Our Vision
The Covid pandemic and the changes to the life of the church has been a time to reflect upon God’s purposes for the church on St James Green.
A prayer and Vision Day was held on 24th May 2021 where our ideas were shared. These have now either being done or have already been realised with the completion of the Pollinator Garden, Secondary double glazing, new LED lighting, roof insulation, hosting Kids Wardrobe and other creative uses of the church building.
Eco-church.
Looking after the planet is part of our calling to respond to God’s care for all creation.
The church is concerned with the effects that Global warming and climate change is having upon the lives and livelihoods of many across the planet. We wholeheartedly support the The Yorkshire North and East District aims to Go Greener, inspiring churches, circuits and communities throughout the District to improve their carbon footprint, with practical ideas. At the Representative Synod on Saturday 12 September 2020 it was agreed to commit to becoming a Net Zero Carbon District by 2040, at the latest.
https://www.yorkshirenemethodist.org/our-work/climate-change/
At Thirsk Methodist Church, we have already begun the process by having an Energy Audit done to see where and how we can reduce our carbon footprint. We have committed to making our building more energy efficient and to looking at alternative sources of energy.
Works to date which were part funded by a Hambleton District Council “Making a Difference Grant” include;
- Roof insulation to all accessible roof spaces,
- Secondary Double glazing to all large leaded glass windows,
- Replacement of all lighting in the church and rooms with low energy LED fittings.
Pollinator friendly Community Garden
The Thirsk Methodist Church Pollinator Garden was formally open in a Ceremony on Saturday 29th July 2023. The ribbon was cut by Councillor Gareth Dadd and was well attended by church members, friends and the local community.
Our vision was to create a Pollinator friendly garden in the graveyard by introducing plants that attract bees and other insect pollinators. The church has very strong historical links via Mary Bumby (Honey bees in New Zealand) and William Foggitt (Naturalist and Botanist). It was very important that the garden was complimentary to the existing graves.
The scheme was partly funded with a Hambleton District Council “Marking a difference Grant” and with all the design, ground works and planting being done by Church members. The garden now is insect friendly, a reflective place for people and is easy to maintain for its long term future.
Kids Community Wardrobe
Thirsk Methodist Church in partnership with the Salvation Army, to provide good quality used children’s clothes at an affordable price. Not only helping parents financially, but also recycling quality used clothing that may have ended up in landfill and also reducing our carbon footprint.
The Kids Wardrobe is held several times a year with Thirsk Methodist Church providing; storage, helpers, refreshments and a warm place to set out the clothes which complements the great work done by the Salvation Army in collecting and selling the clothes.
We also help facilitate with the Salvation Army’s Christmas presents for kids scheme.
Visual and Performing Arts
The vision of the church members in the 1900s saw a need for a new purpose built space for education, sciences and the arts. This building after much fund-raising was competed in 1909 and is now used as the present Thirsk Methodist Church.
Our vision today is much the same as those in 1900, to share the good news with our community by serving and friendship. We share our talents via music, song, drama and pictures in some of the activities listed below;
- Songs of Praise (outdoor singing of hymns)
- Singing Group / Band (for special church services)
- Krazy Krafters (church craft group)
- Faith as Art (free workshops exploring Christian paintings and creating our own artworks)
