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Cliff Park Church is on the move
Former Cliff Park Middle school head teacher John Poulter (centre left) and deputy head Steve Rogers with some of the original founders of Cliff Park Community Church at Sunday’s final service before the move. (Left to right)Judy and Rob Harvey, Dr Jamie Wyllie, John Poulter, Steve Rogers, Pat Sayers, Dorothy McCabe, Jenny and Tony Mallion. The banner displaying the names of all of the original team has been used since the opening of the church. Photo courtesy of Tony Mallion
A Gorleston church is on the move. After 25 years of meeting at Cliff Park Primary school Cliff Park Community Church is heading round the corner to the neighbouring larger high school, Cliff Park Ormiston Academy. The final service at the Orde Avenue site on Sunday included memories of the start in December 1999 when the church was described as ‘a new church for a new millennium’
It was set up by St Andrew’s Parish Church and Gorleston Baptist Church. Both had been independently interested in developing new work in South Gorleston. The Baptists took the first move with a trial run service on Easter Sunday 1998. “By then we had been joined by St Andrew’s who, unbeknown to us, also had ideas about a planting a church. We readily agreed to work together’” said Tony Mallion, one of the founders. Fifteen people from each church formed the core team led by St Andrew’s Associate Minister Paddy McGlinchey and Baptist minister the late Richard Hughes
The retired head teacher John Poulter who was head of what was then a middle school was among those attending Sunday’s final service in the school hall. He told how he was keen for the school to be involved with the community in a variety of ways so had warmly welcomed the idea of a church meeting there
The launch service attracted publicity, including a news team from Anglia TV. Three weeks later the first service for the new millennium was broadcast live on BBC Radio Norfolk. Tony Mallion said: “We were certainly given plenty of opportunity to announce our arrival .It was an exciting time”
Over the years the church has welcomed a number of well-known Christians to talk about their faith including the diet and fitness celebrity Rosemary Conley; former Blue Peter and Sky Sports presenter Simon Thomas and actor Graham Cole, better known as PC Tony Stamp from The Bill. Other events have included Family Days staged on the school field and the annual carol service held at Gorleston Pavilion theatre
Cliff Park minister the Rev Derek McClean said "Whilst it is with some sadness that we leave our home of 25 years at Cliff Park Primary Academy, we are very much looking forward to a new and exciting chapter in the life of our Community”
“We are delighted with how much Cliff Park Academy has been helping us with the transition to our new home, and the facilities which they are offering us. This is a great opportunity, and we look forward to welcoming people to worship with us. We are deeply grateful to God for all his faithfulness and provision both over the years, and now”
The first service at the High School will be on Sunday (February 11th) at 10.30am
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