SUTTON COLDFIELD METHODIST CHURCH
75th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS : 2011 / 2012
SEVENTY FIVE YEARS ON – THE METHODIST CHURCH IN SOUTH PARADE, SUTTON COLDFIELD
‘QUEEN’S JUBILEE PARTY
INCORPORATING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF SOUTH PARADE’
The theme was ‘Red, White & Blue’
We wore these colours for the event, which went ahead despite the snow !!
on Saturday 4th February 2012 at 7.00 p.m.
A good time was had by one & all.
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The Concert Weekend : 15th/16th October 2011 :
|
The Cast of 'An Eye for an Eye' |
 The 'Cowgirl' Dancers |
 The Calm before the Storm |
 If only they had turned the 'other cheek' |
Over the coming year, we hope to arrange a number of events to celebrate this significant event. We started with the Anniversary Concert on 15th October which also celebrates the 25th Anniversary of the formation of the band. Then on Sunday 16 October we welcomed Rev Helen Fyall back to South Parade to conduct the morning Church Anniversary Service. Many of you will remember that Helen served as our Lay Pastoral Worker some years ago. We were delighted when she went on to train for the ministry.
I have been asked by the Church Council to co-ordinate a small group to arrange events during the year. I would welcome volunteers to join me. It is hoped that a major event next spring will be an Open Day when we invite all users of our premises to put on displays to illustrate their activities. I believe that one of the strengths of South Parade is the use that is made of our premises for work in the local community. I trust this event will strengthen our links with many people who use the premises. The Youth Council has also agreed to organise an event.
The Newsletter will also be used to publish articles relating to the 75th Anniversary. This special edition looks back over those years. I hope that others will contribute their memories in other editions. However, I think we shall have failed if we only look back! We must look forward during this anniversary year. We have a legacy fund of over £120,000 – how do we spend this to further Christ’s work in our local area? Church Council must urgently appoint effective working groups to consider the way forward.
We know that refurbishment work needs to be carried out in the church but this is quite a complex matter. For example, we cannot just replace the pews with chairs because we have under-seat electric heating which would also have to be replaced. A new heating system would cost around £80,000. There is no point in painting the church before we undertake other work. Before we make major changes in the church we need a plan for the way forward. Let’s make the 75th Anniversary of South Parade a year for future generations to remember as an important one in the life of the church but not just because it is an anniversary year.
from
Keith Dennis (Editor of the Newsletter for about 35 years and Chair of
the Finance Committee for 22 years).
See also detailed Memory accounts from living eye-witnesses as follows :
PAGE 1 : OVERALL HISTORY
REVIEW - Alfred Hancox
PAGE
2
: WATSON HOUSE :
1948 TO THE END OF THE 1980’S - Marjorie Wakeford
PAGE 3 : MORE MEMORIES - Alan Francis
PAGE 4 : REMINISCENCES OF THE SUNDAY SCHOOL AT SOUTH PARADE IN 1960s & 1970s - Amanda Hume
PAGE 5 : SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO ……. - Alfred Hancox
PAGE 6 : SUTTON COLDFIELD MEMORIES - Stella Lloyd (nee Pike)