Buxton Methodist Church (The Church in the Market Place)
Our Church is a busy place.
When the future of the church was discussed in the 1980's, a deliberate decision was made to maintain a presence in the centre of town and establish it as a resource for all the community to use. This has been achieved.
Many people enter the premises through the week and there are activities taking place on every day of the week. The building and rooms have all been modernised with up to date facilities. In the past year a new heating system has been installed throughout the premises and the worship area has been fitted with a large back projection screen and projector, for use with either a laptop computer or DVD player.
But it is people that make a church. Buxton Methodist Church has a justified reputation for being an open, friendly, welcoming church.
The church community meets for worship on Sunday morning for its main service, and we are usually pleased to welcome a number of visitors to the town. There is a regular attendance of about 80, including a choir and organists. For special services, attendance is considerably higher (up to 250). The church includes talented musicians and has a strong musical tradition. There are smaller services on Sunday evenings and a communion service on Tuesday mornings.
The latter coincides with the Tuesday morning cafe. Many people who are not regular members of the congregation come to the cafe on Tuesday and Saturday mornings. It is a social focal point for many, and an opportunity to meet members of the church who are busily running the cafes. The same can be said of the highly esteemed Luncheon Club on Wednesday which makes full use of the modern kitchen. We have achieved status as a Fairtrade Church and actively support Christian Aid.
Some members are active within our three house-groups, meeting regularly to a pre-planned programme of study and reflection, while the afternoon Network meeting also has many regular attendees from outside the Methodist worshipping community. We make a positive input to the work of Churches Together in Buxton
The very active lay worker and his helpers further extend the church activities - Sunday Club, Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Stepping Stones, 11 Up, Edward Bear, Talk FX (based on Sunday evenings in the upstairs room of a local Chinese Restaurant) and Parents and Toddlers.
The church hosts numerous organisations in the town. It is a base for the University of the Third Age, Junior Strings, Buxton Musical Society, Buxton Field Club, and is a meeting place for many other groups. There is a heavy lettings programme. The meeting rooms are hired by local government and non governmental voluntary organisations. There are many concerts through the year, including at the time of the Buxton Festival.
Such heavy use necessitates organisation. There is a Circuit Secretary and a Lettings Secretary and two caretakers (all part-time).There are many volunteers helping to run all the activities.
All of this has a purpose. As was originally proposed it is to be a witness to the work of God in the modern world. To achieve this, the heart of the church needs to beat strongly. Buxton Methodist Church does not consider itself to be alone in this but works hard with other Methodist churches in the circuit and also works warmly with other branches of Christian denominations in the town.
Our aim was, and remains, to be "The Church in the Market Place". We constantly strive to fulfil our role, as Christians, in our town and in the wider world.
More details :
Our Charity Commission Return for 2010, which can be found at the link here
Our Church website which can be found here
A pictorial presentation can be found by clicking on the image immediately below.
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