The chapel was formed as a mission to the village which had, and still has, no other church within it. The work was begun by the Calvinistic Methodist Chapel of the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion 'Emmanuel' in Tunbridge Wells. The place was known as the Bells Yew Green Mission Hall, and held regular services in the mornings on the Lord's Day, which were taken mostly by visiting speakers, but which once a month was taken by the superintendent from Emmanuel. The mother church, Emmanuel, closed in 1974, the site first becoming the hospital and subsequently a housing estate. The monument near the entrance to the estate, bears the name of George Whitefield, an evangelist of the day and chaplain to the countess, who was involved in the writing of the fifteen articles that we hold to, to this day. These are given in detail on this page. Since then, the mission hall has survived on its own, becoming the chapel that it is today, independent from any other chapel.
The chapel has always struggled for its existence through difficult times. There have been several pastors (as far as can be told, since the closure of Emmanuel) who have served faithfully in this chapel, but for much of the time there has been no pastor, and the church has been run by the diaconate, as at present. This has been due to both the lack of funds and resources, and the lack of suitable men. The last pastor of the chapel was Mr Arthur E Rivers, who served from 1989 to 2000.
Services have been held regularly in the morning, and a little more erratically in the afternoon and evening, although there was a time when no services were held. We thank the Lord that at present we are able to hold two services, in the morning and in the afternoon.
God has not finished with his work in the village yet.
The chapel has always struggled for its existence through difficult times. There have been several pastors (as far as can be told, since the closure of Emmanuel) who have served faithfully in this chapel, but for much of the time there has been no pastor, and the church has been run by the diaconate, as at present. This has been due to both the lack of funds and resources, and the lack of suitable men. The last pastor of the chapel was Mr Arthur E Rivers, who served from 1989 to 2000.
Services have been held regularly in the morning, and a little more erratically in the afternoon and evening, although there was a time when no services were held. We thank the Lord that at present we are able to hold two services, in the morning and in the afternoon.
God has not finished with his work in the village yet.