Minister in Charge	Rev Margaret Kennedy
Telephone No	as Circuit Plan
Service Times	9.00am, 10.00am & 6.00p.m.
Weekly Meetings	To Come

To Find WELHOLME ROAD on the Street Map Click Here

Methodist Recorder Article 21st Sept. 2000

THIS is the story of a congregation who are going back to go forward! They are going back into the building on Welholme Road in Grimsby they were forced to leave three-and-a-half years ago, after the premises were damaged by three arson attacks in three weeks. But life has gone on and they are moving into a new future, actively involved in developments within the circuit.

The congregation is aging and small and, because the premises were so badly damaged, had to decide whether it was worth spending a huge sum on restoration.

There were two significant factors which influenced their decision. They realised that the church stood in an area where it was the only Christian place of worship and also one of only two public buildings that could be used for community activity.

Three years on, the premises are different. The worship-only church is now a multipurpose hall and the old hall is now a much-needed car park. The congregation did nor want simply to restore what was there before, but to grasp the chance to re-equip the premises so that they are suitable for future mission.

It is an immense tribute to the commitment of this congregation that, throughout the period of disruption, numbers have not declined and they have managed to continue meeting, often on other premises and always with inconvenience and usually in a back room. Everyone is glad to be returning to some sort of normality.

At times, it would have been easier not to carry on. There is belief and reason to the hard work and commitment the congregation have shown. They believe that the rebuilt premises can become a focal point for the people living in the neighborhood, a place where Christ-like work goes on throughout the week. A place where there are not only those who have immediate association with the church but also through friendships and partnerships with groups in the community. A place where people discover self-worth, where hope is restored and friendships made. That is the vision for the coming years. The story is never over. A chapter has finished and a new one begun. We are not a preservation society, nostalgic for our bygones, but a pilgrim people being led by God into a new, exciting future.

In 1897, a group of Methodists felt called to build "the chapel on the hill" to help them in their mission to share the love of God with those around them. Just over 100 years later, the present congregation will mark a significant milestone in the life of this church as they celebrate the official reopening and rededication on October 7. The story will move on.- Andrew Parker