The following provides a brief history of Rugeley Community Church. It is written to honour those who have served us in years gone by, remind us of the steps of faith we have already taken together and inspire us afresh with the wonderful provision and favour that God has granted us.
1983
- Fernwood building completed.
- The Church’s name at this time was Rugeley Evangelical Free Church.
1996 -2005
- Nigel Lloyd and his wife Cally, who were living in East Sussex and had been involved in King’s Church Lewes as well as Barcombe Baptist Church, moved to Rugeley to take over Rugeley Evangelical Free Church.
- During this period Nigel and Cally brought the Church into the Newfrontiers family of churches.
- In 2001, Rugeley Evangelical Free Church was renamed Rugeley Community Church to reflect the type of Church it wanted to be.
- In 2001, Richard Miller (married to Jacqueline) became an Elder of Rugeley Community Church.
- In the period 1996 to 2005 there was a lot of foundational work in regards to the framework and structure that made up the church people.
- The emphasis within this period was also of Church being a Family.
- Investigating opportunities to hire a “venue” for Sundays – none found.
- Looked into opportunities to extend our present building upwards or outwards.
- From around 2003 Nigel and Cally increasingly felt called by God to move to Wrexham. They moved in 2005 to plant Gateway Church.
2005 -2007
- Dave and Denise Turner from Cape Town South Africa came to lead Rugeley Community Church.
- Dave and Denise’s emphasis in this period was one of Mission, reaching the Community of Rugeley.
- Tried to rent a flat above shops near the Church building for offices and the children’s work on a Sunday.
- Investigated various warehouses and plots of land to build.
2009
- In 2009 Dave and Denise stepped down from leading Rugeley Community Church.
- Richard Miller went full time in leading Rugeley Community Church.
- Richard believed the mandate that God was giving him was to take Nigel and Cally’s emphasis of Church Family and also Dave and Denise’s emphasis of Mission and fuse them together in being Family on Mission Together.
- Richard also had many confirming words and prophecies around this time of having a Joshua type calling on his life in leading the Church family out of the old building into the Promised Land (a new facility).
2010
- Building Fund started.
2011
- Eric Roy (married to Philippa) became an Elder of Rugeley Community Church.
2012
- Launch of Rugeley Foodbank.
2014
- Change in Trustees of the church, with the new team becoming Directors of Rugeley Community Church Ltd.
2015
- Andy Fisher (married to Jayne) became an Elder of Rugeley Community Church.
- Completed sale of current building and submitted a bid for Youth Centre.
- Successful bid with Staffordshire County Council to run the old Youth Centre in Rugeley as a Community Centre.
- Signed 15 year lease and renamed the building, Rugeley Community Centre.
- The Centre is run as a community hub for local community organisations to hire as well as hosting a Day Care Centre for vulnerable adults, Monday to Friday. The Centre is also the new home of Rugeley Community Church.
2016
- Employment of Building manager and 2 part-time Coordinators at the Centre.
- Proposal put to Staffordshire County Council to purchase the building and surrounding land.
- Since 2013 the Church had begun to take a different path from Newfrontiers, some of this was due to the reshaping of the region within Newfrontiers, which left RCC more isolated. However the main reason for a different path was since Richard and Jacqueline visited Bethel Church in California in 2013 they and the Church started building up strong relationships with:
- Tony and Kay Smith from Leeds.
- Dave & Julie Connolly – Toxteth Tab, Liverpool.
- Tony and Ursula Wastall – LifeSpring Church, Wolverhampton.
- Pete and Kim Carter – Eastgate Church, Northfleet, Kent.
- Bethel, Global Legacy.
- Eric Roy retires from Eldership of Rugeley Community Church.
- It is announced to the Church Family that there was to be an amicable parting of ways with Newfrontiers, to further develop RCC’s relationship with above mentioned, who we very much value for their Apostolic covering and journeying together with them in developing a Kingdom culture.
2017
- Dave and Wendy Barnsley join what is now the Leadership Team, rather than Elders. The Leadership Team consist of:
- Richard and Jacqueline Miller.
- Andy and Jayne Fisher.
- Dave and Wendy Barnsley.
2018
- Chris and Liz Fielding join the Leadership Team.
2019
- Chris Fielding employed full time as Office manager for the Centre.
- Tony and Ursula Wastall hand over leadership of LifeSpring Church (Wolverhampton) to Graham and Becca Phillips to focus on LifeSpring Global. This change gave a natural end to our journey of partnering together. We retain a friendship with Tony and Ursula and will continue to promote LifeSpring events and look for opportunities to collaborate.
2020
- Completed the purchase of Rugeley Community Centre from Staffordshire County Council.
