History
History
The United Reformed Church was first formed in 1972 by a union of the Presbyterian Church of England and the majority of the Congregational Church in England and Wales. It was later joined by the Re-formed Association of the Churches of Christ in 1981 and the Congregational Union of Scotland in 2000. Flowergate URC is the result of a happy union between Trinity URC, Whitby, and Robin Hood’s Bay URC. The Robin Hoods Bay building had to be sold in recent years with only one church member and some of the assets transferring to the newly named Flowergate.
Eventually a wall was built cutting off the balcony to make the place more appealing. The Leng Room was created on one side with the toilet area on the opposite side of the, now extended, entrance porch. This work was started when the Rev. Brock was our Minister. What was the balcony area became the 'Upper Room' as John Dean, our minister from 19.. to19.., continued the work started by the Rev. Brock. The kitchen was put in and the upstairs facilities improved so that it could be used by the Trinity Centre which was started during John Dean's time.
Belief:
The URC is a Trinitarian church whose theological roots are Calvinist and whose historical and organisational roots are in the Presbyterian(Reformed), Congregational and Churches of Christ traditions. The Bible is taken to be the supreme authority for the Church, together with certain historic statements of the United Reformed Church.
Respect for individual belief and a conviction that majorities are not always right mean that the Church is not dogmatic and embraces a wide variety of opinions. It has a strong commitment to church union and the ecumenical movement.
Each congregation within the URC is governed by a Church Meeting consisting of all its members, which is the ultimate decision-making body in the congregation. Elders are elected for a specific period and serve to advise the Church Meeting and to share with the minister the spiritual and pastoral oversight of the congregation.
Locally:
In Whitby the local Congregational Church decided to remain independent and did not join the union in 1972. However the Congregational Church in Skinner Street was closed after the last Minister left, and the building has been taken over by Whitby Christian Fellowship..
Changes to our church over the years.
In 1945 the main church door opened onto a small porch with two doors giving access to the large sanctuary area which was filled with pews. At this time there was no toilet area or Leng Room and no heating so it was very cold. There was a balcony which came out as far as the present entrance door into the sanctuary.
In 1945 the Sunday School was held in the rather large room below the church. Again in the Rev. Dean's time this was much improved and for a time it was used for a Youth Club, run by the Rev. Dean's daughter, Helen. Presently it is rented out to a Community Arts Centre.
Former Ministers.
Rev Brock
Rev John Dean
Rev Helen Drummond
Rev Joanna Clare-Young
Following the departure of Rev Clare-Young we do not currently have a minister, but the Reverend Gordon Smith of York has been appointed as our Synod companion, and takes a number of services, both in person and on Zoom.