Holmes Chapel Methodist Church

Holmes Chapel Methodist Church is a welcoming, thriving and diverse fellowship and an integral part of the local community, with its building being used every day for church and village activities.

One service is held on Sundays, at 10.00am. The morning service is of traditional format, with the Xplorers for younger attenders. 

But 'church' may also happen over a coffee and a chat; it may be through serious study or the enjoyment of the created world; it may be through song and music, play or prayer. The groups and activities in Holmes Chapel are all expressions of Church; some take place on a Sunday but most occur on other days of the week. They are all still ‘church’, for when we share concerns and hurts we are still praying; when we laugh and play we are still worshipping; when we discuss issues of faith and our world we are still growing as disciples.

The church has links with the local schools. In addition, with our Anglican and Roman Catholic friends, through Churches Together in Holmes Chapel, we present a combined witness to the community with a joint Christmas Card, Good Friday Walk of Witness and, in a very practical way, with our Christian Communicare transport service. The congregation is highly supportive of charities, disaster appeals and specific projects.

A Short History
Some time elapsed between John Wesley’s (pre-Aldersgate experience) visit to Holmes Chapel in 1738 and the opening of the first Methodist Chapel in 1813.  That first chapel was a converted cottage close to the river Dane, but by 1900 growth in the number of worshippers led to the opening of a new and larger church on the current site near the middle of the village: at the corner of Knutsford Road and Hawthorne Villas.

The congregation worshipping there through the years has reflected the changing nature of the village.  The original support was from the local farming community, but as the agricultural land has been swallowed up under housing estates, the congregation came to be drawn from the occupiers of these homes.    

In 2008, the remodelling of the church interior and the adding of an extension to provide extra rooms, was an example of going forth in faith after much thought, prayer, planning and giving. These facilities continue to improve our contact with the whole village as we endeavour to spread the good news of Jesus Christ.

Rodney Smith