Hanham Methodist Church is a vibrant Church with a vibrant history. The area itself is of great historic significance with the green lighted beacon on Hanham Mount marking the location of free-church preaching in the 18th century, and where John Wesley, the founding father of Methodism was first inspired to preach in the open air in 1739. The Church itself, originally known as Ebenezer Methodist Church, was built in 1851 by local collier families and labourers. Since then it has undergone a number of substantial transformations and developments.
Most notably it combined with High Street Methodist Church in 1965, an earlier church (demolished on their joining together) which founded and oversaw the running of both Samuel White’s Infant School and Hanham Youth Club before each were subsequently taken on by the Local Authority. The Youth Centre now stands on the site where the old High Street Church once stood.
When the two churches came together, Hanham Methodist Church, as we know it today, was effectively born. In 1978 major building work took place which resulted in the refurbishment of the Church. The five halls built in 1961 (now with new kitchen and toilet facilities recently added) allow the Church to be a home for numerous community and church groups, many of which you can read about in this pack.
Hanham Methodist, inspired by God’s love and grace, seeks to be an inclusive church at the heart of the community, with a vision for the world, a welcome for all, and most importantly God and Christ at the centre.
Its members see their mission as to worship God, to respond to His love by following the example of Jesus, and with the help of the Holy Spirit to serve our neighbour, to share the gospel, and to encourage Christian commitment and discipleship.
The Church is part of the Methodist Church in Great Britain which has declared its own calling as to respond to the gospel of God’s love in Christ and to live out its discipleship in worship and mission.