Zoar Baptist Chapel, Ipswich

 This is an Association formed of Baptist Churches in the Counties of Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex, maintaining in their entirety the following important doctrines and practices:

• The Old and New Testaments as the infallible Word of God by Divine inspiration;
• Three equal Persons in the Godhead;
• Eternal and personal election unto salvation;
• Original sin;
• Particular redemption through the atoning sacrifice of Our Lord Jesus Christ;
• Free justification by the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ alone;
• God's fully effective grace in regeneration;
• The Second Coming of our Lord;
• The final perseverance of real believers;
• The resurrection of the dead, the future Judgement, and the eternal happiness of the righteous and everlasting misery of such as die impenitent;
• The necessity of Baptism (by immersion) upon a profession of faith as a prerequisite to Church Membership and the Lord's supper;
• The obligation of believers to practical obedience to the declared Will of Christ as Head of the Church;
• The congregational order of the Churches;
  
  Visit the Association of Grace Baptist Churches (East Anglia) website

   

The first Zoar Chapel, Ipswich opened for worship in David Street (now demolished) on the 7th January 1842. The present chapel situated in St. Helen's Street was opened for worship on Wednesday 18th March 1925. The first minister of Zoar Chapel was Pastor J. B. Bateman who was called to the pastorate on June 19th 1842. He was followed by Pastors W. Felton (1855-59), J. Wilkins (1862-66), S. Willis (1867-70), J. Morling (1872-79), R.C. Bardens (1891-1907), P. Reynolds (1912-34), J.S. Smith (1941-58), R.G. Martin (1960-65), E.D. Eldridge ((1968- 82), R.J. Howells (1984-89) and P.F. Hughes (1991-2005). At present (in 2008) the church is served by various itinerant ministers, being led by Dr. G. Eldridge (Elder) with Messrs. L. Cobbold, P. Cornish, M. Johnson and J. Woodcock as Deacons.