a warm and welcoming church with a mixture of traditional and modern styles of worship

 

Centenary Celebration - The Story Of Providence Methodist Church

3.  Our Story:  Foreword

The story of the growth of Methodism in Colley Gate depends to some extent upon tradition.

Information for compiling this short history has been obtained from many sources. For the first 45 years there are few written records other than legal documents. As a result there is regrettably little to record of the characters of the pioneers and those who immediately followed them.

Tribute is due to two men in particular, John Priest, one of the original founders, and James Tate, member of the second Trust. Their descendants are taking an active and leading part in the Church today. Children of the same family to the fifth generation now attend Sunday School.

There are also descendants of some others still connected in some way, perhaps the most well-known are the Boxley family. There is also an old man of eighty years, bearing the name of Wyre, still living in Talbot Street, Cradley, whose grandfather Samuel Wyre, was one of the members of the first Trust.

The Church and Sunday School have grown together, it is impossible to separate the two. So, the story records activities first of one section and then the other. At some periods it was a struggle between the two sections as to which should have preference in development. The pattern of such development is only now becoming apparent.

Looking back the dates of building are:

1856   1st Chapel

1868   1st Schoolroom.

1876   Extension to join Chapel and School.

1886   1st Schoolroom demolished and

               2nd Schoolroom built

1925   3rd School and Chapel combined.

As for the future — for many years there has been a strong desire for a new Church, and but for the outbreak of war in 1939 it might have been realised. However, provision is made for a suitable Church to be built as soon as conditions are ripe. There is a large piece of land close to the present main building, partly purchased and partly a gift, and a sum of money amounting to over £2,000 is invested with the Methodist Chapel Affairs Committee, Manchester. This money can be used for no other purpose.

 

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