LITTLE NESTON METHODIST CHURCH
Celebrating 150 years in the Community
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A Very Happy Spring to Everyone
WHY WE ARE HERE
We are here as the Family of the Little Neston Methodist Church to worship Jesus as Lord, to encourage each other in our fellowship, and to serve others in His name.
1. To spread the Good News of Jesus Christ in the neighbourhood.
2. To foster a deeper awareness of Him through worship and the nurture of faith within the church's fellowship.
3. To support activities that serve the wider community.
1. Encouraging a deeper level of spirituality and commitment.
2. Nurturing faith among children and young people.
3. Increasing our level of outreach within the local community and the world.
4. Increasing our contacts with the various groups that comprise our church community.
5. To address the imbalance in ages, across the spectrum of membership.
There is a lot going on in the Chapel and not just on Sundays. Here is a run down on some of the meetings and services. SUNDAYS Services at 10.30 a.m. in conjunction with other churches in the group (the group comprises Little Neston, Neston, Willaston and Heswall Methodist churches). Holy Communion is held in the church once a month in the morning.
There is a Prayer Meeting every Tuesday morning at 10.00 a.m.which is followed by a Open Doors Coffee Morning at 11.00 a.m.There is a Knit and Natter group which meets in the church hall, on the 1st & 3rd Tuesday afternoon between 1.30 and 3.30 p.m. as the name implies, to knit and to teach people the intricacies of knitting if they don't know, to talk and to knit for charity. In order to encourage a younger congregation we have a Lego church on Thursdays at 3.15 p.m. to coincide with local school leaving times. The sessions are very encouraging, some 25 children attend along with mums, dads, carers and grandparents, the children are excited to see all the Lego laid out for them. After the Lego building session in the church hall the children and adults go into the church for Bible stories illustrated with the characters made out of Lego and portrayed on the overhead projector.There is tea or coffee provided for the adults and juices for the children.
Great Opportunities: Little Neston has always had a focus on mission: to reach out with the Gospel of Jesus to our community. Traditionally we have done so through special events, coffee mornings, luncheon club and the regular worship services of the church.
New circumstances often offer new opportunities, and this has proven to be the case. Our Podcast-team has produced a weekly devotion throughout the year. This was originally aimed at our own friends and members, but it soon became evident that we were reaching a much wider community particularly through our Facebook page.
Each week’s podcast includes prayer, a lectionary Bible reading, intercessions and thoughts based on the reading concluding with a blessing.
We have had a wonderful response from people all over the North West of England and the Little Neston Podcast now reaches between 5 and 10,000 people a week with over 1,000 people watching it all the way through. The feedback also indicates that it is being watched by people from 18 to 80+.All this is very encouraging. We intend to hold a “Come and say hello” coffee morning and invite our on-line congregation. We have no idea what the response will be, but we intend to step out in faith.
Thanks to those who have contributed to the Podcast over the year with prayers and readings and a special thanks to Mike Halliday for his wonderful support and prayers.
Mark Thomas (Easter 2021)
The church is conscious of the fact that it is part of the community and the church hall is also available for bookings for parties, and community groups etc., a U3A Table Tennis session is held in the church hall, also as a community service a luncheon club for the elderly is in operation. The church has been blessed over the last few years that we don't have to run to stand still like so many churches, being able to dedicate fund raising to outside projects, for this we give due thanks and praise to our Lord and Saviour. Mission is close to our hearts and the World Mission Services are well supported. We have a weekly newsheet to keep all the events and meetings at the forefront of everyones minds and a 20 or 30 page Newsletter at Christmas and Easter which is well furnished with contributions from members and friends. A copy of the monthly noticesheet is available to view in pdf format, please click noticesheet and follow link.
Before the pandemic encouragingly there were more outside activities using the Church premises, which gives us a better sense of community.
The Church history was first published for the Centenary of the Church and our historian and church member Edward Hilditch updated it for the 125th Anniversary. The Church was built in 1872 as a Primitive Methodist Chapel. Records show that the church buildings and furnishings cost £645, considered a large sum in those days when the average farm worker's wage was just £39 per annum. New Sunday School extensions were completed in 1961 to cope with the influx of children as the area became a mixture of farming community and burgeoning dormitory town with the advent of commuting from the connurbations of Liverpool, Birkenhead and Chester. The Sunday School was further extended in 1971 as numbers rose still further.
John Wesley was a frequent visitor to Neston and sailed from Parkgate which was an embarkation port on the River Dee for crossings to Ireland. Little Neston Church later acquired the Communion Cup and Plate used by John Wesley when he preached in the Wesleyan Chapel on the road to Parkgate. The other Methodist church in Neston, Neston Methodist Church is situated near the Town centre closeby. The 125th Church Anniversary was celebrated in 1997.
Current membership stands at about 40 with younger people,marrieds, middle aged and senior citizens all represented.
Minister - Reverend Heather Cooper who is also Circuit Superintendant. Ably assisted by Pastor Mark Thomas who is pictured right.
Location: Click here for an interactive Google Map
Hire of hall with kitchen - Ed 0151 336 4510
Weddings, baptisms and Funeral Services contact the minister direct. e.mail - revheathercooper@wirralmethodist.org.uk
General enquiries e.mail - peterronwright@gmail.com
Banner made by Church member and Church interior
Neston and District Christian Aid’s annual sponsored walk 2023 was on Saturday 30th September Walkers set off from the URC Hall at 9 a.m., This was a successful & enjoyable event. Thanks to the 40 walkers and their generous sponsors, £2,353 was raised. Thanks to the walkers from Little Neston Methodist Church: Hazel & Gillian Blundell, Viv & Dave Briney, Brenda Cunnington, Ed & Catherine Hilditch, Eileen & Rob Ward, Lyn Worrall, and Peter Wright, who raised £541. Walkers from Willaston also took part, Margaret Heibel & Cheryl Ellis did the catering at the church and halfway.. It was also a celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Wirral Way. The first sponsored walk took place in 1972 before the Wirral Way’s official opening in 1973 and became an annual 12 mile walk to Thurstaston and back. For many years this was organised by Ken Hulme, who was Director of Ness Gardens. The present walk is a five-mile walk along the Wirral Way to Gayton, and back along the Dee coastal path. A shorter two-mile walk is taken by some walkers.
.It was also a celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Wirral Way. The first sponsored walk took place in 1972 before the Wirral Way’s official opening in 1973 and became an annual 12 mile walk to Thurstaston and back. For many years this was organised by Ken Hulme, who was Director of Ness Gardens. The present walk is a five-mile walk along the Wirral Way to Gayton, and back along the Dee coastal path. A shorter two-mile walk is taken by some walkers.
The photo below shows Gill Hilditch, with five-month-old daughter Catherine, doing the first walk in 1972, photo by Ed Hilditch, who recalls that people helped Gill lift the pram over stiles.
During Christian Aid Week in May the Neston & District Christian Aid Group raised over £2,300. In addition, they raised over £3,460 for the Ukraine Appeal. Secretary Lynne Vaughan said, ‘This is an excellent total, given the difficulties caused by Covid.’
On December 15th, we will be collecting for Christian Aid at Gordale Garden Centre, organised by Margaret Heibel, who said ‘We are most grateful to Gordale for letting us collect again, and to their customers, who are always very generous.’ Christian Aid are highlighting Malawi, where families are facing a fight for survival due to crop devastation, caused by the climate crisis. On December 17th, we will have a bucket collection in Neston Market Square (not in Sainsbury’s as in previous years). Volunteers to help with these collections would be most welcome – please tell Margaret Heibel or Eileen Ward.
The photo, by Brenda Marple, shows some of the walkers about to set off on the sponsored walk, encouraged by the Mayor of Neston (Cllr Pat Kynaston) and Cheshire West & Chester Councillors Louise Gittins, Martin Barker and Keith Millar.
The Harvest Festival was held on 24th September this was followed by Harvest Lunch many thanks for the ladies who provided the Lunch and served it to everyone and was very well received the Service was led by our Superintendant Minister Rev Heather Cooper who along with Pastor Mark Thomas gave thanks for the meal.
On the 3rd December we held our Advent Service which was followed by Advent Lunch again provided and served by the ladies. The service was led by Pastor Mark Thomas offering
envelopes were given out for a collection for the Charles Thompson Mission in Birkenhead they prefer this so they can buy appropiate toys for their children which can be age appropriate.
Open The Book: We have taken three exciting assemblies into Neston and Woodfall Primary Schools so far this year.
Our theme this term has been, the start of Jesus’s ministry with the calling of the disciples followed by two notable examples of his healing power with “down through the roof” and “the centurion’s servant”. We have great fun acting out the stories and getting the children involved as much as possible. Each story is followed by a time of refection whereby we help the children apply the story to their own lived experience. We conclude by inviting the children to join in a short prayer.
We always have a song, some of which are well known to the children and others new. There is always a great deal of excitement when we arrive and we ask that you remember this important work in your prayers. The fact that the schools are open to us is something that we should not take for granted. Mark
The Advent Mince Pie and Coffee Morning was held on Saturday 9th December and was well attended we were served with coffee/tea and mince pies there were various stalls which were well patronised by the visitors the event was free but donations were welcome and people gave generously
150th Anniversary Celebrations A Church for 150 years
If our church buildings could talk what tales they would have to tell. Tales of the joy of new life begun, and tales of sorrowful farewells to beloved friends and family. Tales of war and peace, of loss and blessings. Tales of quiet faith joyful praise and the faithful preaching of God’s Gospel of Love and Grace. All these memories focus on a community of people rather than the building itself. The New Testament teaches us that people united in a common faith are the true church and that the buildings are but the framework in which we meet.
We thank God for our chapel, our sacred space which provides a physical reminder to our community that the true church lives in our community. We give thanks to those Methodist believers of the 19th Century who had the vision for building a chapel for the preaching of God’s Word in Little Neston. The Apostle Paul gives us two pictures of the church; one of it being a living body made up of many different members with different gifts; and the other being a building made up of “living stones”, a dwelling place for God in the Spirit
We give thanks for all those who have made up this dynamic, living ever changing “Body of Christ”. We give thanks for those who have departed to be with our Saviour, and we give thanks to those whom God adds to our number year by year, to keep the flame of God’s Spirit shining bright in Little Neston. The Apostle Paul gives us two pictures of the church; one of it being a living body made up of many different members with different gifts; and the other being a building made up of “living stones”, a dwelling place for God in the Spirit
May God richly bless you with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places this year. Mark Thomas (Pastor: Little Neston Methodist Church)
Next year is the 150th Anniversary of our church building. The memorial stone above the former fireplace is dated 2nd January 1872. Many buildings have foundation stones but why does Little Neston have a memorial stone? Does this mean a lot of work had been completed by January 1872 or was it a deliberate decision to have an inscription above the fireplace? We will not know the answer to this question but circuit records give us an insight into what was happening in Little Neston in 1872.
Little Neston was part of the Chester George Street Primitive Methodist Circuit and the circuit minute book has survived. The Rev William Hall was the superintendent minister.
18th August 1871 ‘That Brothers Hall and Postlethwaite be a deputation from this meeting to Little Neston to investigates affairs of the society and have power to reorganise the Society and Sunday School and report thereon to the next committee for confirmation or otherwise.’They would have found the society was meeting at the home of Mrs and Mrs Mealor in Ness. It must have been very crowded as their cottage was not very large. The deputation worked quickly and the record of the meeting a week later on August 25th dealt with provisions for a Sunday School and trustees for the new Chapel. Resolution 7 stated ‘that Brother W Hall employ Edward Whitely esquire of Liverpool to make deeds of Little Neston Chapel forthwith.’ The resolution 8 meeting held on October 6th 1871 recorded ‘that the application to district building committee for building at Little Neston be signed by the President and Secretary.
Work started straightaway as the first item of the expenditure side of the accounts is:-‘October 1871 to April 1872 Joseph Taylor Williams and others for building the Chapel and School Room including getting stone. £ 189 19s 5d.
On the income side of the accounts there is the entry, ‘January 2nd 1872
Collection at foundation stone, £5 7s 6d proceeds of tea 7s 1d and captain Ward’s donation £20.
As they had a tea meeting where did they meet? Was it in a partly completed building which would not be very easy in January? They could have met in the village Institute which was round the corner. Modern houses facing The Green are now on the site.
What is remarkable is that the church was built so quickly and there was very little delay in getting on with the work after the Circuit meeting decided to go ahead in August 1871.
We owe a great deal to those who planned and worked on the building of the church building. They built a physical building as well as a Christian community. Our job today is to continue to build up the Christian community in Little Neston as we look to the future. EdLetter from the Minister
Dear Friends:
Happy Birthday Little Neston Methodist Church.
Over my years of ministry I have been privileged to share in many Church anniversaries, some of them special numbers. These have ranged from a 25 year anniversary to a 200 year anniversary.
There is something special about such celebrations. For a Church it’s a reminder of faith and vision in those who built the churches first.
It’s a reminder of the sacrifices made to enable the churches to be built. Churches have a life cycle and, as in most lives, there are highs and lows.
The mark of a living, God- centred Church is how it responds to the lows. We have, and still are, living in a pandemic. Our forebears lived through 2 world wars. In the midst of this Little Neston thrives because God remains at its heart.
As long as we are faithful we will thrive and we will continue to enable others to meet Jesus Christ. This is our calling and our reason for being.
I count it a privilege to serve as your minister at the time of this anniversary and pray that this Church will remain a faithful witness to the Gospel for another 150 years. My love and prayers. Heather
Minister Heather cutting the Anniversary Cake after the commemorative service Sunday 2nd January 2022 exactly 150 years to the day when the memorial stone was laid on 2nd January 1872 the second picture shows half the congregation, the other half were in the other part of the church hall because of covid restrictions.`
As part of our 150th Anniversary programme this year we held an Easter Coffee Morning, first picture shows some of the attendees enjoying their coffee and hot cross buns the other shows an exhibition of
activities within the church family. There was a steady flow of guests thoughout the morning, numbers were down a bit because of circumstances, covid etc. this year. However everyone enjoyed themselves.
Tree planting
In January this year Gill put forward a number of ideas to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the building of the church in 1872. One idea was to plant two trees, one for the Church Anniversary and the other for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. There was nowhere on the church property to plant them but the land at the side is appropriate. This land is owned by the Cheshire West and Chester Council and we are grateful to Councillor Louise Gitttins for helping to arrange for us to have permission to plant the trees there.
We asked Peter Cunnington for his advice on which trees would be most suitable for the site. Following his advice, we planted a Himalayan Birch tree and a Sorbus Vilmornii. The birch tree will have yellow brown catkins in the spring and the dark green leaves turn yellow
in the autumn. The Sorbus will have clusters of white flowers in late spring followed by dark red berries. These will complement the trees already on the site to give interest for more of the year. Peter planted the trees on the Saturday afternoon and we are very grateful for all his help.After morning service on November 20th, we gathered outside and Mark led a short service of dedication which included mention of the tree of life from Revelation Chapter 22 verses 2-3. The formal planting was done by Louise and Ed as shown in the photograp
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