To understand the history of Woodside Community Church of the Nazarene, you first have to understand a little of the history of the Balmoral Road Church of the Nazarene…
The Beginnings in North Watford
Excerpts from a history written by Mr. John Sankey, church member of North Watford (Balmoral Road) until his passing in 2002.
The Church of the Nazarene in Watford started in Balmoral Road (North Watford) when “a group of men knelt in prayer and claimed the ground on which to build a church for God and the preaching of God’s Great Salvation.” This is the same site of the current North Watford Church of the Nazarene (now operated for the Portuguese speaking community in Watford and surrounding areas).
“Finally a tent was erected and the meetings commenced. Opposition came in the form of residents banging dustbin lids outside. Despite this the work went on and in 1924 a church was built and the foundation stones were laid. The building was dedicated to the Glory of God and to the preaching of the Gospel, and was registered under the name of the International Holiness Mission (IHM).”
In 1952 the IHM worldwide merged with the International Church of the Nazarene, and so the Church of the Nazarene in Watford began.
Much has happened in the intervening years, including changes of pastors, changes of people both coming in and moving on or passing away, building construction and modernisation works, changes in the local community in terms of culture and diversity and, through it all, many lives changed for the Kingdom of God – and “the ‘torch’ of witness passing from those of ‘yesterday’ to those of ‘today’. June of 2024 was North Watford Church of the Nazarene’s 100th Anniversary and that “torch of witness” is still shining brightly there.
Of the many happenings over the years, perhaps the most important such ‘happening’ was when, in the 1950’s, the then North Watford minister, The Rev. Leslie Baxter, had a vision for a church plant on the new Woodside Estate in Leavesden Green…
A New Church Plant in Woodside.
Based upon reflections on the history of Watford Woodside Church of the Nazarene by Mr. Andrew Tranter, son of the first minister to be called to Woodside.
The Rev. Leslie Baxter was a saintly man of God who fought in the 1st World War. He witnessed the building of the Woodside Estate after the 2nd World War (all Council properties) and his son lived there. There was no place of worship on the Estate and Rev. Baxter saw this as an opportunity to establish a new church. With the support of the North Watford congregation he started with a Sunday school in the local Community Centre which attracted around 120 children each Sunday.
Rev. Baxter then approached Watford Borough Council with a proposal to build a church on the estate; this was granted around the late 1950’s. The plot allocated was quite large and was situated on a hill in the centre of the estate. The single storey building was completed in 1961 and several members of the Balmoral Road church moved to Woodside to help establish the ministry there. The Rev. Stanley Tranter was called as the first Pastor in the summer of 1961.
The Rev Stanley Tranter and his Wife Edna arrived with their 5 children (3 in their mid-teens and a couple of late arrivals). He served God and the Woodside community for twenty two years until his retirement in 1973. Rev. Tranter was succeeded by The Rev. Reg Hogan from Northern Ireland until his resignation in 1977.
A New Church Building
Following the resignation of Rev. Hogan, Warren Tranter, who was then working in Banking in London, had a distinct call of God into the ministry and became the next Pastor of the church.
He, along with Peter Warman and a fairly young group of members, embarked on a spirit led building project. They were not aware at the time that when the council authorised planning permission for the original building there was a caveat requiring a new church building to be erected within 20 years! The new building was opened in 1984 with the old building now forming our back hall.
The church and its outreach ministry had an immediate impact in the community and continues to this day. To God be the Glory.
To quote John Sankey again, “It is great to realise that the same God leads today’s members forward in His work as those ‘Pioneers’ of former years.”
If you would like to continue to read more about the history of our ministers at Woodside, please click the link below.