The Skatre Baptist Church was built in 1892, but the history of the congregation is older. The church is nice and cozy, but the congregation is small and services are rarely held.
Alkas pēc Dieva vārda
Missionaries of the Herrnhut Brethren Churches were active in Skatre and its surroundings, spiritually awakening people throughout the area and in Liepāja. In the summer of 1962, the three shopkeepers went to Memel (now Klaipeda in Lithuania), where they were pleasantly surprised by the hospitality and kindness of the new believers there. In August of the same year, sixteen inhabitants of Skatre tried to get to Klaipėda to join the Baptist church by baptism, but they were arrested at the border and driven back to Liepāja. The leader of the group Jānis Baštiks had to walk the road from Palanga to Liepaja in shacles. However, on 19 October the preacher of the Liepāja German Baptist group, D. Juraška did the first biblical immersion baptism in Skatre.
Draudzes pulcēšanās aizliegumi
The first parish lesson in Skatre was held on 1 June 1863, which is the date of the foundation of the parish. The Dingši dwelling house was rebuilt to provide space for the worship of the new congregation. As far as we know, these are the first Baptist-built premises in Latvia. However, for a long time, the believers of the Skatre were not destined to rejoice in the new premises. As soon as the dean found out about the location of the Skatre meeting, the meeting was banned and an order was issued to the whole village, forbidding the householder to allow Baptist meetings to take place in his home. The disobedient were threatened with imprisonment – for the first time for eight days, the second time – sixteen, etc. There were property owners who allowed communion to take place in their homes and went to prison immediately afterwards. Meetings were held at a different location every Sunday. When all the places of charity had been visited, they started again and went to prison for sixteen days. The early Baptists also experienced persecution – leaders were imprisoned, worship was disrupted and interrupted, and people were evicted from their homes – but this only increased the joy and courage of their faith. The Skatre people became known as diligent bearers of the truth of the Gospel near and far.
Savs Dievnams
The chapel was built in 1892. There was a Sunday school, a sisters’ group, and a youth group.
