In 1974, a group of scattered, local Bible-believing Christians began meeting in Nelson once a month on a Saturday night to encourage each other.
By the following year, a weekly prayer meeting commenced and, in 1976, a fortnightly Bible study was introduced.
Two years later, eight people formed a new church which initially met in a local home. Just three months' later, in the closing months of 1978,
a bold step of faith was taken to call and part finance a young pastor – Terry Williams - to lead the fledgling church. In the following summer, after his formal induction, the church began to meet at a public venue: the Reading Room of the Workman's Institute in the centre of the village.
The church had grown significantly by 1982 such that the pastor could be financed full-time and the need to find a building of their own became pressing. Ardent prayer, alongside regular viewing of potential premises in the village, resulted in the Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Chapel's dwindling congregation in nearby Heol Fawr offering them two buildings for £500. The purchase was made and, following extensive renovation work, the main chapel building opened for public worship in March 1985. The smaller building, which underwent major restoration during 1987-88, was subsequently opened as a Sunday school room/vestry.
The Church Buildings:
The first, smaller building was erected in 1832 to house a group of Welsh Calvinistic Methodist worshippers. Ty Capel/Chapel House was built in 1847.
However, growth was such that by the early 1870s – following the impact of revival and the local rising population – a larger adjacent building was planned to house up to 200 people. It was started in May 1873 and opened in 1875. This currently houses Bethel Evangelical Church.
The Pastors:
Rev Terry Williams retired after 33 years in 2011 and Rev Andrew Bowden succeeded him as pastor on 2nd October of that year.
Andrew Bowden retired on April 22nd 2018.
David Cox succeeded Andrew Bowden as pastor of the church on May 20th 2018.
By the following year, a weekly prayer meeting commenced and, in 1976, a fortnightly Bible study was introduced.
Two years later, eight people formed a new church which initially met in a local home. Just three months' later, in the closing months of 1978,
a bold step of faith was taken to call and part finance a young pastor – Terry Williams - to lead the fledgling church. In the following summer, after his formal induction, the church began to meet at a public venue: the Reading Room of the Workman's Institute in the centre of the village.
The church had grown significantly by 1982 such that the pastor could be financed full-time and the need to find a building of their own became pressing. Ardent prayer, alongside regular viewing of potential premises in the village, resulted in the Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Chapel's dwindling congregation in nearby Heol Fawr offering them two buildings for £500. The purchase was made and, following extensive renovation work, the main chapel building opened for public worship in March 1985. The smaller building, which underwent major restoration during 1987-88, was subsequently opened as a Sunday school room/vestry.
The Church Buildings:
The first, smaller building was erected in 1832 to house a group of Welsh Calvinistic Methodist worshippers. Ty Capel/Chapel House was built in 1847.
However, growth was such that by the early 1870s – following the impact of revival and the local rising population – a larger adjacent building was planned to house up to 200 people. It was started in May 1873 and opened in 1875. This currently houses Bethel Evangelical Church.
The Pastors:
Rev Terry Williams retired after 33 years in 2011 and Rev Andrew Bowden succeeded him as pastor on 2nd October of that year.
Andrew Bowden retired on April 22nd 2018.
David Cox succeeded Andrew Bowden as pastor of the church on May 20th 2018.
