Neatishead Baptist Norfolk
Serving God in the heart of the Norfolk Broads
Pictures
There are always flowers on the windowsill beside Chapel Lane. It's our way of saying "Welcome", as there's no door on the roadway.
Why not step in off the road and find out more about Neatishead Baptist?
Meet the Congregation ...
Pictured in June 2005 when Rev'd Roy Searle, the then President of the Baptist Union, spoke at an ecumenical Celebration of Rural Ministry.
(This is just our members - around 100 people from all denominations were at the service and also stayed for tea.)
and the Pastor
Rev. Sue Seeley has been our pastor since 2003. Prior to that she had been Baptist Chaplain at the University of East Anglia, Norwich for 18 years.
"I greatly enjoy my contacts with our local community as well as serving the church. I also serve the wider Christian community as a director of Rural Ministries, a non-denominational oranisation that supports rural churches, both existing churches and helping set up church plants."
Married to Tony, Sue's hobbies are walking, bird watching, photography (most pictures on this site are hers) and holidaying in New Zealand.
The Building
The Church, which was built in 1811, sits at right angles to a delighful country lane.
This is the front, which faces the old Graveyard rather than the road. The extension on the left includes the School Room and kitchen.
From the back the chapel looks more like a house than a church. The tiny upper windows were where the caretaker once lived, with one small living room down-stairs. The Graveyard is still in use, along with a large grass carpark. At the left is the (now-unused) late C19 outside toilet.
Inside
With comfy chairs, efficient heating, a kitchen, toilets, two rooms for social space plus an office and lounge (see below) and off-road parking, ours is the best equipped church in the neighbour-hood! But seriously, these facilities mean we can invite people to our services and events with confidence.
Pictures from Events
Sharing Happy Events
Fred and Hazel have been attending Neatishead Baptist since they were young. (Fred lived next door at one time, when his father was the churchcaretaker.) They married here in April 1958, so we were very pleased to share their joy at their recent Golden Wedding.
Harvest Festival 2007
Our Harvest weekend consists of two services, a harvest supper and then the auction of produce. All proceeds go to Operation Agri, a Baptist agricultural mission organisation. We raised £753 for them.
Also donated was £100 towards transport costs for Tools with a Mission, for whom we collect sewing machines, typewriters and old manual garden & household tools all year round for refurbishment and sending abroad. (We are grateful to all the local community who regularly bring their tools etc and to someone who spotted Tools with a Mission on our website and brought their old garden tools from some distance to add to this year's collection.)
The Church Lounge and Office
The Old Stables, on the right, has been refurbished as the pastor's office and church lounge.
Holman hunt's painting "Jesus, the Light of the World" is visible from the doorway.
A place to rest and a place to work
Summer Retreats
We use our premises for non-residential retreats, run by the pastor and her friend, Irene Moore. We also spend time in the local countryside as we consider our theme.
Our theme in July 2007 was Storms, Winds and Breezes, when we thought about the things that impact our everyday and spriritual lives. Very apt as we watched the boats go by.
Sharing food is also a key part of our retreats
Back in winter Class One visited on a cold, wet day
"Reverend Sue", as she is called at school, enjoys taking Assembly once a fortnight at the village school. And occasionally we are pleased to welcome the children to our place as part of their studies. It was great to have so many children in the church.
First a walk across the field. Too cold to linger in the graveyard!
Our old Bible, individual communion glasses, the napkin to cover the bread and the old box pew upstairs were some of the things the children noticed. They drew the communion table, which is carved with the words "Do this in remembrance of me". 
We praise God that we are increasing our already extensive links with the local community and seeing growth in numbers and in people's faith.
And of course our prayer and aim is always that folk will meet with us and with Jesus in a meangful way, as we serve God here in the heart of the
Norfolk Broads.
Text & most photographs copyright Sue Seeley 2006/08. Thanks to the school for the use of theirs.
Office Address:
Chapel Road
Neatishead
Norwich
Norfolk
NR12 8YF