History of Alma Church, Bristol

In 1832 a group of Brethren believers began meeting in a building on Great George Street (off Park Street) and became quite a large congregation. The group invited a German-born man, George Müller, to co-ordinate the work at Bethesda Chapel as it was known. George Müller later went on to found the Orphan Homes. As the congregation became larger, it was decided to create "daughter" churches in other parts of Bristol.

In Alma Road, Clifton, there was a plot of land owned by a wealthy Bristol shipbuilder. A notice offered it free to any group wanting to erect a church building. So, by 1871, a building was erected in Alma Road and became known as Clifton Bethesda, to distinguish it from Bethesda Chapel in Great George Street (the original building was destroyed during World War II).

The church work at Clifton Bethesda grew and continued and in 1972 celebrated its centenary. As the original Bethesda no longer existed, the name Bethesda Church was assumed instead. However, over the years, because of the location in Alma Road, it became known as Alma Church.

Alma Church has always been evangelical in character and Mission work has always been an important part of church life. Alma was involved in setting up the alliances of Bristol Churches, and is now a part of the Evangelical Alliance.

Many students have found the church suited their approach to worship. The increasing numbers of overseas students to the UK has caused many to come to Bristol and make Alma Church their spiritual home while in England. It's interesting to hear animated conversation going on in Mandarin and Cantonese as Asian students catch up with each other after the service!

Building Projects

The main church hall remains largely unaltered since its construction, but as the church and community programmes grew, it became necessary to expand the building.

The first phase of the development was the addition of the entrance foyer and toilets. This was completed in early 1998.

The second phase was to add a community hall to the back of the church, along with a larger kitchen and rooms for children's activities. This was completed towards the end of 2002.

Recent History

For several years, we as a fellowship prayed that the Lord would send us "families with teenagers". God answered this prayer and more than 20 families are now worshiping at Alma. With them come children, ranging from newly borns up to teenagers - "building blocks" of the future church.

The Youth work at Alma (and in the community) is growing at an amazing speed! This is a source of real excitement within the church and in 2005 Gemma Summers was appointed as part-time youth worker.

Past Ministers

In 1979, Bristol-born Tim Steer joined us as our Full Time Elder. Brought up in the Brethren tradition and then a recent graduate of Trinity College, Tim was with us for four years. After that we had other graduates spend a year with us as pastoral assistants, mainly concentrating on the students.

In 1993, Maureen Campbell became our Community Church worker. Maureen was with us for nearly six years and did a valuable work through setting up mid-week day-time children's events; Chatter Clatter group for Mums and Toddlers, and Stepping Stones for those three and over and much more.

Maureen's return to Moorlands Bible Collage for further study, led us to pray for someone to join us as our Minister. Thus in June 1999, Stuart Leitch, his wife Natalie and family came to Bristol and to Alma for that purpose!

Present Outlook

In November 2005, the present Leadership Team agreed and published five aims for Alma Church:

• To help people to understand and respond to the message of Jesus.
• To produce engaging worship, relevant bible teaching and a welcoming, caring fellowship for all who attend.
• To encourage discipleship, spirituality and personal transformation through small groups and one-to-one's.
• To train and support new leaders for Christian ministry.
• To equip members for life and ministry in the home, workplace and world.

Why not turn up and see for yourself how it's going?!