Guernsey Methodist Church property a 'balancing act'

Deciding how many properties Guernsey's Methodist Church needs is a difficult balancing act, according to the head of the faith in the Bailiwick.

In recent years the church has put a number of sites on the market, with the latest put up for sale in December.

Ebenezer Church, in Brock Road, is being sold for nearly £1m to be developed into flats.

Reverend David Hinchliffe said the challenge was meeting parishioners' needs and keeping building costs down.

The church had been investigating the sale of the property for two years.

Mr Hinchliffe said: "It's a challenge in an island where in one sense we are one of the historic churches, we have a lot of church buildings here in Guernsey.

"The question for us is whether that is sustainable, if we were to close buildings then what will that mean for our mission and the communities we serve." (from BBC)

What's difficult about counting up the total congregations/memberships at all Methodist churches in Gurnsey, add a few for any possible religious revival, and if necessary adjusting the available total capacity to suit. ?

Simple.

It is not as simple as that
to close a church of worship the congregation have to agree
being a small island we are very fond of the church we have looked after all these years
this does not cost anyone anything only those who use them
it is up to us to decide .

You have to take into account many who for the last 70odd year have used a church , bearing all cost of upkeep and repairs .
this is the church they want their funeral to be at!

i totally agree kat..the methodist church doesnt receive a penny from the states . if i was a regular church goer i would like to think that i could be christened,married and buried from the church i had attended all my life xxx

As members of these churches we also pay all cost of upkeep. cost of heating and running cost, rates, and for the ministers and the upkeep of the manses .
If any work is needed to update and to bring all up to standard it is the members who fund raise and pay.
we also pay for the insurance of all the place . we are totally responsible for all.
This decision should be for the congregation members to decide no-one else.
it is a very sad time when churches close ,but we know this will happen.
but whos church will say it is them will take a lot of thinking and prayer.
The only way we can carry on is by getting new member to join us and bring the churches up to full once again.
but these days it is not happening unless we move forwards and spread the welcome to all .

I was bought up in a Methodist family in a town which had 3 Methodist churches within walking distance of each other, ( A relic of the time when Methodism split into seperate disciplines ) The time came when there just was not enough support to finance all three churches, so one had to close. Deciding which one caused an almighty furore and much animosity and hatred ( among people who call themselves Christian ! ) but it had to be done.

It was actually my family's church that closed. As a result my father never spoke to his sister again for the rest of their lives. If this is Christian charity, you can keep it.

I rather admire the Quaker belief that clergy, churches and liturgy are of no importance whatsoever and completely unnessary because religion is just a direct relationship between yourself and your God. In my case my 'God' is my concience.

Yes i agree it will cause many upsets .and it will sort those who are Christians.. as many of our church have closed down those folks who had spend 50plus years there have not gone to other churches . such a shame
but we will keep going as long as possible