celebration Window

In order to celebrate 100 years of existence the Church Council commissioned a special window to be designed and manufactured.  This window shows the names of all the Clergy who have been connected with our church during the past hundred years, and is displayed in our church.