A year full of promise after church milestone

children over the past couple of years.

The Mothers’ Union provided refreshments and supported the clergy team at a service of Thanksgiving at which the altar frontal, made by the children and their parents, was placed on in establishing a church in the village.

After a suitable site was found villagers were canvassed for subscriptions and the foundation stone of the present church was laid in July 1814 by Joseph Thornton.

In 1815 on Christmas Day, at 6am the first service was a prayer meeting held in the main chapel building despite the building being far off completion. the nave altar.

Everyone enjoyed action songs and the children were filled with wonder as their baptism candles were lighted once more from the Easter Candle.

Almondbury St John’s Chapel, as it was known, fully opened on Whitsunday in 1816.

In 1960 the other Methodist Chapel in the village, Zion United Methodist Free Church, opened in 1853, merged with the larger church of Almondbury St John’s and this amalgamated church worshipped in St John’s Chapel until 1967 when it had to be demolished due to a bulging front wall.

The church services were transferred to the schoolroom while a new building was constructed. In 1967, on Christmas Day at 10am, a service was held in the shell of the new building, prior to the new chapel opening in September the following year.

Since the doors opened in 1968, regular worship and community activities have continued through the years.

In 1999 the church family reviewed their stewardship activities to help re-focus the work of the church for the 21st century.

The church embarked on a grand plan to redevelop the church buildings for the use of the wider village community.

Today the chapel and The Wesley Centre are open throughout the week for Sunday morning worship, luncheon groups such as The Wesley Centre Friendly Club and Open House, Zumba, Rainbows and other special events including concerts and well-known annual pantomime productions..