1950-1970 Golden Years 

1950-1965 Rev W R Weeks

Rev William R Weekes BA BD came to Faversham in August 1950. He had previously ministered in County Durham, Yorkshire and Lancashire for 33 years. A student of Bristol Baptist College, he had served for one year as Assistant Minister at Queens Road Church, Coventry. In the First World War, he was officiating Chaplain to the Forces with the United Army Board. Recommended for a commission as a Chaplain to the Forces, he failed to pass the medical test.

Some of the outstanding events in the life of the Church during this period are noted here:

The formation of the Faversham Contact Club.

Each year, for six years, in connection with the municipal elections, a pre-election service was held on the Sunday evening prior to the local elections. All the candidates were invited to be present and most attended. The theme of each service was Christian citizenship.

For some years, Mr Weekes, who was the leader of the Sunday School, conducted classes in preparation for the scripture examinations of the National Sunday School Union. The response and the results were most encouraging.

Civic services were a feature of the earlier years of the pastorate. The mayor, aldermen, councillors and borough officers attended in-state on these occasions.

Mr Alfred Hulkes was twice Mayor in 1953-54 and 1954-55. He appointed Mr Weekes as his chaplain. A notable date was 24th May 1953 when the civic service on Mayor's Sunday was held in the Baptist Church. As far as can be ascertained, this was the first time that this service had been held in a free church in the town. Mr Hulkes was also appointed a Baron of the Cinque Ports and in that capacity was present at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in June 1953.

Mr Weekes was invited by the Vicar of Faversham to preach in the parish church at the pre-coronation civic service on the afternoon of Sunday 31st May 1953.

A beautifully bound book ‘in remembrance’ was presented to the Baptist church. In it were inscribed the names of church members whose relatives and friends made gifts to beautify the church and to enrich its worship. The first name was that of Miss Nellie Ottaway, who died on 13th October 1953 at the age of 32. She had given long, loyal and very efficient service in the Sunday School and for some years as Church Secretary.

On Sunday afternoon 13th October 1957, the members of the East Kent District of the National Union of Agricultural Workers held their Harvest Thanksgiving Service. A band led the procession from the railway station to the Baptist Church, which was well filled for the occasion.

There were 33 baptisms during this pastorate. A unique baptismal service was held on Whitsunday 17th May 1959 when all four members of one family were baptised.

On Thursday, 29 September 1960, a special service was held to celebrate Mr Weekes' 10th anniversary in the pastorate and the completion of 45 years in the Baptist ministry. The guest preacher was the Rev Dr G. Henton Davies, Principal of Regent's Park College, Oxford.

Many young people and other friends were in frequent attendance at the two Billy Graham campaigns in London in 1954 and 1955. The church undoubtedly received a spiritual uplift. Decisions for Christ and of dedication to Christian service were made.

Mr Weekes retired at the end of 1965 after a ministry of 50 years in the Baptist denomination. There was a large gathering at the farewell meeting on 31st December. An atmosphere of goodwill and fellowship pervaded the evening. Mr Weekes' value as a townsman was emphasised by the Mayor, Alderman A. L. King, who recalled Mr Weekes' part in giving the town a Contact Club which had found a meeting place and centre of discussion for the men of the town. The Vicar and Rural Dean, the Rev J. Stuart Martin, the Rev P. G. Cochran (Methodist), and Father J. J. Kelly (Roman Catholic), all agreed that Mr. Weeks had contributed much to the changing atmosphere of church relations in Faversham. Other speakers included representatives of the Kent and Sussex Baptist Association, the East Kent Baptist Ministers Fraternal, the British and Foreign Bible Society and Sittingbourne Baptist Church. Another speaker was Rev E. P. Blackaby, who had been a fellow student at Bristol Baptist College.

On 16 September 1962, the League of Young Worshippers and Sunday Afternoon School were discontinued and were transferred to Sunday Morning to form Family Church. 

The Faversham Council of Churches was set up in 1965. Mr Weekes was appointed the first president and was inducted to office by the Vicar of Faversham at a united service in Faversham Parish Church on Trinity Sunday evening. Mr Roger Pask BA of the Baptist Church gave much thought and many hours of sacrificial service as Secretary of the Faversham Council of Churches in the difficult early years.

The Women's Fellowship was well established on Wednesday afternoons with consistently good attendances. The meetings were usually of a devotional character with occasional cookery demonstrations. The members gave active support to the District and Association Baptist Women's League and Women's Missionary Auxiliary rallies, also to annual sales of work at the church.


1966-1970 Rev R C Bennett

Rev Richard C Bennett began his ministry in Faversham in October 1966. He and his wife had served for many years in North India with the Baptist Missionary Society, and they and their family had to return to England in April 1965 because of ill health. Their heart was in the Baraut work and their departure was regretted by their Indian friends and by their colleagues.

In the 1960s, a change in the lives of many people in Faversham began to be apparent. An increasing number of people left the town each morning by train five days a week. At one time in this period, it was estimated that there were 1,000 commuters each day and the numbers grew. Increased housing on the town's outskirts resulted in many young couples coming to live in Faversham, the husbands travelling away to work each day. The Baptist Church welcomed a number of these and gained much from this, though travelling shortened the amount of time available for church activities.

A ‘younger women's evening group’ was started, meeting fortnightly, and also boy and girl covenanters, both junior and senior, as forms of missionary outreach to those not committed to Christ in the town.

This period also saw the completion of the first phase of a plan to repair and modernise the church building, a heavy financial burden for a small group of people with limited financial resources.

United activities with other denominations in the town developed, particularly in the realm of ‘Christian Aid’, and included opportunities for Bible study and united worship. The fact of having an ex-missionary as minister gave the church a fresh awareness of the uncompleted task of world evangelism.

Centenary celebrations were held on 9 and 10 of September 1967. On Saturday 9 September, there was a reunion tea with greetings from former ministers, representatives of the Baptist Union, the Kent and Sussex Baptist Association, the Canterbury District, the Churches of Faversham and the Borough Council. Among the many messages received was one from Mrs Amy Compton, the widow of a former minister, Rev J.E. Compton. Rev David Boone, M.A., General Secretary of the Kent and Sussex Baptist Association, was the preacher at an evening service.  Sunday 10 September was marked by the visit of Rev D.S. Russell, M.A., B. Litt, D.D., General Secretary of the Baptist Union.

After four years of ministry at Faversham, Mr Bennett left for Southampton in 1970. His departure was regretted by many, the regret being a little lessened by the knowledge that Mr Bennett was invited to share in the new venture of a team ministry for Shirley Baptist Church and three other neighbouring churches.