Geof unfortunately died in 1991 and his wife Doris took over as Church secretary. She left some years later to be nearer her family in Cambridge.

The Tercentenary went very well and the funds raised helped with essential repairs to the floor and redecoration.

 Rev Edwin Softley left in 1989 to got to Braintree and Rev Chris Jowett took up part time Pastorate in 1991, continuing his work in Information Technology at the same time.

In 1994 Hatfield Road Congregational Church lpswich invited him as part time Pastor there and he served as joint full time pastor until 2005. He now ministers part time in Bergholt again, whilst also being involved in other activities around the area.

The gallery had it’s floor levelled to make it more useful and there is now an ongoing program of refurbishment and updating of the whole building at an anticipated cost in the region of £100,000.  This will hopefully extend it’s usefulness to the wider community . Over £20,000 has recently been spent on the entrance and rear of the church and in equipping the internet cafe. As at so many times in the past the congregation is small but faithful yet it’s work continues to expand in order to maintain the building and it’s presence in the village for the next hundred years.

Congregational churches depend entirely on their own financial resources. There is no central funding available to them. Maintenance and upkeep of the ministry is a constant headache and so the support of the community is vital in their endeavours.

 Chris Jowett  February 2006