MP WANTS JESUS PEOPLE BANNED

Source : 17/09/1986 Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Michael Morris MP is asking Northampton Borough Council to ban all meetings of the controversial Jesus Fellowship at the Derngate Centre.

The sect, based at New Creation Farm, Bugbrooke, has held a number of meetings at the centre, but Mr. Morris, Member for Northampton South, says it should not be allowed to use public land of buildings any more.

He is writing to Councillor Trevor Chown, chairman of the Derngate Leisure Committee, asking him to change the policy of hiring the centre to the Fellowship.

Mr. Morris says he has had about 50 letters complaining about the sect in his constituency, including one from the Archdeacon of Northampton, the Ven. Bazil Marsh.

He also plans to call on the Government to investigate the sect, which is led by pastor Noel Stanton.

Liz Donovan, spokesman for the Fellowship said today that the group used the centre for Christian worship, hymns, prayers and Bible teaching.

'To stop us using the centre would be completely wrong. We are a genuine Christian church and the Derngate authority has no complaints against us,' she said.

The fellowship had no objections to the Government launching an investigation because the sect had nothing to hide, she added.

Councillor Alwyn Hargrave, a member of the Derngate Committee, said a very firm reason would need to be given before the sect was banned from the centre.