Just a few Pictures of
Past & Present Members of JIBC |
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“Unless the Lord builds the house………..” psalm 127 v1
The Javea Church has its roots in the Denia Baptist Church, which started an English speaking bile study group in 1990, it was a small group, although the numbers swelled during the summer vacation months.
The group was joined in 1992 by American missionaries Tim and Louise Shupp and their family, who then led the group. Also part of the group were Doug Axcell , Philip and Valerie Laver and Brenda Hissey, who would all play a big part in the future of JIBC, all of them either living in, or having a holiday home in Spain. Brenda is still with us but a little less active in the church now.
A desire was born to set up an English speaking fellowship to meet for Sunday services, and after much prayer and a survey of the area, Javea was decided upon as the place where this should be located. A small group, led by Doug Axcell and Tim Shupp met for the first time on Sunday 11th December 1995 in Pedro’s Bar, near to what is now the Wok Restaurant on the Cabo la Nao road. Of the 11 people who met together 7 were Tim and Louise Shupp and their 5 children!
From these small, prayer fueled beginnings, JIBC has grown and moved on, changing Sunday morning venues as the need for more space arose, always experiencing the faithful provision of God . A startling example of this being in August of 2005 when we received a phone call on a Friday afternoon telling us that the International School, where we had been meeting on a Sunday morning for some time, would no longer be available to us with immediate effect! We were able to negotiate a reprieve of one week, and there followed a week of frenzied searching for another venue, an appeal on local radio found us a new home in the Grand Cafe at Toscamar , and our fist service there was on 21 st August……we had only 75 chairs, and 73 people turned up for that service! This growth continued and numbers of 100 or more became commonplace……..which we could never have accommodated in the International School venue…..thank you Lord.
Throughout the years, prayer has always been a constant feature of the fellowship, and until 2012, when we moved into our first 7 days a week venue, our bi monthly prayer meetings were held in the homes of members . These were special times of growth and fellowship, and we saw the faithfulness of God as we continued to follow his leading to reach the English speaking people of Javea.
This was a season of ‘firsts’, 2000 saw our first Easter Sunrise Service, our first Carols in the Port, (both events joined later on by other local churches), the formation of a missions committee, the starting of a lending library.
In 2004 we had a week of outreach, handing out tracts and joined by a group from Sun Lakes Baptist Church from Arizona, who were visiting Denia at the time,
In 2008 the first Sunday Service was held at Benimeli Nursing home, along with an Annual Christmas Carol Service, and this outreach continued until 2019, when it became yet another casualty of the Covid lockdown.
Giving to missions has always been a major part of the heart of the fellowship, both long term commitments and one off needs as they arise. ACACIA in Zimbabwe, Youth for Christ in Moldova, Spanish Gospel Mission, Caring for Life, London City Mission are just some of those whom God has provided for through the faithful giving of the fellowship.
Throughout those early years, the need for permanent premises and also the acquiring of our own manse for future pastors had been paramount, and gift days in 2006 and again in 2010, saw a generous outpouring of giving as God spoke to the hearts of the fellowship.
The search for such properties was ongoing throughout this period, with many hours spent on this difficult task by the leadership team and search groups, backed up by much committed prayer from the fellowship.
In June 2010 the Lord blessed us again, and we were able to purchase a manse in Gata …….. the purchase price exactly matching the generous giving received! ….. Praise God.
Our Place 4 Friendship outreach began in 2011 and was based in Edwina’s home, reaching into many lives for the Lord, and this was moved eventually into the cafe of our Church Centre.
In December 2011, on very short notice, we had to leave the Grand Cafe , our home of a few years, and that led to a period of “wandering in the wilderness” as we moved to various different Sunday morning venues on a regular basis, until August 2012, when the Lord blessed us with the provision of the present Church Centre, and we at last had a permanent home. When we took over, the sanctuary was full of children’s play equipment and climbing frames, and this all was dismantled and donated to the Gandia Orphanage. Our first Sunday Service was preceded by a week of prayer and worship sessions led by the prayer ministry and worship teams.
We had always had a thriving worship band, with keyboards, guitars , drums, occasionally a flute, and our spirit filled worship was always a joy. Sadly, this was yet another casualty of the Covid lockdown and has not been reformed…… YET!
In 2013 JIBC entered the new age of technology with the setting up of a Facebook site, and this was followed in 2015 by the addition of a web site.
In the following years, many outside groups have used the church centre, including U3A groups, fitness classes, line dancing, Zumba, an arts and crafts market, to name but a few. Genteel English afternoon teas, film nights, and of course chair Aerobics and The Meeting Place. Alpha courses have been run as well as other Christian training courses.
From 2016 to 2019 the Spanish El Faro Baptist Church shared the church Centre with us.
Our last full time pastor, Steve Hall, completed his time with us in 2018 and there followed an interregnum period during which we had a series of visiting pastors, including Derek and Sally Allen who have since become a treasured and invaluable part of the life of JIBC.
In 2019 it was decided that the manse in Gata, being no longer suitable for the needs of the Church, should be put up for sale, and the proceeds ring fenced for the purchase of a manse in Javea.
The disruption caused by the Covid pandemic led to the church Centre being closed for a large part of 2020 and again in 2021. But virtual services were provided by Steve Hall and Derek among others, and these kept the fellowship in touch with church life, albeit remotely in our own homes.
As the search for a permanent full time pastor has continued, since 2021 JIBC has been mightily blessed by the ‘Squad’ headed up by Derek, our moderator, - this comprises of a group of visiting pastors and their wives, many from the United States, who have spent their allowed 90 day stays ministering to us powerfully, up to the the present time, and we have grown greatly in our walk with the Lord during this period.
In 2022 , having received a generous legacy from the late Bunny Buchanan, who was a member of the fellowship , and together with the proceeds of the sale of the Gata manse, we were able to purchase the present manse in Javea.
Thanks to the tireless efforts of the Squad and our leadership team, we have now arrived at the place where the post of full time pastor has been offered to and accepted by Rich Stein and his family, and we are so pleased to give a big welcome to them now.
Well, that’s a very brief overview of the history of JIBC - I am sure there is much, much more, but that would need a book to be written!
As a fellowship we have been through many highs and lows - sad times, dark times, times of great joy and encouragement and growth.
Through all of this we have been sustained by the faithfulness, love and strength of our merciful Heavenly Father. He has purged us, challenged us, grown us, changed us and used us to further His kingdom and Purposes here in Javea———- often despite us!
Those of us who have been part of the JIBC story for the past 20 or 30 years now look on with amazement and excitement at the growth (much prayed for!) in the number of young families, children and young adults that God is bringing through our doors— and now, of course , the icing on the cake, a YOUNG full time pastor and his family.
And so we pass on the JIBC baton, and watch to see what our God will do next as His kingdom advances here in Javea and the whole region.
AND TO HIM BE ALL THE PRAISE AND GLORY.! AMEN
The Javea Church has its roots in the Denia Baptist Church, which started an English speaking bile study group in 1990, it was a small group, although the numbers swelled during the summer vacation months.
The group was joined in 1992 by American missionaries Tim and Louise Shupp and their family, who then led the group. Also part of the group were Doug Axcell , Philip and Valerie Laver and Brenda Hissey, who would all play a big part in the future of JIBC, all of them either living in, or having a holiday home in Spain. Brenda is still with us but a little less active in the church now.
A desire was born to set up an English speaking fellowship to meet for Sunday services, and after much prayer and a survey of the area, Javea was decided upon as the place where this should be located. A small group, led by Doug Axcell and Tim Shupp met for the first time on Sunday 11th December 1995 in Pedro’s Bar, near to what is now the Wok Restaurant on the Cabo la Nao road. Of the 11 people who met together 7 were Tim and Louise Shupp and their 5 children!
From these small, prayer fueled beginnings, JIBC has grown and moved on, changing Sunday morning venues as the need for more space arose, always experiencing the faithful provision of God . A startling example of this being in August of 2005 when we received a phone call on a Friday afternoon telling us that the International School, where we had been meeting on a Sunday morning for some time, would no longer be available to us with immediate effect! We were able to negotiate a reprieve of one week, and there followed a week of frenzied searching for another venue, an appeal on local radio found us a new home in the Grand Cafe at Toscamar , and our fist service there was on 21 st August……we had only 75 chairs, and 73 people turned up for that service! This growth continued and numbers of 100 or more became commonplace……..which we could never have accommodated in the International School venue…..thank you Lord.
Throughout the years, prayer has always been a constant feature of the fellowship, and until 2012, when we moved into our first 7 days a week venue, our bi monthly prayer meetings were held in the homes of members . These were special times of growth and fellowship, and we saw the faithfulness of God as we continued to follow his leading to reach the English speaking people of Javea.
This was a season of ‘firsts’, 2000 saw our first Easter Sunrise Service, our first Carols in the Port, (both events joined later on by other local churches), the formation of a missions committee, the starting of a lending library.
In 2004 we had a week of outreach, handing out tracts and joined by a group from Sun Lakes Baptist Church from Arizona, who were visiting Denia at the time,
In 2008 the first Sunday Service was held at Benimeli Nursing home, along with an Annual Christmas Carol Service, and this outreach continued until 2019, when it became yet another casualty of the Covid lockdown.
Giving to missions has always been a major part of the heart of the fellowship, both long term commitments and one off needs as they arise. ACACIA in Zimbabwe, Youth for Christ in Moldova, Spanish Gospel Mission, Caring for Life, London City Mission are just some of those whom God has provided for through the faithful giving of the fellowship.
Throughout those early years, the need for permanent premises and also the acquiring of our own manse for future pastors had been paramount, and gift days in 2006 and again in 2010, saw a generous outpouring of giving as God spoke to the hearts of the fellowship.
The search for such properties was ongoing throughout this period, with many hours spent on this difficult task by the leadership team and search groups, backed up by much committed prayer from the fellowship.
In June 2010 the Lord blessed us again, and we were able to purchase a manse in Gata …….. the purchase price exactly matching the generous giving received! ….. Praise God.
Our Place 4 Friendship outreach began in 2011 and was based in Edwina’s home, reaching into many lives for the Lord, and this was moved eventually into the cafe of our Church Centre.
In December 2011, on very short notice, we had to leave the Grand Cafe , our home of a few years, and that led to a period of “wandering in the wilderness” as we moved to various different Sunday morning venues on a regular basis, until August 2012, when the Lord blessed us with the provision of the present Church Centre, and we at last had a permanent home. When we took over, the sanctuary was full of children’s play equipment and climbing frames, and this all was dismantled and donated to the Gandia Orphanage. Our first Sunday Service was preceded by a week of prayer and worship sessions led by the prayer ministry and worship teams.
We had always had a thriving worship band, with keyboards, guitars , drums, occasionally a flute, and our spirit filled worship was always a joy. Sadly, this was yet another casualty of the Covid lockdown and has not been reformed…… YET!
In 2013 JIBC entered the new age of technology with the setting up of a Facebook site, and this was followed in 2015 by the addition of a web site.
In the following years, many outside groups have used the church centre, including U3A groups, fitness classes, line dancing, Zumba, an arts and crafts market, to name but a few. Genteel English afternoon teas, film nights, and of course chair Aerobics and The Meeting Place. Alpha courses have been run as well as other Christian training courses.
From 2016 to 2019 the Spanish El Faro Baptist Church shared the church Centre with us.
Our last full time pastor, Steve Hall, completed his time with us in 2018 and there followed an interregnum period during which we had a series of visiting pastors, including Derek and Sally Allen who have since become a treasured and invaluable part of the life of JIBC.
In 2019 it was decided that the manse in Gata, being no longer suitable for the needs of the Church, should be put up for sale, and the proceeds ring fenced for the purchase of a manse in Javea.
The disruption caused by the Covid pandemic led to the church Centre being closed for a large part of 2020 and again in 2021. But virtual services were provided by Steve Hall and Derek among others, and these kept the fellowship in touch with church life, albeit remotely in our own homes.
As the search for a permanent full time pastor has continued, since 2021 JIBC has been mightily blessed by the ‘Squad’ headed up by Derek, our moderator, - this comprises of a group of visiting pastors and their wives, many from the United States, who have spent their allowed 90 day stays ministering to us powerfully, up to the the present time, and we have grown greatly in our walk with the Lord during this period.
In 2022 , having received a generous legacy from the late Bunny Buchanan, who was a member of the fellowship , and together with the proceeds of the sale of the Gata manse, we were able to purchase the present manse in Javea.
Thanks to the tireless efforts of the Squad and our leadership team, we have now arrived at the place where the post of full time pastor has been offered to and accepted by Rich Stein and his family, and we are so pleased to give a big welcome to them now.
Well, that’s a very brief overview of the history of JIBC - I am sure there is much, much more, but that would need a book to be written!
As a fellowship we have been through many highs and lows - sad times, dark times, times of great joy and encouragement and growth.
Through all of this we have been sustained by the faithfulness, love and strength of our merciful Heavenly Father. He has purged us, challenged us, grown us, changed us and used us to further His kingdom and Purposes here in Javea———- often despite us!
Those of us who have been part of the JIBC story for the past 20 or 30 years now look on with amazement and excitement at the growth (much prayed for!) in the number of young families, children and young adults that God is bringing through our doors— and now, of course , the icing on the cake, a YOUNG full time pastor and his family.
And so we pass on the JIBC baton, and watch to see what our God will do next as His kingdom advances here in Javea and the whole region.
AND TO HIM BE ALL THE PRAISE AND GLORY.! AMEN
A selection of pictures of the JIBC fellowship over the years. There are many more.
