Bid to bring chapel back to life by ministry

LEADERS of a community church want to relocate the ministry from a school hall to a former Weslyan chapel.

A planning submission has been made by Trinity Ministries Hinckley to return the old Methodist Hall on Stockwell Head to a place of worship.

Most recently used as a photographic studio with offices in the modern extension the original building is thought to date back to the 1780s and is famed for having welcomed theologian John Wesley himself as a preacher.

If Hinckley and Bosworth Borough planning councillors agree the chapel will again ring to voices raised in prayer.

The applicants state: “The chapel has been much changed over time but is an important heritage building where John Wesley is known to have preached. The modern extension is around 30 years old. The building has had multiple and various uses over time.

“We are applying to return the chapel to its original use as a place of worship, with rooms and offices.

“Respecting its setting and character the appearance of the building would be retained. Partition walls would be removed from the ground floor to return the space to one room in keeping with its heritage.

“Partition walls may be moved on the first floor. Signage would reflect the importance of the building in the conservation area. Access would remain as it is. The building has sufficient modern utilities, including toilets, kitchen, central heating, mains water and drainage.

“The extension is currently a suite of rooms and offices with toilets. We would continue this use for church and community use and fit a small kitchen for refreshments.”

Plans are to open the church for worship on Sunday mornings from 10.30am to 12.30pm and later from 3.30pm to 6.30pm as well as provide for children and youth groups after school and during the early evening.

During the day the chapel might host meetings for prayer, worship, evangelism, discipleship and bible study, craft evenings, open mic events and other community activities may form part of the calendar with rooms for hire to the wider population.

The seven current car parking spaces would remain.

Trinity Community Church (TCC) started out as a small group of people sent out from Holy Trinity Church in Hinckley to spread the word about Jesus, particularly embracing those who felt church worship was not for them.

It began with 15 adults and their children in a house in Hinckley in 2010. The first three years saw steady growth in numbers and a stream of new believers.

By 2013 TCC had become an independent church. It currently meets at Richmond Primary School.