| Sharnbrook Methodist Church |
We aim to be a friendly church, active in the village and concerned for the wider world
Who we are
As Christians we meet to share and celebrate God’s love and to explore the ways in which that love can be expressed through our lives.
Our church was founded in 1911 by a group of villagers who wished to worship in a less formal way than the Anglican community of the time. The Methodist Church in Bedford supported this initiative and, following a period of decline, again sponsored the renewal in the 1970s.
In our second century we are continuing the Methodist emphasis on social issues exploring opportunities to meet new needs.
Our interests
We are concerned with social justice and environmental issues locally and globally and try to put our concerns into practice, by:
- being environmentally responsible in running the church
- using fairly traded products
- facilitating reuse and recycling in the community (See over for details)
- raising funds for overseas and local projects. (See over for details)
Where to find us
Park Lane, Sharnbrook, MK44 1LS
People to contact
Minister
Revd Chris Sandy Tel: 860484
christopher.sandy@methodist.org.uk
Local Contact
Marian Blyth Tel: 781469
marian.blyth@btinternet.com
Bookings
David Barnes Tel: 781791
david@barnes.net
For up to date information about events mentioned in this leaflet please see The Review, Bedslife and posters in the village.
What we do
We meet each Sunday at 10.30am for a Service, which is led sometimes by our minister, often by lay preachers from other churches and by our own members.
Services are informal without a set liturgy, but include hymns, readings, prayers and a talk. The opportunity to have coffee and chat together after the service is an important part of the morning.
Coffee & Company on the second Saturday of every month except August, from10.00-11.30am, is a good place to meet and chat. Sometimes we have stalls to browse, such as plants or books.
This is also an opportunity to bring in food and other items for the Bedford Food Bank and items for recycling and reusing.
Funds raised at Coffee & Company and other events go to our Overseas and Local Projects.
We also host a Churches Together Lunch Club on the third Tuesday of every month at 12.30pm for those who live alone, and others, who would like to get together to enjoy good company over soup, pudding and coffee. (Contact Jenny Deacon 781742 or Mike Bonney 781254
You will be very welcome at all our events!
Our Projects
We support two charities each year -one 0verseas and one Local – raising funds for educational, health and life enhancing projects. Our current projects are:
| TIBBS DEMENTIA FOUNDATION Supporting those living with dementia and their care partners Through local groups Tibbs offer a wide range of activities including music therapy, which provide cognitive and physical stimulation in a safe and supportive space. The groups are for people in all stages of dementia, diagnosed or not, and those who support them. |
| SAVE THE CHILDREN Education for girls in Afghanistan Now that the Taliban are preventing girls from going to school Save the Children is running Community Based Education classes and providing children and teachers with learning and classroom kits. |
Reuse & Recycle
We collect
- unwanted but usable items such as clothing, and bedding for SMART Prebend Centre
- various items for recycling to pass to other organisations which can raise funds from them:
Postage stamps for Young Lives vs Cancer
Printer cartridges for the Mill Theatre
Wine corks for the Warden Abbey Community Vineyard
BEDFORD FOOD BANK
We collect food and other items which sadly are more needed than ever. See noticeboard inside church for list of currently most needed items.
Other Groups at the Church
Learning for Pleasure, started by the Methodist Church as an initiative for adults to learn and share skills and interests, is now run independently with groups meeting in the church and at other venues in the village (Contact Jane Roberts for programme & other information 07808 270835)
We are also pleased to provide a venue for other village groups such as Ouse Valley Singers, Community Choir, WI and the Parish Council.
Updated Nov 2022