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History
The history of the Congregation of Yahweh (UK), as it is today, had its origins in a small, upper room in the bustling market town of Loughborough, Leics., and the heart of an ardent young preacher who was tireless in his pursuit of truth. In the early 1950s the group for which he was minister was known as The Church of God, and it was in the heart of all those involved to live up to the Biblical pattern for The Church as laid out by Yahshua and the early apostles.
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A reluctant beginning
In February 1945 Yahweh apprehended a young, atheistic airman while he was on active service in the land of Palestine ( Israel , today), turning his life upside down and changing everything forever. A personal encounter with the Saviour ensured that he set his heart towards knowing and understanding all that he could about the One Who had forgiven his sins and offered him salvation. Elder Peter Warsop had a spiritually idyllic two years in Israel , where Yahweh and Yahshua became more and more real to him with each passing day. By the time he returned home in 1947 he had a well-established hunger for the things of the Spirit. |
 Like John Wesley before him, Elder Warsop had neither the desire nor the intention to set up another denomination! He was desperate to find the kind of fellowship that he had enjoyed in Israel and, for a time, was blessed and satisfied by fellowship with a non-denominational group that met together in Coalville, Leics. The weekly journey to the church was long, involving two bus rides and so, with his small fa mily of wife and daughter, he spent many entire weekends away from home, enjoying the hospitality of precious folk who loved the Saviour. Eventually there had to be a move to find somewhere closer to home. The search was unfruitful and so as the 50s dawned he and others of like mind rented the small, upper room in Church Gate, Loughborough, and the work began.
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The search for truth begins
The 1950s were an exciting time of unfolding revelation as Yahweh began to unlock the treasures of the scriptures to the heart of this ardent young seeker. He began to preach about Church Order, the Body of Christ, freedom to use the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the ministerial gifts as laid out in Ephesians 4. There was little, if anything, being taught in the church world about these things in the 50s and a seasoned, elderly minister once said to him sadly, "Peter, you are 10 years in front of God!" Peter later told his family, "I'm actually out of breath trying to keep up with Him!" This type of attitude, unfortunately, was one which was to shadow him for his entire preaching ministry.
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Move to Nottingham
 In response to a leading of the holy Spirit Elder Warsop went to Nottingham in the late 1950s to be introduced to a Caribbean Church group who were in need of a minister. So quietly and unassumingly does Yahweh work out His purpose! Another startling life-change was at hand for the Warsop family, now numbering four, a second daughter having been born to them in 1950. Elder Warsop was led by the Spirit of Yahweh to accept responsibility for the people and an amazing time of learning and growing opened up.
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 In a relatively short time the new group was established in Hungerhill Road , Nottingham and that address was destined to became notable throughout the country and across the world. Elder Warsop was still hungering for truth, but his first task was to teach the people that Yahweh had sent him to and to establish them in the things that he believed already. There was also an intense programme of evangelism and hundreds of souls went through the doors of that small chapel and receiving salvation and water baptism.
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A time of revival
As the people began to respond to the Spirit of Revelation and move in the order that was being established, so the flood tide of revelation flowed once more. The first great change at Hungerhill Road happened when the leadership began to baptise their people in the Name of Jesus an unheard of departure from tradition in the early 60s! Hundreds of people benefited from this type of immersion, however, and Water Baptism services were a regular part of the life of the Church, drawing in huge crowds of people and regularly needing extra supplies of clothes to hand for those who would respond to truth there and then and request baptism.
Understanding about Israel and truth of the Olive Tree, and a growing awareness of the Hebraic roots of our faith poured into eager hearts. Teaching about the place of the Nation of Israel in Yahwehs ongoing purposes set hearts on fire. The thrill of watching the restoration of the Land as it came to life again was breathtaking.
1966 brought a revelation about Covenant and the fact that it was possible for men and women to have an acknowledged covenant relationship with Yahweh in the present time. Running alongside this explosion of truth and growth was a complementary ministry of music. Musicians and songwriters grew up under this ministry and helped to capture the truth in song, sealing it into the hearts of the people. Flexible worship leaders ensued that all types of music and worship were blended together and used freely for the finest possible results, bringing glory to Yahweh.
The time at Hungerhill Road , St. Ann's, Nottingham was a decade of ongoing revival; a time of planting a vision, of growth, of discipleship. It was a time when ministries began to be recognised and The Church began to function according to the Biblical pattern.
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Ministers' Training Home
 At the same time, Yahweh was speaking about "Taking young people to train them and to teach them how to work." The Ministers' Training Home at 18, Baker Street was born out of this instruction. Young men and women flocked to be a part of what was happening there, and so the years of Community living and training began. The young people were expected to give all their time to the forwarding of the work and a great spirit of dedication and vision took hold of them as they yielded their lives to thrusting, energising power that had the church in its grip.
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Printing & Publishing 
The Print Department was opened in the early 60s as a small operation in a converted dining room in Elder Warsop's home. It was run by his daughter, Valerie Warsop; she was compiler, editor, typesetter, platemaker and printer! She laid a foundation for all the future printing and publishing needs of The Congregation.
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Covenant House
A query which found its way into the "Question Box" in the late 60s, regarding the church's responsibility towards widows and orphans, threw a huge challenge at the feet of the leadership and the people. At the time there were a number of widows in the congregation, and many single parent families looking for help with the upbringing of their children.
Notification that the building at Hungerhill Road would be due for demolition when a major reconstruction project destined for the St. Ann's Valley area got under way received with dismay. A hunt for a new meeting place began in earnest. But the need for a Community Home for use of members of the congregation weighed heavily. It seemed impossible that the people could fund both requirements. Eventually, by a series of truly amazing miracles, the building at 16 Newstead Grove was acquired. There was no way that a meeting room could be build in the spacious front garden it was definitely too small! However the leadership felt such a witness of the Spirit to go forward with the deal that matters were put in hand. It was felt that Yahweh was directing them to take care of the personal needs of the people and to trust Him for the rest. |
 The entire congregation turned up to work on this, the first major project, and a remarkable atmosphere of love, laughter and commitment prevailed, in spite of the property having been heavily vandalised. There was a tremendous amount to work to be done, and it was a memorable evening when the first room was completed! Students from the Ministers' Training Home worked until 3.00am on the morning of the day that the first children were due to move in. As they walked tiredly, but contently home in the breaking dawn, they hoped that the paint would be dry before the little ones arrived! It was! |
It was not long before a nursery was established with a full-time Nanny and the children were playing happily in the lovely big garden, and digging with serious concentration in the sandpit made for them by some of their now very numerous 'uncles'.
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Newstead Grove
 And then the deeds arrived! Astonishingly the area of the garden extended beyond its obvious boundaries and, yes, there was sufficient room to build a new meeting room! What excitement, as the dream of a chapel at 16 Newstead Grove, Nottingham became a reality! The men of the congregation, who gave evenings, weekends, full nights and holidays to its erection, built it with hard work and laughter and love! The ladies of Covenant House taking time out to cook for them feed them and generally spoil them! So was born the Covenant House Community at Newstead Grove, a home with a meeting place at its heart, a place which became a blueprint for a community structure up and down the country.
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A time of restoration
 The move to Newstead Grove took place as the decade of the 70s was in its infancy, and meetings took place in the large dining room as the work on the chapel was being forwarded as fast as possible. As soon as the roof was in place, and while the walls were still breezeblock bare and the floor still powdery with concrete dust, the congregation moved in for the first service. One of the songwriters, who had been discussing the sacred Name with an inspired Elder Warsop, began to sing "Praise be to Yahweh, and Yahshua, His Son" as the Spirit quickened him, and soon the entire gathering had been set on fire by an upsurge of power witnessing to the truth in the song. The following day, at a Bank Holiday Monday Convention in Aylesbury, Bucks, the celebrated sermon was preached and The Congregation of Yahweh was launched into its decade of restoration. |
 Following the restoration of the Names came the restoration of the Seventh Day Sabbath and the Feasts of Yahweh. The 70s were a thrilling time of exploring ancient truth and feeling the witness of the Spirit to a way of life dictated by the Bible itself. It was not long before the Congregation was being seriously challenged about issues of Holiness. As more and more people took this challenge to heart, so the music took an upward swing towards a purity and concentration of worship that was as awe-inspiring as it was expressive. Once again the musicians and songwriters were enabled to fasten truth into the hearts of the people through their Yah-given gifts.
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Missionary Work
The Congregation of Yahweh, UK met the congregations in Jamaica at the beginning of the 70s and discovered in them people of like mind, heart and spirit, people who loved the Name and kept the Sabbath, people whose heart was open to truth. The first missionary couple was sent out in 1972.
This event was a forerunner of the response of dedicated people to the need and to the vision. Men and women have given their time and energy to the Overseas Department since the 60s, and much good has been accomplished in lives around the world. who have been to work in missionary locations around the world; Jamaica , Kenya , Malawi , Rwanda.
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A time of consolidation
 The 1980s were a time of consolidation as men and women who had sat under the teaching of Elder Warsop for many years, began to mature into gifts of leadership and administration. Around the country companies of disciples began to mature and grow as they were taught the truths which are so precious and were fed on the Word of life.
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A time of change  The decade of the 90s was a time of change. More space was needed for Feast times when branches from around the UK would gather in Nottingham and the Congregation there had long been praying very specifically for a new place to meet. At the appointed time a building on Carlton Road , not very far from the city centre, was offered to the leadership, and it met the criteria in almost every respect! Another series of miracles ensured that the National Congregation moved into the property, free of any debt, for Tabernacles 1993 - less than nine months after the building was put onto the market. |
Other changes took place in this decade. It became a time to look at certain aspects of living which had become part of 'tradition'; standards which had evolved over the years as men and women sought earnestly to find and do Yahweh's will. It is a sad fact that many things which begin joyfully in the Spirit can, over the generations, simply deteriorate into the 'burdens of the Pharisees'. The joyful truth, however, is that Yahweh wants every generation to find and fulfil His Will for their own time. After much discussion and prayer the leadership was enabled to pinpoint the problems and release the people to do exactly this!
21st Century
With the dawn of the new century the leadership was giving serious thought to the ongoing needs of the National Congregation. The Apostolic Council, the existing body of leaders, prayed long and earnestly about a structure of leadership that would be able to lead The Congregation into the future.
At the start of 2003 the National Leadership Council was inaugurated. This group of men and women have the full backing of the retiring Council of Apostles and the full confidence of Elder Peter Warsop, whose lifelong dedication was so largely responsible for bringing The Congregation to the place of excellence that it enjoys today.
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