On 13th September 1951, the Inaugural Service on the formation of Chichester Baptist Church was held in the Coronation Hall, 17 of the Foundation Members⁵ signed the Covenant and were received into membership and all shared in the Communion of the Lord’s Supper. They were asked, “In order to lead your Church and, as previously agreed among you, will you as a Church confirm in office Mr. P. R. Thatcher as your Secretary and for the time being the Rev. H. W. Janisch as your Moderator,” the response being “We will.”

It was a historic service, led by the Rev. H. W. Janisch, with the Prayer of Dedication by the Rev. Henry Bonser, Minister of Findon Valley Free Church, Worthing, and attended by many people from other local churches and from a wide area around.⁶

Most new Baptist Churches in the 20th century have been commenced as branches of larger churches and supported by them in the first few years. The situation in Chichester was different in that it was not formed by a larger church and there was no near church it could look to for pastoral or financial help. For the first six years Hubert Janisch continued to act as Moderator, giving pastoral help on special occasions, but a footnote in a letter from him⁷ in 1953 is significant in indicating the continuity of thinking in Baptist churches regarding ‘lay’ participation. He said, “I firmly adhere to the priesthood of all believers and personally see no reason why you should not act in all capacities if asked by the Church to do so. I recognise however that people usually ask for a minister.”

⁵The eighteen Foundation Members were:

Name	XX	Occupation	YY	Transferred from
Mr. Arthur T. J. Brown	XX	Retired Barrister	YY	Muswell Hill
Mr. Fred C. Cheesman	XX	Shop Keeper	YY	Walberton
Mrs. Lily Cheesman	XX	Wife and Mother	YY	Walberton
Mrs. Sarah A. Davies	XX	Wife and Mother	YY	Southgate Methodist and Rhayader
Mr. Frederick S. Fry	XX	Local Govt. Officer	YY	Horsham
Mrs. Ella Fry	XX	Wife and former School Teacher	YY	Horsham
Mrs. Winifred Hawkins	XX	Wife and Mother	YY	Westbourne
Mrs. Mildred Jenner	XX	Wife and Mother	YY	Westbourne
Mrs. Mildred Jenner	XX	Wife and Mother	YY	Southgate Methodist and Belle Vue, Southend-on-Sea
Mr. Roy E. Lewis*	XX	Headmaster	YY	Sittingbourne
Mr. David Page	XX	Local Govt. Officer	YY	Wycliffe, Reading
Mrs. Margaret Page	XX	Wife and Mother	YY	Woodside, South Norwood
Mr. Charles J. Quinton	XX	Retired Exchequer and Audit Officer	YY	Brighton Road, South Croydon
Mrs. Ethel M. Quinton	XX	Wife and Mother	YY	Brighton Road, South Croydon
Mr. L. W. John Storey	XX	Police Sergeant	YY	West Worthing
Mrs. Mary Storey	XX	Wife and Mother	YY	West Worthing
Mr. Peter R. Thatcher	XX	Local Govt Officer	YY	Christchurch Road, Worthing
Mrs. Joan A. Thatcher	XX	Wife and Mother	YY	Christchurch Road, Worthing
Mrs. Vera Walker	XX	Wife and Mother	YY	Christchurch Road, Worthing

*Not at inaugural service

⁶A full account of this Service appeared in the Baptist Times and a copy of this is in the Minute Book of the Church.
⁷Rev. Hubert W. Janisch, M.A. Letter of 5th October, 1953