Encounter Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Encounter Church |
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Encounter Church
|
|
| 52°26′30.47″N 1°55′53.04″W / 52.4417972°N 1.9314000°W | |
| Location | Bournbrook |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Elim Pentecostal Church |
| Previous denomination | Church of England |
| Website | encounterchurch.uk |
| History | |
| Former name(s) | St Wulstan’s Church, Bournbrook |
| Consecrated | 1906 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | John Edward Knight Cutts and John Priston Cutts |
| Completed | 1906 |
| Construction cost | £6,000 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 713 people |
Encounter Church is a Christian church located in the Bournbrook area of Birmingham, England. It is part of the Elim Pentecostal Church movement. Before becoming Encounter Church, it was known as Selly Oak Elim Church. Even earlier, it was a Church of England parish church called St Wulstan's.
Contents
History of Encounter Church
Early Beginnings as St Wulstan's
The church building we know today as Encounter Church has a rich history. It started as a "mission church" in 1893. This means it was a smaller church set up to help people in the Bournbrook area, connected to a larger church called St Mary's Church, Selly Oak.
A special event happened on January 19, 1906. Countess Beauchamp laid the foundation stone for a brand new church building. This stone had an important message: it was being built "To the Glory of God and for the benefit of the People of Bournbrook."
Building the Church
The church was designed by architects J. E. K. Cutts and John Priston Cutts. They used red and blue bricks to construct the building. It was built to hold many people, with space for 713 worshippers.
The construction cost around £5,600 in 1906. This would be worth much more today! The church was officially opened and dedicated by the Bishop of Birmingham on October 6, 1906.
Changes Over Time
In 1983, the St Wulstan's church parish joined with St Stephen's Church, Selly Park. At this time, the building in Exeter Road was swapped with another church. This other church was Selly Oak Elim Church, which had a building on Alton Road.
The Selly Oak Elim congregation had started much earlier, in 1936. They first met in people's homes before holding larger meetings at the Selly Oak Institute. This is why it was called 'Selly Oak' Elim Church, even though its building was in Bournbrook.
Finally, in 2018, Selly Oak Elim Church changed its name to Encounter Church. This is the name it uses today.
