The centenary celebrations have at least reached a national scale as a write up of the recent festivities was seen on page 5 of the March 7th copy of the Methodist Recorder. This was obviously read as a few days a later a lovely card arrived from a David Cockram who started as a young inexperienced preacher on trial in the 1950's and visited our church. It is nice to think that so many people now know about our 100th birthday and a few even remember us.

From page 5 March 7th 2014 but clearly read by David Cockram.

A busy weekend with a lot of people popping in to see the exhibitions or to have a cup of tea and on Sunday a sing song too. If you missed it then you have a chance to catch up with our online review of the wedding and events.
Sunday we had two important services. The morning one was taken by our own Mike Crockett and included appropriately the annual covenant event. The special evening one was lead by Rev David Reddish who was our minister from 1968-1974 and so he was well placed to remember many characters of previous generations, many of whom remember the dawn of the current new buildings. His sermon mentioned the late Mrs Redfern, who was the last person alive to worship in the former chapel in Brimingham Road. She was always Mrs Redfern to all who knew her except Bob Drydren who used to call her by her first name Vicky, much to the embarrassment of everyone else it seems. David remembered her displays of lilies at Easter time which were always stunning. Many attended the service and reminisced afterwards with coffee and cakes in the schoolroom. Many commented on the newspaper cutting of the same Rev. David Reddish back in 1971 along with Mrs Redfern. 
The display of the Sunday School activities and the memories of the "Bright Hour" and Womens Social Hour which ran from 1921 to early 1990's before evolving into the current unisex coffee mornings in more modern days. I wonder how many of the people who were at the opening service back in 1914 would believe our current church with its regular meetings throughout the week for numerous activities within the community, and surely we must be one of the few churches with an attached hairdressing salon. 

Read more to see our exhibition of weddings and dresses that have taken place in the chapel over the years.

We thank Saltley for their lovely card which marks our centenary events - a lovely thought. Today marks the actual date the opening service was held on 7th February 1914.

Once again we had a lovely meal as we all bought different things to share over our lunch together which is beginning to be an annual event. To the delight of our minister for the day, who always seems to miss such events she was delighted to join us as well. Much discussion about the weather and the number of teachers in the village lead to many varied avenues of conversation. There was also some discussion about the flower festival in September and the forthcoming centenary celebrations of the "new" building in 2014. A bible was looked at which was presented to the church by a Mrs J A Patrick upon the opening of the church. Mrs Patrick we assume was a wealthy trustee of the church who would have financially backed the new build in the event  of a monetary crisis.