Hinde Street Methodist Church facts for kids
Hinde Street Methodist Church is a special church in London, England. It's located in a busy area called Marylebone. This church is very old and has a rich history. It's even considered a "Grade II listed" building by Historic England. This means it's an important historical place that needs to be protected. The church was first built a long time ago, between 1807 and 1810. It was then rebuilt in the 1880s to look mostly like it does today.
Contents
A Look Back at Hinde Street Church
Early Days of Methodism in London
Methodists are a group of Christians. They started having churches in London's West End a very long time ago. One of their first meeting places was a chapel on West Street, used since 1743. Famous leaders like John and Charles Wesley even preached there! By 1785, they had a meeting room on Davies Street. As more people joined, they moved to a bigger chapel on Chandler Street.
The First Chapel of 1810
In 1808, the Methodists bought land in Marylebone. This was a wet area near a stream called Tyburn. They wanted to build an even bigger church there. The architect was a preacher named Rev. William Jenkins. He designed churches while also preaching. The new chapel opened in 1810. It could hold about 900 people and had two balconies. People sometimes called it 'The Dutch Oven' because of its shape.
Charles Wesley, one of the founders of Methodism, lived nearby. His children were members of this new chapel. Hinde Street's location in the West End attracted many important Methodist preachers. The church became famous for its sermons. In 1844, it had its highest number of members, with 1,100 people.
The Sunday School's Role
One of the most important things the church did for its community was the Sunday School. It started when the first chapel was built in 1810. This was the very first Sunday School in Marylebone. By 1817, it had 758 members! About 500 children would come to the basement schoolroom every Sunday. In its early days, it taught reading and writing. This was very helpful for poorer children before everyone had access to state schools.
The Current Church Building
The old chapel was taken down. The church you see today was built in its place. It was designed by James Weir, who was also a Methodist. The new church opened on September 29, 1887. It has a classic front, a tall spire, and its inside looks much like it did when it was built. It is considered Weir's best building and is also a Grade II listed site. The round balcony and high central pulpit were common in Methodist churches of that time. The beautiful east window was added in 1929. The organ is mostly the original one from 1864, updated in 1910 and 1983.
Today, the minister leads the service from a lower platform. This helps them feel closer to the people in the church. In 2014, a new entrance with glass doors was built. This made the entrance lobby more open and easier to see from the street.
A Changing Community
Over time, many families moved out of the West End. The area became home to more young adults and students. In the 1900s, this became a key feature of Hinde Street Church. It attracted many students and young people starting their careers. In 1945, the church became a central place for the University of London Methodist Society. This group grew to about 700 members in the 1950s and lasted for 50 years. Today, the church still has many young adult members. Some even live in two special communities run by Hinde Street.
The Church and West London Mission
Until the 1970s, there were three main Methodist churches in Central London. These were Central Hall Westminster, Kingsway Hall, and Hinde Street Church. In 1972, Kingsway Hall was sold. The West London Mission, a group that does social work, decided to move to Hinde Street. From 1980, parts of the Hinde Street site were rebuilt. This created new offices for the Mission. From these offices, they could run their many social work programs. The West London Mission now has its main office at 19 Thayer Street, connected to the Hinde Street chapel. Their social work continues actively today. They have projects in different parts of London, supported by the people who worship at Hinde Street.
Hinde Street Church Today
The church offers three worship services on Sundays. These are at 9:30 AM, 11:00 AM, and 6:30 PM. It believes in an open and thoughtful type of Christianity. The church focuses on helping others, just as Charles Wesley once said: 'to serve the present age'.
In 2000, the King's Cross church joined Hinde Street and the West London Mission. This added a lively Chinese congregation to their group.
The church supports two Christian communities linked to it. It also has programs for students and young adults. It runs a weekly drop-in center for people experiencing homelessness. It also has a Winter Night Shelter, a social and study group, and a lunch hour meditation. As part of the West London Mission, it runs seven social work projects. These projects help people who are homeless or facing difficulties.
In 2015, Hinde Street Church became a member of the Inclusive Church movement. Its building is used during weekdays by 69 different support groups. About 800 people come every week for support and guidance.
