Our history
Chelmsford Presbyterian Church was started in 1992, as a church planting initiative, led by Rev David Cross and his wife Barbara. They were invited to consider coming to Chelmsford at the invitation of a number of people who were living in Chelmsford at the time and who were interested in forming a church based on sound reformed doctrine. They serve as members of the Mission to the World (MTW) team in Britain. They currently live in Worcester, and David has recently retitred as Clerk of Presbytery.
MTW is the missions organisation of the Presbyterian Church in America. In the 1980’s a Presbyterian Association in England was formed of interested parties and individuals, which invited help from MTW.
In 2002 the church called its first minister, the Rev Dr John Scott who is wholly financially supported by the congregation.
In January 2006 the Rev Chris Kavanagh became assistant minister. In February 2008 he was called by the congregation to be associate minister, and in May, 2008, was installed as associate minister by a commission of Presbytery consisting of elders Peter Leverton (Cambridge), Gordon MacIntyre (Bury St Edmunds) and John Scott (Chelmsford). Rev John Scott lead the service, and preached from Hebrews 13, a recoring of the sermon is in the sermon section of the website. In October 2009, Rev John Scott accepted a post as CEO of Daylight Prison Trust, and so is now no longer the minister of the church.
The first sermon preached in Chelmsford Presbyterian Church was on 5th April, 1992, by Rev David Cross. This sermon was printed in the Spring 1993 edition of the Presbyterian Network. It was titled The Church Planter's only hope on the text Acts 18.9 - 11, and can be read by clicking on The Church Planter's only hope
Nearly 20 years later on September 4, 2011, David preached in Chelmsford Presbyterian Church on his and Barbara's last Sunday in the UK before retireing to America. The sermon can be found in the sermon pages of this website. Here is a photograph of them taken at the church after the service. David and Barbara Cross