List of Methodist churches
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This is a list of notable Methodist churches, either of notable congregations or of notable buildings or other places of worship. This very limited list reflects historically interesting sites, and omits most of the very largest Methodist congregations. Since the founding of Methodism in the mid-18th century, the movement has spread throughout the world, and remains a presence in many countries today.
Many church buildings are notable for their historical or architectural significance. Many of the historic churches can be found in the United Kingdom and the United States, but some are also located in Canada, China, Korea and other in countries where there has been a Methodist presence. In some cases the congregation which established the church has since disbanded but the building remains. This list is intended to comprehensively index notable Methodist churches world-wide.
Australia[]
Church | Image | Dates | Location | City or Town | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wesley Church, Melbourne | 26 August 1858 Consecrated | 37°48′37″S 144°58′5″E / 37.81028°S 144.96806°E | Melbourne, Australia | Grand Gothic design with high quality architecture |
Barbados[]
Ann Gill Memorial Methodist Church, in Fairfield Road, Black Rock, St. Michael, honours the memory of Sarah Ann Gill, the sole female national heroine of Barbados.[1]
Canada[]
Two British Methodist Episcopal Church churches have been designated National Historic Sites of Canada due to their roles in welcoming Underground Railroad refugees to Canada and their historic importance to the Black community in the Niagara region:
Church | Image | Dates | Location | City or town | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
R. Nathaniel Dett British Methodist Episcopal Church | ![]() |
1836 built |
43°05′15″N 79°05′18″W / 43.08750°N 79.08833°W | Niagara Falls, Ontario | Named in honour of Robert Nathaniel Dett[2][3] |
Salem Chapel, British Methodist Episcopal Church | ![]() |
1855 built |
43°09′54″N 79°14′24″W / 43.16500°N 79.24000°W | St. Catharines, Ontario | Linked to Harriet Tubman.[4][5][6] |
![]() |
1854 built, rebuilt 1856, rebuilt 1963 |
43°09′54″N 79°14′24″W / 43.16500°N 79.24000°W | Windsor, Ontario | From 1856 to 1963 the BME church was an active church in its original location, 363 McDougall street.[7] |
Puerto Rico[]
Church | Image | Dates | Location | City or Town | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Primera Iglesia Metodista Unida de Ponce | ![]() |
Calle Villa 135 18°00′37″N 66°36′58″W / 18.01028°N 66.61611°W |
Ponce | Methodist church built in 1907 that was architect Antonin Nechodoma's first commission in Puerto Rico | |
McCabe Memorial Church | ![]() |
835 Eugenio Maria de Hostos Ave. 17°58′56″N 66°37′14″W / 17.98222°N 66.62056°W |
Ponce | Another Nechodoma work, from 1908 |
Singapore[]
Church | Image | Dates | Location | City or Town | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wesley Methodist Church | ![]() |
5 Fort Canning Road1°17′53″N 103°50′51″E / 1.297949°N 103.847623°E | Singapore | Oldest Methodist church with an English-speaking congregation in Singapore |
United Kingdom[]
The first Methodist churches were in Norwich (1757), in Rotherham (1761), in Whitby (1762), and in Heptonstall (1764).
About 700 Methodist chapels in the United Kingdom have been identified as significant buildings for their architecture or history by author Ian Serjeant, who has served as Conservation Officer for the Methodist church since 1996.[8]
A list of Methodist churches that are listed buildings was prepared by the U.K. Methodist church's division of property in 1976.[8] A standing committee of the Methodist Church of Britain is charged with having "knowledge of the history, development and use of Methodist chapels, of Methodist liturgy and worship, or archaeology, of the history and the development of architecture and the visual arts, and the experience of the care of historic buildings and their contents", and to advise on about 250 renovation projects per year to the Methodist listed buildings.[9]
John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, is said to have had a preference for octagonal buildings, as exemplified by the Heptonstall Methodist Church in West Yorkshire, England.[8]
Appropriate style for Methodist church buildings was debated during the mid-1800s. Architect-trained Reverend Frederick Jobson argued for "beauty and perfection in design and execution without unnecessary adornment"; the governing body of Methodism adopted his works and Gothic architecture "became the predominant style, particularly within Wesleyan Methodism."[8]
Church | Image | Dates | Location | City or Town | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
St. John's Methodist Church | 1772 built |
56°33′40.99″N 2°35′8.54″W / 56.5613861°N 2.5857056°W | Arbroath Angus, Scotland | A listed building in Category B that is identified by Serjeant as particularly notable. It was opened by John Wesley in 1772. Remodellings and other changes in 1882, 1896, and 1946.[8][10] | |
Wesleyan Church, Aldershot | ![]() |
1874-77 built Grade II* listed building |
51°14′55″N 0°46′3″W / 51.24861°N 0.76750°W | Aldershot, Hampshire | Built to reflect the expansion of the town of Aldershot with the arrival of the Military Camp during the mid to late 19th-century. Now redundant and used as offices, homes, a dental surgery and gymnasium. |
Altarnum Methodist Chapel | ![]() |
1859 built |
50°36′10.8″N 4°30′39.6″W / 50.603000°N 4.511000°W | Altarnun, Cornwall | A typical building reflecting the values expressed by Jobson.[8] |
Wesley's Chapel | ![]() |
1777–78 built |
51°31′26″N 0°05′12″W / 51.5238°N 0.0866°W | Islington, London | Known as 'The Mother Church of World Methodism', having been built by John Wesley, and acting as his London base. The portico was added in 1814–15, and there have been other alterations and additions since. The building is listed at Grade I.[11][12] |
Methodist Central Hall | 1905-11 built |
51°30′00″N 0°07′48″W / 51.50000°N 0.13000°W | Westminster, London | Built in order to commemorate the centenary of the death of the founder of Methodism, John Wesley. | |
Heptonstall Methodist Church | ![]() |
1764 built |
53°45′11.12″N 2°2′13.78″W / 53.7530889°N 2.0371611°W | West Yorkshire | Octagonal chapel whose foundation stone was laid by John Wesley. Church was completed in 1764 in symmetric octagon shape, but was extended in 1802 to provide for more space. Wesley recommended the octagonal shape to differentiate from the established church.[13] The building was featured in a 2010 BBC Four series Churches: How to Read Them,[14] in which Dr Richard Taylor named it as one of his ten favourite churches, saying: "If buildings have an aura, this one radiated friendship."[15] See photo here [1]. |
Moor Park Methodist Church | ![]() |
1861-62 built | Preston, Lancashire, England | Designed by Poulton and Woodman, opened 1862, seating for 900, closed 1984. | |
Preston Central Methodist Church | ![]() |
1817 built | Preston, Lancashire, England | Active, Methodist church whose building was one of the first public buildings in the country to be lit by gas. | |
Surrey Chapel, Southwark | ![]() |
1783 built 1881 demolished |
London | Independent Methodist and Congregational church, located at first in open fields, then enveloped by industrial development. Circular in plan with domed roof, its design was of interest. | |
Trinity Independent Chapel | 1841 built 1944 demolished |
51°30′41″N 0°1′8″W / 51.51139°N 0.01889°W | London | ||
West Street Chapel | ![]() |
First leased in 1743 by John Wesley | London | ||
West London Methodist Mission | Established in 1887 under Hugh Price Hughes | London | |||
1819 built 1983 Grade II-listed |
Stoke on Trent | [16] | |||
1820 built 1987 Grade II-listed |
Newcastle upon Tyne | [17] |
United States[]
In the United States, numerous Methodist churches are listed on the National Register of Historic Places[18] and on state and local historic registers, many of which reflect the values of plainness, of Gothic architecture, of simple adornment. The Greek Revival style is also simple and came to be adopted for numerous American Methodist churches.
Several, selected significant Methodist churches in the U.S. are:
Church | Image | Dates | Location | City, State | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Barratt's Chapel | ![]() |
1780 built 1972 NRHP-listed |
39°1′28.6″N 75°27′34.36″W / 39.024611°N 75.4595444°W | Frederica, Delaware | "Cradle of Methodism", where Methodism first took hold in the United States in 1784 |
Lovely Lane United Methodist Church | ![]() |
1884 built 1973 NRHP-listed[18] |
39°18′52″N 76°36′57″W / 39.31444°N 76.61583°W | Baltimore, Maryland | Romanesque Revival style, known as the Mother Church of American Methodism |
St. George's United Methodist Church | ![]() |
1767 built 1971 NRHP-listed |
39°57′17.9″N 75°8′46.82″W / 39.954972°N 75.1463389°W | Philadelphia | The oldest Methodist church worship in continuous use in the United States.[19] |
Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church | 1794 built 1972 NRHP-listed |
39°56′35″N 75°9′9″W / 39.94306°N 75.15250°W | Philadelphia | Romanesque style, The founding church of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.[20] |
For a more complete list, see List of Methodist churches in the United States.
References[]
- ^ Barbados Today, Ann Gill Memorial Methodist Church celebrating 125 years, published 3 November 2018, accessed 23 December 2019
- ^ R. Nathaniel Dett British Methodist Episcopal Church, Directory of Designations of National Historic Significance of Canada
- ^ R. Nathaniel Dett British Methodist Episcopal Church, National Register of Historic Places
- ^ Salem Chapel, British Methodist Episcopal Church, Directory of Designations of National Historic Significance of Canada
- ^ Salem Chapel, British Methodist Episcopal Church, National Register of Historic Places
- ^ See also Tubman Home for the Aged, Harriet Tubman Residence, Thompson A.M.E. Zion Church, Auburn, New York.
- ^ British Methodist Episcopal Church, Windsor Mosaic
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Ian Serjeant. "Historic Methodist Architecture and its Protection". Retrieved 7 April 2013.
- ^ "The Methodist Church in Britain | Listed Buildings Advisory Committee". Archived from the original on 3 May 2013. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ Historic Environment Scotland. "St. John's Methodist Church, 15 Ponderlaw Street (Category B Listed Building) (LB21147)". Retrieved 28 March 2019.
- ^ Historic England, "Wesley's Chapel, Islington (1195538)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 5 December 2012
- ^ History, Wesley's Chapel, archived from the original on 5 October 2013, retrieved 5 December 2012
- ^ Heptonstall Trail, A Calder Civic Trust publication, 1996
- ^ "BBC Four - Churches: How to Read Them, Dark Beginnings". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ "Richard Taylor, Rider Books".
- ^ event Archived December 10, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Historic England, "Brunswick Methodist Chapel (1024933)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 9 December 2012
- ^ Jump up to: a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ St. George's United Methodist Church Archived July 3, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Redirection of: Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church". ushistory.org. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
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