Details

Category: Uncategorised

Details

Category: Uncategorised

Pilling Methodist Church

(membership 46)

Small Wood Hey, Pilling, PR3 6HH Lead

Minister: Rev Alex Yesudas

Senior steward: Mr Andrew Bell

Our location:

Pilling is a rural village which enjoys its status as the ‘largest village in England’ (based on area, not population!). It is surrounded by rich and fertile land which produces the famous Pilling Potatoes, and the many visitors come for wildlife viewing on Pilling Marsh, for walks along the coastal path, and to the village pottery. The church is at the junction of Smallwood Hey and Carr Lane.

Our congregation:

The congregation is mainly retired, with a small but faithful Sunday School. Morning and evening services on Sunday (10.30am & 6.30pm) are well supported. It is a traditional church, but not afraid of trying new and different things. We regularly hold special services throughout the year, which are very well supported by friends from around the area.

Our buildings:

Our Chapel building is a beautiful traditional space. The Sunday School hall and Fellowship Room are used by a large number of different community groups throughout the week from Mothers and Toddlers to Arts Groups and Uniformed Organisations.

Our activities:

There are fortnightly prayer meetings and Bible studies, a monthly prayer breakfast, and before every morning service there is a prayer gathering. A Women’s Fellowship and a strong Choir Fellowship round up an encouraging range of opportunities outside the traditional Sunday services through which we can meet with each other and with God. Our links with other churches: We work closely with the other churches in our village, particularly with work among children through holiday clubs and special events. We regularly hold services together. The Churches Together in Pilling group meets quarterly to arrange special events.

Our community links and outreach:

We have links into the two primary schools in the village and a nearby secondary school. Our Deacon runs a puppet workshop once a month, and the puppet team regularly take part in worship and village events. We are a presence at village events and share the love of God with our village community through taking flowers to those who need a blessing. Our hopes and dreams: We hope to continue to reach out into our community, to work alongside children and young people in schools and through holiday clubs and to grow deeper in our relationship with God.

Regular Activities

Sunday:        9,30am Prayer in Chapel
                       10.30am Morning Worship (Sunday School)
                        6.30am Evening Worship

Monday:        9.00am Bible Fellowship (1st and 3rd Mondays)
                       10.30am Prayer for Pilling (1st and 3rd Mondays)

Tuesday:      10.00am Manna, A time of guided reflection (2nd and 4th Tuesdays)

Wednesday: 6.30pm Beaver Scouts
                       6.30pm Cub Scouts
                       7.45pm Scouts

Thursday:    10.30am Coffee Morning

Friday:          10.00am Toddler Group (term time)
                       7.30pm Choir Fellowship

Saturday:      9.00am Prayer Breakfast (3rd Sunday)

Poulton Methodist Church

(membership 185)

Queensway, Poulton le Fylde, FY6 7ST.

Telephone: 01253 884937

Minister in Pastoral Charge and Lead Minister

Paul Critchley 01253 883736

Senior Steward: Mrs Barbara Banes

Website: https://poultonmethodistchurch.com

Our location:

Poulton-le-Fylde is a small, attractive and thriving market town steeped in history stretching back to early Roman times. Our church is close to the centre of town, opposite the Teanlowe Car Park.

Our congregation:

Our membership is skewed to older folk, but we have younger families. Sunday morning congregations are quite large, normally about 120+, with a Sunday workshop for our children and Lighthouse group for young people. Evening congregations are relatively small but larger for special services. Our uniformed organisation groups are very strong with approaching 150 children and young people. One of the aims of all-age worship being developed to engage children and young people, and their parents, more fully in worship.

Our buildings:

The church was built in the 1960’s to a bold design, with additions since then. A renewal programme five years ago resulted in much of the building, particularly the Sanctuary and Chapel, being renewed for the 21st century whilst maintaining the spirit of what was already there. The sanctuary and chapel are attractive and flexible spaces with excellent audio/visual facilities. Part of the programme involved the development of a coffee shop which is successful as a bridge into our community. A second phase of development is underway to enhance our community involvement, and provide better for our young and older people.

Our activities:

In addition to Sunday services, there are opportunities for people to meet, study and pray in a variety of midweek groups, some are on church premises while others are in homes. A short midweek service takes place once a month Recreation groups include badminton, indoor bowling, keep fit, tap dancing and fell walking. All in all, it is an active church. In all we do, on Sundays and through the week, we want to ensure that everyone who comes through the doors are welcomed and cared for. Our links with other churches: Our church is an active member of Churches Together in Poulton and Carleton and we are involved in all its activities and witness in our town. Joint services with St Chad’s C of E Church signify a particular link between us and our neighbouring Anglican church. Community links and Outreach: We are concerned with those around us and our community profile is strong. We have a well-established pre-school, a toddler group and a luncheon club for older people. Our buildings are widely used by our local community as a place for various support and other groups to meet, and the church resounds to the massed voices of Poulton People’s Choir as it practices on Wednesday evening. On Saturdays we are home to a Child Contact Centre. The Saturday coffee mornings, and the coffee shop open weekday mornings, provide important meeting point for church members and visitors. We are involved in supporting Vincent House (for homeless in Blackpool) and in Blackpool Comfort Zone. Further afield we have great concern for world needs with regular support for and direct involvement in a number of charities and situations. Our Mission 2014 group co-ordinates mission involvement. Hopes and dreams: Quite simply we want to be part of God’s Kingdom and respond to His calling day by day. Specifically we are seeking to extend and develop our work with children, young people and their families, and to extend engagement with our community and care for our older memebers. Our Phase 2 development programme is a response to asking the question what we should do to help us fulfil God’s mission through our buildings. We are hoping that in the 50th anniversary year of our church on Queensway will have completed at least some parts of our development programme. To underpin all we do, we seek to deepen our spirituality, discipleship and worship, diversifying our worship without losing a sense of true devotion.

Regular Activities:          

Sunday:      8.00am     Holy Communion (2nd Sunday)
               10.30am    Morning Worship
               6.30am     Evening Worship
Monday:     9.30am     Coffee Plus - Fairtrade Coffee Shop - open until 1.00pm
               10.30am    Women's recreation Group
               1.00pm     Indoor Bowling
               6.00pm     Rainbows
               6.15pm     Brownies
               8.00pm     Badminton
Tuesday:    9.30am      Coffee Plus - Fairtrade Shop - opening until 1.00pm
               2.15pm     Minister's Class (Fortnightly)
               6.00pm     Beaver Scouts
               6.00pm     Cub Scouts
               6.00pm     Beaver Scouts
               7.45pm     Focus (2nd Tuesday)
Wednesday: 9.30am     Coffee Plus – Fairtrade Coffee Shop – open until 1.00pm
               1.30am     Cameo (1st and 3rd Wednesdays)
Thursday:   10.30am    Coffee Morning
Friday:       10.00am    Toddler Group (term time)
               7.30pm     Choir Fellowship
Saturday:    9.00am     Prayer Breakfast (3rd Sunday)

Cleveleys Park Methodist Church

(membership 168)

West Drive, Thornton Cleveleys, FY5 2BL

Presbyter in Pastoral Charge and Lead Minister: Rev Ruth Simpson

Senior Steward:

Website: http://www.cleveleyspark.com

Our location:

Cleveleys Park Methodist Church is by the tram tracks at Cleveleys and within easy reach of the town centre. It serves a large residential area and is very close to a Church of England and a United Reformed Church and the Library.

Our congregation:

This is a large church of mainly retired people but with a few families in employment. Normally about 100 attend Sunday morning worship and 20-30 attend the evening service. Over 100 youngsters come into the premises during the week for different activities. Our Children’s Ministry Team works with youngsters on a Friday evening rather than on a Sunday and there are plans to expand this work. Sunday services are mainly traditional in style, but we are looking to develop a pattern of evening services of different styles – interactive, reflective etc. There is a regular pattern of communion services each month, including an early morning communion. Coffee mornings are held weekly, but once each month it is preceded by a short time of worship and reflection.

Our buildings:

Our premises range in age from 40 to 100 years and are quite extensive. The worship area will seat over 300. Other accommodation includes a comfortable lounge, meeting rooms and a hall with a functioning stage area that is used by the Church Drama Group. We have a well-equipped and well-used kitchen. The premises are well maintained and wheelchair accessible throughout. The building is well used by both church and community groups and provides space for people of all ages to gather for different activities including a Junior Chess Club, Scottish Dancing, an Alzheimer’s Support Group and the local Rotary Club.

Our activities:

Within the life of the Church we have a number of fellowship groups, some which meet in Church and some in members’ homes. We have an active Church Drama Group, which puts on two or three productions a year. In addition to the church coffee mornings there are frequent activities where we serve food, including a monthly church lunch. Recreational and social activities include a craft group, table tennis and snooker. Children’s work is headed up by the deacon and is primarily on Fridays. In the evening we work with primary-age children in a group called Rock Kids. It is Bible based and multi-faceted. We find this enables children to attend more regularly than on Sundays. Friday morning sees the younger part of the community - the toddlers – welcomed, along with their parents or carers. We also run an annual summer holiday club for primary-age children, where they explore faith and church through crafts, games and creativity.

Our links with other churches:

Churches Together in Cleveleys is active and organizes ecumenical study groups for Lent and outdoor services during the year to interact with the local community. On Monday mornings the local clergy meet for prayer at the Baptist Church.

Our community links and outreach:

Both the Deacon and Presbyter regularly lead assemblies in one of the local primary schools and they are helping the school to develop its spirituality programme. On a number of occasions during the year the school community comes into church for special acts of worship. Both ordained and lay Methodists are represented on the school’s governing body. We seek ways of encouraging community groups who use our building to think about their life, faith and relationship with Jesus. Several members of our congregation are involved in the Comfort Zone project (for homeless people) in Blackpool, and we also support local food banks. The Church is active in raising money for local charities including, currently, Homestart-Wyre and the training of Guide Dogs in Lancashire. Our hopes and dreams: We are beginning to develop a vision for the longer term future of our church. We hope to work through this during 2014/15 so that we have in place a 5-year vision for what shape we believe the church should be like in 2020 – 2020 vision. This will form the basis for strategic planning in coming years and, hopefully, give a sense of cohesive purpose across the Church and allow new members and future staff to see clearly the direction the church is moving under the guidance of God’s Spirit. One priority is to develop our work among children and their families, without neglecting the needs of the older members of the community.

Regular Activities

Sunday: 9.00am Holy Communion (2nd Sunday of each month)
10.45am Morning Worship
6.30pm Evening Worship

Monday: 7.30pm Wesley Guild

Tuesday: 2.30pm Church Bible Study
7.45pm The 745 Club

Wednesday: 9.30am Prayer Fellowship
10.00am Mid Week Worship (1st Wednesdays)
10.30am Coffee Morning
12.00pm Crafties
7.30pm Cleveleys Park Players

Thursday: 2.30pm Ladies Fellowship (September – April)
6.00pm Rainbows
6.00pm Brownies
7.30pm Guides

Friday: 10.00am CALOS Toddler Group
6.00pm Rock Kids

Saturday: 10.00am Coffee Morning