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Resolution 8 New Churches General Assembly receives the churches listed below as local churches and mission projects of the United Reformed Church. New Churches St John's, Fagley, Bradford Yorkshire 1.1 The twenty four and elderly members of an inner-city church considered their future. They had been in a Group but that had been dissolved, retaining 20% ministry in the person of Revd Howard Jones. They expressed deep concern about their ability to cope with the up-keep of their premises and to maintain a vital presence in the local neighbourhood. A decision was taken to be ambitious and seek ways to maintain a missionary presence, to heed the imperative of Jesus to serve homeless, lonely, disabled and disadvantaged people, parents and children. 1.2 They talked to the Newlands Partnership (Single Regeneration Budget), Housing Corporation, Local Authority, District and Synod for help with funding. They negotiated the sale of some land to Habinteg Housing Association who built four life-time houses and a bungalow constructed for a person with severe disabilities. They asked the local people what they needed and wished to see developed on the site. They demolished the old building and built a new modern church, designed as a resource for multiple uses. They now work hard to provide staff presence and to realise what began as a vision, one that excited and drew support from near and far. They are at the end of a new beginning. Elvetham Heath Local Ecumenical Partnership Wessex 1.1 The planning of the Elvetham Heath housing development led Churches Together in Fleet and Church Crookham in 1993 to begin to work towards creating 'The Church on the Heath' for the new community. Four denominations (Anglican, Methodist, Baptist, URC) signed a declaration of intent, formed a Local Ecumenical Partnership, and contributed money to buy one of the first houses built at Elvetham Heath for the church's minister. The church began meeting informally in September 2000 and was formally launched at its first service three months later. 1.2 The church is for everyone in the community and was established as a united Christian presence for the new development, blending the traditions of the partner denominations in both worship and church government. The church aims to share the good news of Christianity, to serve and build up the community and to help people grow as Christians. It has already grown from its 25-strong seeding group to a congregation of 80+ most Sundays. Three house groups meet weekly and there is a growing range of other activities, focussed around welcoming people to the area and attracting them to the church. 1.3 Working with the developers, a site has been set aside for a church building in the heart of the village centre. Meanwhile services are being held in the Community Centre, with other meetings at the Primary School and in homes. St Mary's Island, Chatham Maritime Southern 1.1 King Henry VIII founded a Royal Naval Dockyard at Chatham in North Kent. Over four hundred years it made substantial contributions to the defence of the realm and to the local economy. With the ending of the Cold War, a defence review led to its closure and to debates about how best to use vast areas of derelict land. 1.2 A distinct area of nearly a square mile, known as St Mary's Island, was designated for residential development and cleared of all buildings. Local churches realised an opportunity would soon appear and began preparations to plant an ecumenical church. In November 1995 the first act of worship of a 'Church in Waiting' was held on a boat moored alongside the deserted Island. 1.3 Numerous changes of development plans extended the wait. However, by 1998 house building was proceeding apace and the doctors' surgery hosted monthly prayer meetings. Occasional outdoor worship and social events expressed a Christian concern for the new community. Once the Church of England primary school opened, its hall provided the one substantial community facility on the Island and in January 2000 regular Sunday morning services began there. 1.4 With oversight from clergy on the 'mainland', the day-to-day leadership of St Mary's Island Church is provided by a team of three lay people: one Anglican, one URC and one Baptist. Links with the school are warm and fruitful and a typical Sunday congregation includes 25 adults and eight children, the majority of whom live on the island. 1.5 Following a full discussion at a congregational meeting in October 2001, the Church requested recognition as a local congregation of the United Reformed Church. It is hoped a formal LEP Constitution will be ratified during 2002. Resolution 9 Closure of Local Churches General Assembly receives notice of the closure of the local churches listed below and gives thanks to God for their worship, witness, and service throughout their history. Closure of Local Churches
1.1 About 1820, two sisters began to hold cottage services around Rostherne in Cheshire. As congregations grew, a disused stable was used, a Congregational Church established, and a chapel built in 1835. Between 1839 and 1844, the minister of Altrincham and Bowdon supplied Bucklow Hill on Sunday afternoons and Thursday evenings. The church was strong enough to call a minister between 1863 and 1882, but over much of its life had to rely on supply, shared ministry or student pastors. 1.2 The congregation became part of the URC in 1972 and enjoyed the varied services of student ministers training at the College in Manchester. The church was grouped at various times with Lymm and Knutsford until 1994 when it united with Woodlands URC to become one church in two places. With a membership of four, the decision was made to close the church building. The church lives in the community of Bucklow Hill through the witness of the members. 1.1 In 1798, dissenters built a small chapel beside the road from Rossendale to Bury, Lancashire. A gathered congregation became established, and maintained a noble witness for two centuries although detached from local population centres. A school house was added and on the centenary in 1898 a new church was built. The church was well attended until after the Second World War, people keeping contact even when they moved from the area. For many years, a diminished congregation maintained loyalty and commitment to its church, though the Sunday school lost attendance and its building was demolished. The church joined the Bury North Pastorate with Greenmount and Dundee church in Ramsbottom. Eventually after much consideration, the decision was made that the church should close and the nineteen members joined either Greenmount or Dundee churches. Park church closed on 17 June 2001 Walton Trinity, Liverpool District
1.1 The story of the Church begins in 1881, when the first services were held in the Walton Institute. In 1883 a temporary church, the Iron Church, with a corrugated iron roof, was built. It could seat 300 people. The Church Hall was opened in 1896, and the Iron Church was replaced by a permanent building, dedicated on 24 April 1898. This completed the building scheme. The building did not survive the Second World War, but in 1965 the present church was dedicated on the foundations of the old. Due to a declining and ageing congregation, the decision was reluctantly taken to close the Church, and a final service of thanksgiving was held on 23rd September 2001. 1.1 The Church was formed in 1823 by five men and three women. It was originally a mission station of the Reformed Presbyterian Synod of Ireland. After turning to Scotland to seek a minister in 1851 the congregation became part of the Glasgow Presbytery of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland. It became part of the Presbyterian Church of England in 1876. Its original premises were in Shaw Street in the heart of Liverpool. The Presbytery of Liverpool began their new cause on a housing estate in Norris Green in 1931. The minister (Revd Gordon MacLeod, father of Alan MacLeod, Principal of Westminster College) and the congregation were invited to transfer their work and worship to the new Church which became known as Rankin Memorial Church, after a benefactor, John Rankin. 1.2 Although twice damaged by bombs during the Second World War, the Church recovered and prospered with good membership and thriving youth work. In 1949 it became the first experiment of a 'Home Mission Board Charge'. In 1961 the Revd Ella Gordon, the first woman minister of the Presbyterian Church of England, became the minister of Rankin Memorial. Over the years the Church became more and more subject to vandalism. During the 1970's the original church was pulled down, part of the site sold, and the hall made into a church. In 1972 the congregation became part of the United Reformed Church at its formation. Although the Church maintained a faithful witness, vandalism increased, membership declined through death and members moving away. The decision to close was made in November 2001 and the closing service was on Sunday March 17th 2002 - St Patrick's Day - an apt choice for a congregation that was started by Irish Reformed Presbyterians. Armitage, Staffordshire
1.1 Congregational services commenced in a private house in 1811 at Armitage, near Stafford, but in 1820 a local Congregationalist, Thomas Birch, established the church in its present buildings. A schoolroom was added later in the century. The founder of the Armitage Pottery, the Revd Edward Johns, gave later support and continued to be involved in the church until his death in 1893. 1.2 Over the years, a few faithful families kept this village church going and its Friendship Hour attracted members from all the churches in the vicinity, as well as some who did not attend any church. In recent years, the Methodist minister from St Paul's Church, Rugeley and Handsacre, has had care of the fellowship. The Chapel, which was recently Listed, has its own graveyard, and it was a particularly difficult decision to cease using it for worship. However, in spite of fund raising activities, including Songs of Praise services and organ recitals, the congregation had struggled for some years to meet its financial commitments and maintain the building. Following repeated outbreaks of dry rot, and with dwindling numbers, in March 2001 the congregation reluctantly decided to close. The last service was held on 27 May, and a Thanksgiving Service held on 15 June. Hundon Chapel (West Suffolk
Group) 1.1 Following the great spiritual revival in the beginning of the nineteenth century when most villages were self-contained there began a need for independent worship. Due to the high church practice in the parish church those who had seceded from the established church found themselves having to travel to other villages to attend non-conformist worship. It was decided, by the villagers, to build a chapel of their own. This was done in 1846 at a cost of £450. No exact numbers are available for the membership but there are records of many baptisms and weddings. Such were the numbers attending that in 1860 a gallery and vestry were added to the chapel. From 1912 onward the old revival spirit had faded and the numbers reduced. The costs of maintenance of the building and ministry were onerous and the chapel began to decline. The membership at this time stood at 31. During the 1930s there was a brief revival under the leadership of Revd Jubb and membership numbers rose to over 40. During World War II the chapel remained open but did not have a minister. In 1947 Revd V Sheldrick, minister Stansfield Congregational Church, took pastoral oversight and there was a thriving Sunday School with over 40 scholars under the leadership of Mrs E Pryke. Sisterhood meetings were held on a Thursday afternoon. Adult membership continued to decline and stood at 12 in 1951. During the 1970s membership was so low that worship was only held every fortnight, the Chapel joined the URC at the time of the 1972 Union. In the 1980s Revd David Deans was appointed to the 'villages' pastorate within the West Suffolk Group and this produced a short-lived revival. This ministry coincided with the appointment of Father Jeremy Cooper as Rector to the parish. Although of high church persuasion Father Jeremy was determined that the village should have an alternative to his style of churchmanship. Now there was a new air as Church and Chapel worked together in the village and combined Bible Study and Fellowship meetings took place. Anglican duties permitting Father Jeremy was regularly in worship. By 1999 the membership had declined to 7 members and taking into account the age and health of the Fellowship it was decided, with great heartache and soul searching to close the Chapel. A final service of thanksgiving was held on Sunday 25 July 1999. We give thanks to God for all that the Chapel has achieved in the 153 years of its existence. Marldon (Chapel on the Hill) Paignton South Western 1.1 Although no written records have been found regarding the formation of the group that founded the chapel, it is believed that they started to meet at a local farm (Peters Farm) in 1841. In 1864 the site was 'conveyed' by Mr George Mortimore to the Reverend J A Coombs. At this time the Chapel was linked to the Abbey Road Chapel in Torquay. 1.2 Lack of past records has made it difficult to plot the progress of the chapel, but it is known that at the beginning of the Second World War, the minister was called up, members left to do their war service and the Chapel was commandeered by the County Council for use as a day school. A caretaker was employed to clean daily for 2 shillings per week. 1.3 Like many small chapels it is often one or two individuals that are the mainstay of the fellowship, the late Gladys Parsons was the one in this case. She ran the Sunday School before and after she did her war service, and was still a regular attender in 1993. 1.4 Abbey Road Chapel had been declared unsafe and Marldon was linked with Furrough Cross URC at Babbacombe. 1.5 Over the past 5 years the congregation had become smaller, the chapel was isolated at one end of the village, outreach to the new housing developments had not been fruitful and the building had a number of problems that were going to be expensive to put right. Following several visits by the district pastoral committee, the congregation recognised their situation but felt unable to pass a resolution to close, because of promises made to past members. The present minister drew up an alternative resolution that devolved responsibility for the future of the chapel to the district, which was accepted and passed by the 4 active members of the congregation. The Torbay District passed a resolution that the chapel should close. The closure service was held on December l9th 2001 in the form of a service of thanksgiving for the life and witness of the chapel coupled with Carols by Candlelight. 1.1 The witness at Wylye was started in 1817 by a resolution of the chapel in Codford, a village some 4 miles up the Wylye valley, who agreed that 'a supply be obtained for the Lord's Day evening of the first Sabbath in the month that our minister might preach that evening at Wily'. By 1827 there were enough members 'to rent a building at Wiley and fit it up for the worship of God'. In 1854 Sunday and Weekday schools were opened, attended by about forty children. The day school ran until 1882. 1.2 After difficulties with the Lord of the Manor, a site was sought for a new chapel and this was opened on 11 October 1860. At the time of its centenary in 1960 there were just 8 members and 2 associate members. 1.3 For the last few years the church has been part of the South Wilts pastorate, and for the two Sunday afternoon services held each month the Wylye congregation was joined by members of the other three churches in the pastorate. However the building was showing signs of its age and so a decision was taken by the three remaining members to hold the last service at Easter 2001. Trinity Church, Yateley Wessex 1.1 The roots of Trinity go back to the mission programme of Camberley URC in 1984/5 under the ministry of the Revd Graham Long. There was a vision to have a committed church plant in Yateley to cater for the increasing number of URC folk living there. 'The URC Fellowship in Yateley' held its first service in September 1985 in the village hall. By the beginning of 1987 they had been joined by the Methodists with the intention of forming a united church in Yateley. On Pentecost Sunday 1987 Trinity Church Yateley (URC and Methodist) was formed. Ministerial oversight was provided from both sides. 1.2 House groups followed together with music and drama groups, Alpha courses, etc. All went well and there was significant impact on children and young people and families who came through in the early days. However, the lack of proper church premises, and having to use an increasingly pressured village hall became a problem. Yet there was an active group of around thirty and the church acted as an ecumenical catalyst. 1.3 However, the village church scene gradually changed. The local Anglican church was very large and active with cell churches. It met the needs of people of all ages, especially newcomers with young families. Thus the need for a free church presence was no longer as critical as it had been earlier. At Trinity various problems surfaced, enthusiasm waned, and on Pentecost Sunday 2001 the church closed. Pastoral care continued, to ensure that all connected with the fellowship found a new spiritual home, a number being welcomed into nearby Sandhurst Methodist Church. 1.1 Following months of discussion, and inspired by the leadership of Revd George Oliver Frost of Horsham Congregational Church, a chapel was opened and dedicated for worship on November 16th 1893 in the village parish of Maplehurst, Sussex. The accounts show that the purchase of the land with three cottages, the building work to the chapel and the arrangement for the opening day cost the church £572.10.6. The Chapel became a centre for worship in the village and there were times when the 100 chairs that were bought for the chapel were insufficient for the congregation. 1.2 Times change, however, and few residents of Maplehurst village now work locally. During the 1960s and 1970s a devoted and committed congregation met at the chapel and regularly issued invitations to residents to join them in special Christmas and other services. In the 1980s it was becoming increasingly difficult to encourage local people to attend the chapel and the congregation of 10 or so found, even with the help of Horsham, that they were unable to witness in the way that they felt was needed. There have been two rural missions, a special celebration in 1993 of the 100th anniversary and many other, smaller, initiatives but eventually it was decided that the resources of Horsham and the, now small, congregation should be diverted to Slinfold which is in the centre of an expanding village. The chapel was closed with a special weekend of celebration in September 2001. Representatives from Southern Province, Croydon District, members from Horsham and Slinfold and some local people attended. 1.3 Slinfold Chapel was also opened during the time of Revd George Oliver Frost and it is our hope that, with Maplehurst chapel now closed, the work at Slinfold will become a new focus for those who have served with such commitment at Maplehurst. Mount Pisgah, Parkmill, Swansea Wales 1.1 Mount Pisgah Chapel, Parkmill, was built in 1822 at the expense of Lady Diana Barham, the well known benefactress of the evangelical movement, who came to live in the area in 1813. She helped to found several religious communities in the Gower peninsular and built six chapels, four independent, of which this is one. An English Congregational Church, Mount Pisgah was one of a group of five chapels in the Gower group of the Glamorganshire Congregational Union by 1848. The Church has a history of service to the community. Sadly, by 2000 only a few elderly members remained and found the burden of a listed building in need of costly repair work too great. The Church closed in the summer of 2001. We give thanks for the work and witness of Mount PisgahÕs members over 180 years. Pontycymmer
1.1 Before 1870, the Garw valley, north of Bridgend in South Wales, was an isolated & peaceful agricultural valley, virtually untouched by the ravages of the industrial revolution. By 1900, however, the valley was one of the busiest coal-producing areas in Wales, with five collieries employing 3000 miners. The unrelenting influx of immigrants into the valley led to an explosive rate of development; housing, schools, shops and other facilities mushroomed within a very short time. The first chapel to be built in the valley was the Tylagwyn Baptist Chapel in 1831. There were 29 Baptists in the valley. By 1904 the number had reached 1,100. This increase was similar with the other denominations, resulting in the construction of imposing, spacious chapels and churches throughout the valley. By 1888, 14 places of worship had been constructed with the colliery managers generally being the deacons of their respective chapels or churches and with the buildings themselves being erected by the congregations. 1.2 Tabernacle Chapel, Pontycymmer, was one of the largest and most influential of the valley chapels. In response to the increasing number of English nonconformists who were moving into the valley, the Welsh Congregationalists of Tabernacle decided to help create a separate English church. The new English Congregationalist Church was built in the same street, one block away, and was opened in 1893. In 1972, the 'English Cong' became Pontycymmer URC. 1.3 The gradual decline, and then death, of the coal industry in the mid-20th century led to an exodus of young people from the valley. As the younger element moved out, an ageing community stayed on. 1.4 For a long time, Pontycymmer URC thrived as a bustling, active local church, deeply integrated into the community it served. Up until 1990, the Church continued to play a significant role in the valley, especially because of its ecumenical initiatives and successful work with children and young people. But as in so many other valley chapels, a declining and ageing membership, and the inability to maintain a crumbling, listed building all became too much. The Church Meeting of 17 October 2001 unanimously voted to inform the South Wales District Council that they could no longer carry the heavy responsibility of maintaining their buildings, and so with heavy hearts, felt they had no choice but to close. 1.5 We give thanks for over 100 years of worship and witness at Pontycymmer.
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Closure of local churches
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