Gorleston church on the move after 25 years 

After a quarter of a century of meeting at Cliff Park Primary School, Cliff Park Community Church is heading round the corner to a new meeting venue.

Cliff Park Community Church held its final service at Cliff Park Primary School in Gorleston on Sunday, before it moves next Sunday to  the neighbouring larger high school Cliff Park Ormiston Academy. 

The last service at the Orde Avenue site included memories of the church's launch in December 1999 when the it was described as ‘a new church for a new millennium’.

Cliff Park Community Church was set up jointly by St. Andrew’s Parish Church and Gorleston Baptist Church. Both had been independently interested in developing new work in south Gorleston. The first trial run service happened on Easter Sunday 1998. "By then we had been joined by St. Andrew’s who, unbeknown to us, also had ideas about a planting a church. We readily agreed to work together" said Tony Mallion, one of the founders who came originally from Gorleston Baptist Church. Fifteen people from each church formed the core team led by St Andrew’s Associate Minister Paddy McGlinchey and Baptist minister the late Richard Hughes.

John Poulter who had been head teacher of what was then Cliff Park Middle School before his retirement was among those attending Sunday’s final service in the school hall. He spoke about how he was keen for the school to be involved with the community in a variety of ways and therefore had warmly welcomed the idea of a church meeting there.

Cliff Park minister the Rev Derek McClean said: "Whilst it is with some sadness that we leave our home of 25 years at Cliff Park Primary Academy, we are very much looking forward to a new and exciting chapter in the life of our community.

"We are delighted with how much Cliff Park Academy have been helping us with the transition to our new home, and the facilities which they are offering us. This is a great opportunity, and we look forward to welcoming people to worship with us. We are deeply grateful to God for all his faithfulness and provision both over the years, and now."

The first service at the high school will be on Sunday February 11 at 10.30 am.



Photo courtesy of Tony Mallion. Former Cliff Park Middle School head teacher John Poulter (centre left) and deputy head Steve Rogers with some of the original founders of Cliff Park Community Church at Sunday’s final service before the move. The banner displaying the names of all of the original team has been used since the opening of the church.