The Grace Centre

History

In 1900 a mission hall was planted in nearby Mornington Road by the St Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Bolton, initially to teach children. With the success of the mission, a church and hall were built on Somerset Road, and in 1910 Somerset Road Presbyterian Church was opened. The congregation grew, apparently attracting people of mainly Scottish origin until the congregation was able to support its own minister independently of St Andrew's Church. All the children's uniformed organisations flourished and there were meetings for men, young wives and women, and a drama society.

Decline in the cotton industry led some of the families that attended the church to move away, and then later Muslim and Hindu families began moving into the area around the building. Concern grew about the cost of ministry and maintaining the buildings with lack of income and declining attendances. The church (by now Somerset Road United Reformed Church) joined the Bolton North Group of ten churches in 1974, but this was not felt to be a satisfactory arrangement and so after much debate a group of three churches was formed with one minister.

In 1992-93 it was decided to refurbish the church and hall, which was achieved through much fund raising and effort and completed by 2001. There was now a warm, comfortable church with new kitchens, and toilets with disabled facilities. However, with the congregation noticeably ageing, increasing levels of dampness and dry rot forced a decision to close because of the cost of repairs. The final service was held in August 2002.

Meanwhile in November 2001 the congregation of Bolton Family Church had begun meeting in the adjacent Devonshire Road School. With the desire to see their building continue to be used as a place of Christian worship, the congregation of Somerset Road URC asked if they would like to buy their building. The offer was gratefully accepted and in June 2003 the purchase was completed and Bolton Family Church moved in, renaming the building as 'The Grace Centre'.

A prophetic word given to Bolton Family Church around the time of purchasing the building was: "The building is like a flagpole; the wind of the Spirit is blowing us (the congregation) out like a flag for the people around to see. This is what will attract people to us." This word has strengthened our belief, in line with Biblical principles, that the physical building is just a meeting place and a 'mission station', and that the people are God's true church.

Newfrontiers is a worldwide family of churches together on a mission, currently over 850 churches worldwide. With a passionate commitment to build the church according to New Testament principles.