Chapter & Verse Christian Resource Centre

Our History

Our History

The Company History

It could be said that the vision for Chapter & Verse was conceived in the hearts of a group of people in Sawbridgeworth Congregational Church and was born in a bedroom in a flat opposite the Church !

To explain:-

The vision had been a dream in the hearts of several individuals for some years but had not been shared until a Church weekend held in Clacton in 1981. As the visionaries had no knowledge of bookselling and were engaged in other occupations at the time, this was the ideal time to 'nobble' Mavis Hill who ran a Christian bookshop in Canada and who was home visiting her parents.

The suggestion of opening a shop in Sawbridgeworth did not meet with great approval as Mavis lived in Canada for the greater part of her life and had no intention of returning to England. However God had other plans and circumstances conspired to persuade Mavis that she was to return to England and start the bookshop.

During the early part of 1983 no suitable premises seemed to be available, so at that time selling had to be conducted from Mavis's bedroom and via bookstalls with Margaret and Dian providing transport. After a while 7 Bells Walk came on the market and was deemed to be viable premises and the grand opening took place on 15th October 1983.

Trade grew.

Mavis went back to Canada and a move to bigger premises was essential to stop people queuing outside, so in November 1987 enquiries were made regarding a new vacant property in Bell Street. Sadly they were too late and they couldn't afford it anyway. But over the Easter weekend of 1988 with rent reduced, but still needing to double weekly takings, they moved into that property, 49 Bell Street - helped by, among other people, Gary Knott.

Dian Sapsford and Margaret Hill

Customers and Reps became good friends and the shop went from strength to strength. However despite several able and willing helpers they were aware that the years of working 6 days a week (plus bookstalls and Holiday Bible Clubs) were taking their toll. Change was needed and in 1997 a long period of prayer about the future of the shop began in earnest. But their time was not God's time and it was 2 more years before they saw an answer.

They told no one of their plans but decided to wait for someone to say, "If you ever think of giving up the shop I would love to take it on." Eventually their prayer was answered in Spring of 1999 when Gary Knott said that very thing just as he was leaving with his purchases. Lengthy negotiations ended in the handover at the end of 1999.

Dian Sapsford

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