Gilgal Baptist Church, Porthcawl

Gilgal Baptist Church, Park Avenue, Porthcawl was built in 1922 when the then Gilgal Baptist Church community had outgrown its original building elsewhere in the town. With the Church’s centenary fast approaching, the current group of members agreed to embark on a significant project to modernise the building and make it “fit for purpose” for the 21^st century.

Work commenced in June 2021, and, having moved back in for worship just before Easter 2022, members have expressed their delight with the outcome. A large, open flexible space for fellowship and community use has been created, with, among other things, a new central glass entrance onto Park Avenue, a large open-plan café area, a new internal balcony and two single-storey extensions to the sides, housing toilets and a well-equipped kitchen. The old pews have been removed, and they have been replaced with far more comfortable chairs; underfloor heating has been installed throughout and a new floor.

“By creating a more open, accessible and family-friendly environment, we hope to improve the welcome we can offer to community groups of all ages, as well as to fulfil our aim ‘To know Jesus better and to make Him better known.’ We have planned a number of special anniversary events during June and look forward to welcoming people to these or indeed to any of our Sunday services or mid-week meetings.

We would like to express our gratitude to the James Pantyfedwen Foundation for the grant it gave us towards the cost of the project.”