Willersey Methodist Church

Methodist Church in the Village of Willersey


Our Methodist Church is open every Sunday morning at 10:30am for a service and also on Fridays at 10:30am for our Sit/Knit/Sew/Coffee/Chat. Everyone is welcome you don't have to have a ticket, nor sign in!

Willersey Methodist Church is at the right hand side on top green as you come into the village from Broadway.
Its postal address is Willersey Methodist Church, Broadway Road, Willersey, WR12 7PH
Everyone is welcome at the services which are held every Sunday at 10:30am.
For more details about our services look on page 9 or 11 of the appropiate Church and Village Newsletter.
Willersey Methodist Church is in the Stratford and Evesham Methodist Churches group.

Thank you to everyone who has shown sympathy and offered help to our church since we had the news that we must close. It turns out that we don't have to close Hurray!! We have had to put up a fight but we haven't lost our Sunday Services and we have a new Minister to help us. We also have a new Outreach Worker to support us so we can carry on meeting, croqueting, knitting and whatever we decide to do within reason!! What a relief you don't know what you have until it's threatened do you?

We have a volunteer organist to play occasionally. He has been playing when he could in the past but now we may have a few more Sundays to cheer us up! He's retired early! He played this week and it was great to have something to sing to! It was also, of course, our first time singing a service since lock down.

We shall continue using the church as much as we can. u3a and any other groups will be welcome. We have our knitting/sewing/natter group on a Friday morning from 10.30am. It's really opening the building to everyone. Please come and join us if only to chat! Coffee etc will be available we want to make Friday our Open Day . We could sell a few plants/books/odds and ends etc. We still need to make money to keep going. We believe we have a lot to sell in our building and someone has already offered a group we're measuring it up to see if that will be a possibility. If you have any ideas of a quilting group or art group of any sort then please let us know.

Richard will be demonstrating walling some day soon as we've had a collapse at the back of the church. Brian (next door) has put himself forward as an apprentice learner and will be paid accordingly! There are lots of things going on this next month so we wish everyone well in their efforts for the village. If there is anyone who would like to use our church building for their demonstrations etc please let us know. The weather is being very unpredictable so I hope to see you around and enjoying the last of the summer.
Penny Ingles 013886 853306 ingles7pp@ btinternet.com

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WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON AT THE METHODIST CHURCH? We've had a breakdown in communication! The writer of the column has been Absent Without Leave!! Somehow 2 months have missed!! My sincere apologies.

What a lovely spring we've had! The blossom this year has been terrific and I hope everyone enjoyed it. Makes you feel glad to be alive! The greens are looking great and it looks as if there's going to be something going on there. We're all getting ready for summer. The Horticultural Show is having meetings too so we have something to look forward to with the competitions. When you look around the world at all the trouble we are fortunate! I know we've had problems about health but having been quite ill all I can say is how fortunate we are in the Broadway area with our doctors. They ve been right there for Richard and I and I'm sure other people feel the same. Thank you to Broadway Surgery!

It seems to me that the world is getting more accessible and the more you see of it the more grateful you are for it. Families are able to take trips abroad and the world is getting a little smaller! Or is it? Do you watch David Attenborough? What an eye opener! Literally! Because of our feelings of gratitude at our Church we thank God for all the comfort he gives us. It's been a hard winter for some people but there has also been a lot of free help around. If you need help locally Signpost is in Broadway please drop in and ask. (Next door to the Parish Council Office.) It's fantastic how much help there is available.

We continue to collect clothing, baby knitteds, bedding, sleeping bags etc all of which go to various needy groups at home and abroad. We feel for the fear that so many people are subject to and we pray that the world will become a better place. To finish - Do you remember this phrase? ‘If you have been - thank you for listening!’ BBC Radio 4 a long time ago! Monday mornings!
Goodwill to all. Penny (Ingles) 853306.

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Willersey perseveres in its own way to keep the church open as often as possible. Sunday mornings we have a simple service with reading of hymns, prayers and a theme which we discuss together.

Last week, with an improvement in communication and weather, we met for Croquet on Wednesday; 10 gathered for the experience, led by Richard. It was all thoroughly enjoyable. The garden was cool and the lawn had been shorn for us. We thoroughly enjoyed it though but no refreshments were available (in respect to the anti Covid Law).

Renowned Cotswold furniture maker Gordon Russell had a hand in designing the unique oak pews and other furniture at the Church. The building was cold and the kitchen outdated, so in January 2011 it underwent an environmentally-friendly refurbishment to install new insulation, secondary glazing and a new kitchen. The congregation was granted £10,000 from Corby International, through the Gloucestershire Environmental Trust to add to funds raised from other grant making bodies. The total came to £45,000. The church is now kept at a constant temperature to help preserve all the prized furniture and fittings.
The unique oak pews and all the other Church furniture, were created at the Gordon Russell Factory in Broadway. Martin Blakeman's father, Jack, finally designed and co-ordinated all the furniture, some on an order and some, particularly the Pulpit and Communion Table, were made by members of the Methodist Church who worked for Sir Gordon. The wood was bought through the factory and then the items were made charitably outside of usual working hours. Many people from Willersey worked at the Russell's site in Broadway behind the Lygon Arms from the late 20s until the late 80s.

Here are details of our services and upcoming events at our Church, in the Willersey Village News.
The Welcome Area of our church is usually open for tea and coffee each Friday morning 10:00 11:30am. We are finding that a lot of discussion takes place after our Church Service on a Sunday and Friday natter as well as at other times. If you would like to come along on a one off basis and ask any questions for we older residents please do come and join in the discussions. Today it was mobile phones and how to get your washing upstairs? Little things that mean a lot to those of us who don't have the oomph any more! Penny

You can hire the Community Room for events and meetings. Here is a leaflet which will tell you a lot more about the Methodist Church as well as Willersey and give you contacts for hiring the room.

Christmas 2015 brought cheer to Willersey's Methodist church after it was awarded a grant of £7,500 towards roof repair work. This award comes in the latest round of grants by the Gloucestershire Historic Churches Trust.

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The church also has a lawn behind it which gives the village a croquet facility, with uninterrupted views of the hills and is for the whole community to use.



Croquet mallets at the ready and we go on the first Wednesday of every month until we have to give up probably in October/November.
We look forward to seeing everyone at our first gathering of the season and we can promise you a good deal of competition this year. We have had invites to play and we have tournaments to arrange! Watch out!
Come and join us - the more the merrier. The lawn and the garden views are awaiting us. Please ring:- Richard on 01386 853306 to book your place!

CROQUET BEGAN ON TUESDAY 2^nd MAY 2023 at 2:30pm

Join at the rear of the Methodist Church. Anyone interested just come along. Balls, hoops and mallets are all provided, just bring some good weather and a happy smile!
Tea will be provided for those who are ‘good’ enough! Croquet will take place 1^st and 3^rd Tuesdays in the month, weather permitting.

Almost the end of our glorious summer of croquet behind the Methodist Church courtesy of Richard Ingles. Fresh air, beautiful views and a drop of exercise to boot. None of us are any good at the game(except Richard!) but the fun and laughter as we try our best with our Willersey friends is good enough for an enjoyable afternoon followed by a cup of tea. Our thanks to Christine and Victor for their grass cutting and pruning. Can't wait till next year.
Ken October 2023

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Sadly in May 2023, Willersey Broadway Methodist Church held its last Service.

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Willersey Methodist Church was founded in the 19^th century and belongs to the Stratford & Evesham Methodist Church Circuit. Its building is part of a row of five 17^th century cottages. The three cottages on the right were substantially altered during the 19^th century to create the Chapel. The whole row is Grade II Listed.

Here is a picture of the Methodists in 1948.

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