THE METHODIST CIRCUIT OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE (07/07) CIRCUIT PREACHING PLAN – AUTUMN QUARTER 2017 Circuit Office: Northgate Hall, St John’s Lane, Gloucester, GL1 2AN T: 01452 415769 | E:
[email protected] PASTORAL LETTER from the Superintendent Dear Friends, Woolaston Methodist Church, a chapel at the southern end of the Forest of Dean, has just celebrated their 150th Anniversary with a wonderful flower festival, which also marked the achievement of updating their premises so as to serve and connect better with their community. Their chapel started perhaps, like many, with a group of local folk inspired by neighbouring or travelling Methodists and their preachers to gather in fellowship, initially in a house, before five members bought some land for £3 18s. On this land in 1867 the chapel was built at a cost of £98 6s, being mostly borrowed money that needed to be paid back at the rate of £3 10s pa. Given the prevailing impetus for mission, the investment and risk paid off, for by the 1890s the chapel had become too small, with by then more than a 100 people were attending on Sunday evenings. They were served by preachers who spent their Sunday hours travelling long distances on foot in order to take the Sunday services within their local Circuit (perhaps putting into context our complaints at times about the distances involved in our present Circuit!). Consequently, more land was bought and stones laid for an extension on May 8th, 1893. The Dean Forest Mercury reported that people gathered at 3 o’clock, for “a most earnest and practical address by Revd R Lush of Pillowell” (hopefully all our preaching is still “earnest and practical”!).