Our Background

Our History

Valleys Family Church is a church plant from Abergavenny Family Church (now known as Gateway Church, Abergavenny). We began meeting as a congregation in July 2006 but had previously been meeting in Brynmawr as a homegroup which was part of the Abergavenny Family Church for about 7 years.

Parent Church History

Abergavenny Family Church began in 1984 when a group of Christians, eager to develop their relationship with God, started to meet together in their homes to worship. After a short while the group increased in number and started to meet in a village hall on the Mardy estate in Abergavenny. The group was initially called ‘The Mardy Fellowship’, and later in 1992, took the name ‘Abergavenny Family Church’. In 1994, the church purchased it’s first building, the ‘Rehoboth Centre’ in Castle Street, Abergavenny. In 1999 after significant growth the Church purchased the old cinema building in Monk Street, Abergavenny. This building needed significant restoration and renovation, and was ready for use in 2001 as ‘Gateway Christian Centre’.

Planting Out

There had been a vision for some time to see homegroups grow  and develop into Church plants. In Brynmawr this seemed to be a very real possibility, and the leadership team from Abergavenny felt that God was leading them to release individuals to see this become a reality. Stuart Wheatman had been serving on the eldership team and in youthwork in Abergavenny for a number of years and both he and his wife Sarah felt a strong call from God to pioneer the work in Brynmawr. They moved to Brynmawr in September 2006.

Brynmawr

Since July 2006 Valleys Family Church had been meeting at the Rugby Club, Brynmawr. They moved venue and began meeting at Orchard Street Community Centre from Sunday 6th January 2008, before moving to Blaenycwm School in 2011. In April 2012 Valleys Family Church took on it’s current name to reflect the diversity of  geographical areas represented in the congregation, having previously been known as Brynmawr Family Church.