photo: congregation

About us

We are a Worshipping Community

Before anything else, we come together to rejoice in who God is and all He has done in creation, and in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Worship is at the centre of all we are and do. Our first priority is to gather together as a community to meet with God, - to celebrate His goodness, be shaped by His Word and empowered by His Spirit.

We are a Welcoming Community

We want to welcome others in the way God welcomes us all.

We are a Community of grace, where all can belong.

We are a Community that is experiencing the power of God to heal and unite, across different ages and personalities, across different ethnic and social backgrounds, making us one in Christ.

So we have a network of small groups and a series of church-wide events, to enable people to meet one another, to become part of our church family, and to find a place where they can use their gifts.

We are a Witnessing Community.

We are people who have discovered the difference Jesus Christ makes to life – for individuals, for society, and for the world. And we want others to know that too.

  • We want to communicate who Jesus is in ways people can understand.
  • We want to let God’s love show and to let it overflow as it did from the early church

So we are always looking for ways to introduce people to Christ, and run regular “Exploring Faith” courses, designed for people thinking about or just beginning to follow Jesus.

And we are always seeking to use the huge resource of our building here in West Norwood to express God’s love to people who live and work around us.

We want to resource and support our members to be followers of Jesus Christ in the whole of their lives, including in their places of work:

  • We encourage and support active involvement by our members in the Community.
  • We are part of the worldwide mission of God and want both to learn from, and to share our resources with Christians across the world as together we seek God’s kingdom.

We are a Community - where people learn to follow Jesus Christ

A living faith needs to keep on growing and we want to help one another discover what it means to live faithfully to Jesus Christ throughout the whole of life. God’s Spirit shapes us as we listen to God’s Word.

We have a network of small Bible study and prayer groups, which often meet in members’ homes, and which are often very significant in the lives of those who attend.

We also offer other groups and short courses designed to help people participate in and experience the power of prayer, and keep growing in faith.

Baptism is all about beginning as a follower of Jesus. Here at Chatsworth we are an open membership church, and welcome those who are in full membership and good standing with any Christian denomination as members here. However, for those coming to faith, and for those who have not had the opportunity to take infant baptism vows upon themselves, e.g in Confirmation, we practice the Baptism of believers, usually by immersion. Baptism, together with Church membership, are opportunities God gives to us to keep on growing in Christ. Regular short courses are held for those who want to know more about Baptism and church membership.

So how is the church organised?

Chatsworth Baptist Church is part of God’s family in West Norwood, with strong relationships with other local churches. As a Baptist church we’re linked with about 300 other Baptist churches in London, - and millions of Baptist Christians worldwide. Among our members here at Chatsworth are Christians from almost every church background, together with those who have no previous church experience.

The final authority under God is the gathering of members in Church Meeting, where major decisions in the life of our church are made, including the calling of Pastors and of Deacons.

As a church our only source of funding (with the exception of a small amount of rental income plus some monies from Trusts and charities to help support the work of the Family Centre) is what members give.