Stepney Meeting House facts for kids
Stepney Meeting House was an important independent church located in Stepney, a part of East London. It was started in 1644 by a group of people including Henry Barton, his wife, William Parker, John Odinsell, William Greenhill, and John Pococke. They began this church with Henry Burton, who was a vicar at St Matthew Friday Street, present.
The Church's Early History
William Greenhill became the very first minister of Stepney Meeting House. He led the church from when it was founded in 1644 until he passed away in 1671. After his death, Matthew Mead took over as the new minister.
How the Church Changed Over Time
In 1972, two large church groups, the Congregationalist church and the Presbyterians, decided to join together. They formed a new group called the United Reformed Church. Because of this big change, the Congregationalist members of Stepney Meeting House also joined up with the Presbyterians from the John Knox Presbyterian Church of England in 1974. This created one combined church community.
