What month and year did Smethwick Elim church start in the West Midlands?

Answer 1

Smethwick Elim as a fellowship meeting started on 20th July 1930 renting St Andrews Church hall on the now Oldbury Road. The church was then closed down for 6 weeks during this year to set up Graham Street Elim Church (now Birmingham Christian Centre) and after this again began meeting in Smethwick. In May 1932, the Elim Church brought St Andrews Church Hall from the Church of England for approximately £1200, the Elim Church then stayed in this building until 1966 when it was demolished by the Smethwick Corporation as part of the redvelopment of Smethwick and for the main Oldbury Road to pass through it. Between 1996 and 1967 the Elim Church and Smethwick Congregational Church shared a building whilst the new buiding on Woodland Drive was being built. The new building cost £8,400.00 to complete, with the land being given by the council as part of the compulsoary purchase plan. The church had to finance around £4000 for the building work and this was paid off in the mid-eighties. Between the old and the new church Smethwick Elim had some rich and interesting history. A church split occured, people where asked to leave the church for causing issues/situations which where deemed unchristian like. The foundation stone was laid by RD Bradley and the church moved into the building officially in Septemebr of that year (1967).