On Friday there was a Service of Thanksgiving for the life of Michael Hambleton, minister of Abingdon Baptist Church from 1991 to 2000.

He enjoyed local history and wrote the story of Abingdon Baptist Church from 1649-2011 – a book called ‘A Sweet and Hopeful People’.

During his time as Minister, the 35 Ock Street project transformed the old manse, which had been in a sorry state, into the Church in Abingdon open house. It is now manned by teams from the different churches and open Mon-Fri 10.30 – 2.00 pm, and Saturday 10.30 – 12.30 pm.

Michael said in his book, “This was not so much the minister’s vision as the church’s vision”

But I dare say it took his prayers, leadership, and encouragement to see the project through.