About the Celebrations
During 2004 The United Church in Warminster celebrated 200 years of worship on its present site. The first Methodist Chapel was built there in 1804, the year before Nelson fought the Battle of Trafalgar!
Set in the wall of the foyer of the present church is a stone bearing the dates, 1804, 1861 and 1976. This stone was found in the ground in 1976 when the foyer was added to the present building. At that time it only bore the date of 1804, as it was the date stone from the original chapel. The other two dates were then added. 1861 being the date the present chapel was built.
John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, visited Warminster in 1753 and preached on Warminster Common. A small group started to meet at this time. In 1758 John Wesley again visited, this time he spoke at their meeting room in Pound Street. He had been invited to come to give encouragement to the group who were suffering a good deal of persecution, harassment and attacks. The group persevered and so in 1804 the chapel was build in George Street.
A worthy cause for celebration! Throughout 2004 there were a variety of events. As well as celebrating the past the aim was to show that the Church was still alive and well in the 21st century and to bring the people of Warminster together.
Bicentennial Events
The celebration year was launched on Sunday 4th January with a special service led by Revd. Jennifer Davies and Revd. Heather Morgan . The first Sunday of each month saw a service led by various Ministers who have played a part in the church’s life over the past years.
Celebration was not only on Sundays! On Saturday 6th March the Silver Ring Choir of Bath put on a wonderful concert at the Minster Church. Grenville Jones, the conductor of this famous choir, is also the brother of Revd. Heather Morgan. Their elderly mother came to listen and this wonderful event had something of a family atmosphere.
On April 3rd music again played a part in the celebrations when Dr Alan Dodge gave an Organ recital in the George Street Church.
May saw members and friends of the church enjoying a celebration diner at the Assembly Rooms in Warminster. Followed the next morning by an uplifting “Songs of Praise” Service.
In June the church burst into a riot of colour as it was decorated for the Flower Festival. The displays were created by the Warminster Floral Arts society and depicted various occasions for celebration. Easter, Christmas, weddings, christenings, wedding anniversaries, harvest and much more was shown in this beautiful panorama. Visitors were also able to enjoy ploughman’s lunch and cream teas.
Flowers were still in focus in July when Heather Morgan opened her garden in Hanging Langford. Heather’s green fingers and imagination have certainly created a magnificent display.
A “Harvest of Talents” Exhibition was held on 2nd October. We had already seen the talents of musicians, flower artists and gardeners, now we lsaw what other talents our members possessed. The following day was the Harvest Festival Service and a “Bring and Share” lunch.
The year continued with a Social Dance on the afternoon of 16th October and a Surprise evening on 27th November.
Sunday 5th December Revs. Jennifer Davies and Heather Morgan will lled a service to round of the year as it had begun.
And so to the next 200 years!
Souvenirs
The Bi-centennial Commemorative Coffee Mugs
The ‘Church History Booklets’