‘Unusual’ and ‘exciting’ building swap announced by two Bristol churches

Two churches in Bristol are completing a building swap - as both bid to meet the requirement of their followings.

Horfield Baptist Church on Gloucester Road, which was opened in 1901, will be taken over by a church group called B&A Church Bristol, while the Baptist Church will take up one of B&A’s sites a short walk away at 160 Gloucester Road.

The move was announced by both churches last week. Horfield Baptist Church, which has held its current site since 1894, said the change of building was ‘a result of an innovative and unusual building swap which we faithfully believe is in the best interests of both our churches.” The church holds a Sunday service at 10.30am, and hosts a ‘messy church’ for parents and children.

B&A Church Bristol has a collection of 10 ‘little churches’ where people meet regularly ‘with a shared purpose to make a difference in the lives of others’. The groups, which include a Ukraine Welcome Huband Hong Kong Welcome, are based at the church’s site in 160 Gloucester Road. They will move to the new church next month.

In a statement announcing the move on social media, B&A Church Bristol said: “We are so excited to be moving to a building that has plenty of room for all of us on a Sunday morning and our Little Church activities during the week in an amazing location on the Gloucester Road.

“For two church families to swap buildings like this is almost unprecedented and we’re so grateful to the community at Horfield Baptist Church for working with us this past year to make this idea a reality for both church families.”

As part of the swap, B&A Church Bristol aim to undertake repair and decorative work at the Baptist Church to allow for Sunday gatherings to begin in the Autumn, moving it from its other site in St Andrews Park.

To find out more about the churches, click here for B&A Church Bristol, and here for Horfield Baptist Church.