This weekend sees the culmination of many months of planning as Shildon Methodist Church celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the church building with a full weekend of events.
The weekend will begin with a special, invitation only, Preview Evening on Thursday, 8 October for representatives of businesses and individuals who have sponsored the weekend. Our local MP, Sam Rushworth, has accepted an invitation to be our special guest and open the event.
From Friday, 9 October the Golden Years Flower Festival will be open to everyone. Entry will be by programme at a cost of £2. Only 1 programme will be required for each couple/family group. There will be over 20 flower displays in both the church and hall. The Flower Festival will be open from 10.00am to 4.00pm on Friday and Saturday and from 12.00pm to 3.30pm on Sunday.
On Saturday, 10 October there will be our Blooming Bricks Lego Display by the Brick Alley Lego User Group in the hall from 10.00am to 4.00pm. Entry to the Lego display will be free of charge. There will be fabulous displays and an area for children, young people and adults to have a go at building some of their own creations.
On Sunday, 11 October, starting at 10.30am there will Celebratory Worship in the church led by the Chair of Darlington Methodist District, Revd Richard Andrew. Everyone is welcome to join us.
From 4.00pm on Sunday there will be a flower sale where people will have a chance to purchase flowers/displays.
Throughout the weekend there will be our church display of people and events connected with the church over the last 50 years, in the hall, where refreshments will also be on sale.
The history of Methodism in Shildon dates back to 18th century, with a huge growth of Primitive and Wesleyan Methodist chapels in the town in the 1800s. In 1932 the main Methodist groups in the UK came together to form the Methodist Church as we know it now. From the 1950s onwards there was a rationalisation of Methodist churches across the country as societies began to join together.
In 1970 discussions began about having one central church for Methodists in Shildon. On Whit Sunday 1973 the Methodists of Shildon became one society and started preparations for the new church. The building phase of the new church started in November 1975 with the stone laying ceremony taking place on 7 February 1976.
The church was formerly opened on 9 October 1976. The cost of the new church amounted to£50,000. But there was an army of volunteers from the church, youth club and the town. Their work is estimated to have saved £10,000.
The church has always been a centre for the community, for young and old. It had a thriving Sunday School, and senior and junior youth clubs through the 70s, 80s and 90s open to all young people in the town. For adults there were Women’s Fellowship, Homemakers, Men’s Fellowship, Bible Study Groups, Lunch Club, Miscellany Group and Church Choirs. We continue today with our Kurling Club, Crafty Chatty Café, weekly coffee mornings and monthly Men’s Group.
Our premises continue to provide a community base for non-Church groups; the office for Shildon Minibus Committee is housed on our premises, as are the weekly Shildon Baden Powell Scout Group and Bishop Auckland Choral Society. The premises are also available and used on an ad hoc basis by a variety of individuals and community groups.
The church has provided, and continues to provide, a spiritual centre through regular weekly worship, and offering a place for weddings, baptisms and funerals, as well as working with the other churches in the town through Shildon Churches United.
We hope to continue to be a spiritual and community base for the people of Shildon for many years to come. Come along this weekend and join our celebrations!
Shildon & District's local community newspaper.
