Wolsingham Methodist Church:

 Situated in the beautiful Weardale area of County Durham, the long established  Methodist Church in Wolsingham has had a refurbishment costing over £120,000.
Thanks to the vision of the local people, their faith and generosity, plus the support of the West Durham Circuit. The Chapel has now two areas for worship and community use. 
The celebration weekend began with the Stanhope Silver Band giving a concert on the Friday evening, followed by an Open Day on the Saturday. On Sunday, a Circuit service was lead by the Circuit children and young people’s worker Anne Offler and the Superintendent Minister Rev Ann Shepherdson. The celebration weekend was well supported by the Church and Community. 
The members have produced a SWOT analysis and an action plan, based on the ‘Our Calling’ Policy and are enthusiastically moving forward to share the Gospel in new ways with their local community and the many tourists who visit the Dale.

 

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Stockton Town Pastors - starting Friday 4 December 2009:

Stockton Town Pastors are a group of volunteers who have come together to offer our community in Stockton a caring presence at times when individuals may become unexpectedly vulnerable.  We put our energies into building good relationships with all who are ‘out on the town’ enjoying themselves on a Friday evening. We also liaise with pubs, clubs and restaurants in the town centre area, businesses as well as taxi drivers, the police and other emergency services, and a variety of Stockton Borough Council services. View Website

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  St Paul's Newtown, Stockton-on-Tees

   
                                

  On 4 October the Stockton Methodist Circuit and Stockton Anglican Deanery celebrated the start of the first covenanted church in their area when St Paul's Newtown, a Church of England and Methodist Church Local Ecumenical Partnership came into being.

  For 5 years Newtown Methodist Church has shared the St Paul's Church building, increasingly doing more things together. Over the last year the two churches have worked very hard to sort out all the legal problems associated with becoming a covenanted partnership and on Oct 4th it all came

  together. 
                  
                                         

  Bishop Mark Bryant, Bishop of Jarrow and our own Chair of District, Rev Ruth Gee were present and both preached and signed the covenant. So did the Vicar, the Rev Derek Rosamund and the Methodist Minister the Rev Mike Harland along with the Church Warden, Sharon Stockton, and the Church Steward, Jenny Kane.

   

  The Mayor of Stockton brought civic greetings and the event was supported by friends from around the circuit and deanery. After lunch, a concert was given by the Marske Fishermen's Choir.

   

  The two congregations are now working more closely together in worship and mission and looking to work towards becoming a single congregation.