Churches
The circuit has 11 churches and a bus. You are welcome to visit any of our churches, or indeed the Rock Bus if you see it .
Tontine Methodist Church
Tontine Methodist Church is a small friendly fellowship with a current membership of 38. It was established as a Church in 1859 in the United Methodist tradition. Perhaps you're wondering what "Tontine" means as most names derive from some event in the past. Well it literally means "Village on the boundary".
The village of Tontine is on the boundary of Greater Manchester and West Lancashire Councils. We have one Sunday service at 11.00am, mid week communions on the second Wednesday of each month and a Ladies Guild on the second Tuesday of the month. The Chapel is a lovely sanctuary, where one can feel especially close to God and be made most welcome. Please go to the circuit plan page for more information.
We are looking to grow and to serve God in this community and beyond as our Mission statement reads:
We believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, and in the power of the Holy Spirit, recognise that we are called to share in God's mission of love to the world. We value our Methodist heritage and welcome the opportunity to co-operate with other churches in our circuit and community.
Our object is growth:
Growth as individuals in our relationship with God
Growth in the richness of sharing together in the life of the Church
Growth through leading others to Christ.
Activities
On the 2nd Tuesday of every month the Ladies Guild meet at 7.30pm. This takes many different forms, and there are always interesting speakers who speak on a wide range of topics .
On the 2nd Wednesday of every month there is a service of Holy Communion at 11.am.
Every alternate Wednesday evening at 7.30pm there is sequence dancing in the hall.
Every alternate Tuesday at 10.00am there is a coffee morning run be Age Concern for local people.
There are a number of other ad hoc activities at Tontine and these can be found via the forthcoming events page.
We are a relatively small but warm and friendly fellowship, our worship services are lively but relevant to today's world.
Bispham Methodist Church stands at the junction of Crank Rd and UpHolland Road in Billinge and was founded in the Wesleyan tradition in 1845 by William Holt, a landowner who had inherited nearby Bispham Hall. The church building is Italianate in style (with two adjacent halls, one small, one large, added later).By June 1849, there were 51 members and 2 "backsliders" recorded!
Worship varies in style so that throughout the year a range is experienced. Lay contributions are encouraged, and on the second Sunday of the month there is a Family & Parade Service. There are also occasional Praise & Worship services and "Songs of Praise" evenings. Here is a picture of the Bispham Worship band at one of our services
A Chapel was erected in 1859 on Church St where worship was conducted for a number of years. This Chapel burnt down in 1911 and a new one erected the same year on adjacent land. This building served as the Methodist Chapel until 1963 when a new Chapel was built pictured above for public worship, the old one then being used as a Church Hall. The current new chapel had to have its roof redesigned and reopened again in 2006.
For the first 12 years of its existence from 1874 to 1886 it had to struggle with difficulties in meeting financial obligations. They were determined to get through this difficult time and by 28th January 1897, they had cleared the debt and the deeds to the building were handed over. In the ensuing years they had a series of Bazaars, in 1899 they raised £88, in 1906 £175, and in 1910 £400. This gave the impetus to start to build a new chapel and Sunday School in 1911. On the 24 th June that year the foundation stone for the Sunday School was laid, and children of the school also took part in this brick laying exercise. The names of the children were inscribed on the bricks and these can be seen by the door to the school. The Sunday School was opened on 30th September 1911.
The first extension, which consisted of a new frontage with two classrooms, one with a staircase to a gallery furnished with fixed pews, was completed in 1913. The second extension was completed in 1931 but exact details are a little vague. We think that the back of the church was extended and a rose window inserted in the rear wall. A new schoolroom was added with kitchen and a preachers vestry. Screens between school and chapel were installed and also a dividing screen in the school to provide a possible two classrooms. The third extension, in 1975, was the major addition of a new schoolroom, linking the existing kitchen and the old schoolroom and was built on the rose garden at the side of the church. The new building could be entered via the church foyer or a side door. The extension was aligned with the existing front of the church. Cost £9280.60.