It was on 12th April 1942 that the first Free Church service in Eastham was held – in a tennis pavilion in Elgar Avenue when 35 people attended the service. The worship was led by Revd. W. A. Rodgers, the minister of Little Sutton Presbyterian Church, who had been put in charge of establishing a new congregation in Eastham.
A vacant plot of land opposite Heygarth Road School was rented, the Presbytery of Liverpool purchased and erected a wooden building costing £300 which was opened and dedicated on 5th December 1942. The congregation collected pennies and soon had enough to purchase a piano.
By October 1945 the church was able to call a minister, Revd. Bryan Dawson, who after two years left to become a missionary in India. He was followed by Revd. Joshua Davies, whose ministry in Eastham lasted for twenty years and saw many changes take place.
The Presbytery bought a piece of land at the junction of Crosthwaite Avenue and Mill Park Drive (which was at that time called Daresbury Boulevard), and the wooden building was transferred there in 1948. The members then chose the name St. David’s for their church.
In the fifties a huge building programme started on the Mill Park Estate, and the Presbytery decided to give St. David’s a large, permanent suite of buildings, paid for through a legacy from Thomas Harper, an Elder in Claughton.
On the 21st September 1957 the present church building was opened and dedicated. The young architect used contemporary design and materials, which presented a concrete frame, rather austere, clean lines, large windows and a felt covered roof. The lack of paintwork was intended to make maintenance easy, but there have been numerous problems during the 66 years of its life, all of which have cost, and will cost thousands of pounds.
In 1967 the church welcomed Revd. Terry Girling to lead the continued growth of the church. Terry’s zeal for evangelism, hospital chaplaincy and lively preaching filled the building until it was difficult to find an empty pew on Sunday mornings.
In October 1972 the union of the Congregational and Presbyterian Church took place, they became known as the United Reformed Church.
Towards the end of the seventies a social change was becoming increasing evident. Sunday worship was declining generally. Many people found pleasure in the car ownership, television and the drift from the churches was part of the pattern of English life. St. David’s was not untouched by this trend.
The ministry of Revd. David Bremner from 1978 to 1988 was one marked by growth in spiritual depth rather than numbers, although the event Mission England brought new Christians into the congregation.
In 1988 we welcomed the Revd. Peter Foster to St. David’s. Peter, his wife Geraldine and their young family stayed with us until Peters retirement when they moved to Malvern to live closer to their family.
Our next minister was to be a Fresh Expression Minister who spent 50% of her time with us and 50% working with other churches on Merseyside. Revd. Trish Davis brought many new ideas and introduced new ways of worship to the congregation and community of Eastham.
When it was time for Trish to move on, she chose to move to Southampton to be closer to her family. Her decision made easier by the arrival of a little grandchild.
The members of St. David’s then welcomed Revd. Louise Franklin to minister to us for 25% of her time. We share Louise with West Kirby URC and continue to move into the future with firm faith and an expectant hope that God has great gifts to offer us and we have much to offer Him.