Colonel William A. Phillips

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This is a list of notable Methodist churches, either of notable congregations or of notable buildings or other places of worship. This very limited list reflects historically interesting sites, and omits most of the very largest Methodist congregations. Since the founding of Methodism in the mid-18th century, the movement has spread throughout the world, and remains a presence in many countries today.

Many church buildings are notable for their historical or architectural significance. Many of the historic churches can be found in the United Kingdom and the United States, but some are also located in Canada, China, Korea and other in countries where there has been a Methodist presence. In some cases the congregation which established the church has since disbanded but the building remains. This list is intended to comprehensively index notable Methodist churches world-wide.

Australia

Church Image Dates Location City or Town Description
Wesley Church, Melbourne 26 August 1858 Consecrated 37°48′37″S 144°58′5″E / 37.81028°S 144.96806°E / -37.81028; 144.96806 Melbourne, Australia Grand Gothic design with high quality architecture

Barbados

Ann Gill Memorial Methodist Church, in Fairfield Road, Black Rock, St. Michael, honours the memory of Sarah Ann Gill, the sole female national heroine of Barbados.[1]

Canada

Two British Methodist Episcopal Church churches have been designated National Historic Sites of Canada due to their roles in welcoming Underground Railroad refugees to Canada and their historic importance to the Black community in the Niagara region:

Church Image Dates Location City or town Description
R. Nathaniel Dett British Methodist Episcopal Church 1836 built
43°05′15″N 79°05′18″W / 43.08750°N 79.08833°W / 43.08750; -79.08833 (R. Nathaniel Dett British Methodist Episcopal Church) Niagara Falls, Ontario Named in honour of Robert Nathaniel Dett[2][3]
Salem Chapel, British Methodist Episcopal Church 1855 built
43°09′54″N 79°14′24″W / 43.16500°N 79.24000°W / 43.16500; -79.24000 (Salem Chapel) St. Catharines, Ontario Linked to Harriet Tubman.[4][5][6]
British Methodist Episcopal Church, Windsor, Ontario 1854 built, rebuilt 1856, rebuilt 1963
43°09′54″N 79°14′24″W / 43.16500°N 79.24000°W / 43.16500; -79.24000 (Windsor, Ontario) Windsor, Ontario From 1856 to 1963 the BME church was an active church in its original location, 363 McDougall street.[7]

Puerto Rico

Church Image Dates Location City or Town Description
Primera Iglesia Metodista Unida de Ponce 1907 Calle Villa 135
18°00′37″N 66°36′58″W / 18.01028°N 66.61611°W / 18.01028; -66.61611 (Primera Iglesia Metodista Unida de Ponce)
Ponce Methodist church built in 1907 that was architect Antonin Nechodoma's first commission in Puerto Rico.
McCabe Memorial Church 1908 835 Eugenio Maria de Hostos Ave.
17°58′56″N 66°37′14″W / 17.98222°N 66.62056°W / 17.98222; -66.62056 (McCabe Memorial Church)
Ponce Another Nechodoma work.
Ernesto Memorial Chapel 1912 Intersection of PR 486 & PR 488
18°25′59″N 66°51′17″W / 18.43306°N 66.85472°W / 18.43306; -66.85472 (Ernesto Memorial Chapel)
Camuy Designed by Albert Munson

Singapore

Church Image Dates Location City or Town Description
Wesley Methodist Church 5 Fort Canning Road1°17′53″N 103°50′51″E / 1.297949°N 103.847623°E / 1.297949; 103.847623 (Wesley Methodist Church, Singapore) Singapore Oldest Methodist church with an English-speaking congregation in Singapore

United Kingdom

The first Methodist churches were in Norwich (1757), in Rotherham (1761), in Whitby (1762), and in Heptonstall (1764).

About 700 Methodist chapels in the United Kingdom have been identified as significant buildings for their architecture or history by author Ian Serjeant, who has served as Conservation Officer for the Methodist church since 1996.[8]

A list of Methodist churches that are listed buildings was prepared by the U.K. Methodist church's division of property in 1976.[8] A standing committee of the Methodist Church of Britain is charged with having "knowledge of the history, development and use of Methodist chapels, of Methodist liturgy and worship, or archaeology, of the history and the development of architecture and the visual arts, and the experience of the care of historic buildings and their contents", and to advise on about 250 renovation projects per year to the Methodist listed buildings.[9]

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, is said to have had a preference for octagonal buildings, as exemplified by the Heptonstall Methodist Church in West Yorkshire, England.[8]

Appropriate style for Methodist church buildings was debated during the mid-1800s. Architect-trained Reverend Frederick Jobson argued for "beauty and perfection in design and execution without unnecessary adornment"; the governing body of Methodism adopted his works and Gothic architecture "became the predominant style, particularly within Wesleyan Methodism."[8]

Church Image Dates Location City or Town Description
St. John's Methodist Church 1772 built
56°33′40.99″N 2°35′8.54″W / 56.5613861°N 2.5857056°W / 56.5613861; -2.5857056 (St. John’s Methodist Church) Arbroath Angus, Scotland A listed building in Category B that is identified by Serjeant as particularly notable. It was opened by John Wesley in 1772. Remodellings and other changes in 1882, 1896, and 1946.[8][10]
Wesleyan Church, Aldershot 1874-77 built
Grade II* listed building
51°14′55″N 0°46′3″W / 51.24861°N 0.76750°W / 51.24861; -0.76750 (Aldershot Methodist Church) Aldershot, Hampshire Built to reflect the expansion of the town of Aldershot with the arrival of the Military Camp during the mid to late 19th-century. Now redundant and used as offices, homes, a dental surgery and gymnasium.
Altarnum Methodist Chapel 1859 built
50°36′10.8″N 4°30′39.6″W / 50.603000°N 4.511000°W / 50.603000; -4.511000 (Altarnum Methodist Chapel) Altarnun, Cornwall A typical building reflecting the values expressed by Jobson.[8]
Wesley's Chapel 1777–78 built
51°31′26″N 0°05′12″W / 51.5238°N 0.0866°W / 51.5238; -0.0866 Islington, London Known as 'The Mother Church of World Methodism', having been built by John Wesley, and acting as his London base. The portico was added in 1814–15, and there have been other alterations and additions since. The building is listed at Grade I.[11][12]
Methodist Central Hall 1905-11 built
51°30′00″N 0°07′48″W / 51.50000°N 0.13000°W / 51.50000; -0.13000 (Methodist Central Hall Westminster) Westminster, London Built in order to commemorate the centenary of the death of the founder of Methodism, John Wesley.
Heptonstall Methodist Church 1764 built
53°45′11.12″N 2°2′13.78″W / 53.7530889°N 2.0371611°W / 53.7530889; -2.0371611 (Heptonstall Methodist Church) West Yorkshire Octagonal chapel whose foundation stone was laid by John Wesley. Church was completed in 1764 in symmetric octagon shape, but was extended in 1802 to provide for more space. Wesley recommended the octagonal shape to differentiate from the established church.[13] The building was featured in a 2010 BBC Four series Churches: How to Read Them,[14] in which Dr Richard Taylor named it as one of his ten favourite churches, saying: "If buildings have an aura, this one radiated friendship."[15] See photo here [1].
Moor Park Methodist Church 1861-62 built Preston, Lancashire, England Designed by Poulton and Woodman, opened 1862, seating for 900, closed 1984.
Preston Central Methodist Church 1817 built Preston, Lancashire, England Active, Methodist church whose building was one of the first public buildings in the country to be lit by gas.
Surrey Chapel, Southwark 1783 built
1881 demolished
London Independent Methodist and Congregational church, located at first in open fields, then enveloped by industrial development. Circular in plan with domed roof, its design was of interest.
Trinity Independent Chapel 1841 built
1944 demolished
51°30′41″N 0°1′8″W / 51.51139°N 0.01889°W / 51.51139; -0.01889 (Trinity Independent Chapel) London
West Street Chapel First leased in 1743 by John Wesley London
West London Methodist Mission Established in 1887 under Hugh Price Hughes London
Bethesda Methodist Chapel 1819 built
1972 Grade II*-listed
Stoke on Trent [16]
Brunswick Methodist Chapel 1820 built
1987 Grade II-listed
Newcastle upon Tyne [17]

United States

In the United States, numerous Methodist churches are listed on the National Register of Historic Places[18] and on state and local historic registers, many of which reflect the values of plainness, of Gothic architecture, of simple adornment. The Greek Revival style is also simple and came to be adopted for numerous American Methodist churches.

Several, selected significant Methodist churches in the U.S. are:

Church Image Dates Location City, State Description
Barratt's Chapel 1780 built
1972 NRHP-listed
39°1′28.6″N 75°27′34.36″W / 39.024611°N 75.4595444°W / 39.024611; -75.4595444 Frederica, Delaware "Cradle of Methodism", where Methodism first took hold in the United States in 1784
Lovely Lane United Methodist Church 1884 built
1973 NRHP-listed[18]
39°18′52″N 76°36′57″W / 39.31444°N 76.61583°W / 39.31444; -76.61583 (Lovely Lane United Methodist Church) Baltimore, Maryland Romanesque Revival style, known as the Mother Church of American Methodism
St. George's United Methodist Church 1767 built
1971 NRHP-listed
39°57′17.9″N 75°8′46.82″W / 39.954972°N 75.1463389°W / 39.954972; -75.1463389 (St. George's United Methodist Church) Philadelphia The oldest Methodist church worship in continuous use in the United States.[19]
Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church 1794 built
1972 NRHP-listed
39°56′35″N 75°9′9″W / 39.94306°N 75.15250°W / 39.94306; -75.15250 (Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church) Philadelphia Romanesque style, The founding church of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.[20]

For a more complete list, see List of Methodist churches in the United States.

References

  1. ^ Barbados Today, Ann Gill Memorial Methodist Church celebrating 125 years, published 3 November 2018, accessed 23 December 2019
  2. ^ R. Nathaniel Dett British Methodist Episcopal Church, Directory of Designations of National Historic Significance of Canada
  3. ^ R. Nathaniel Dett British Methodist Episcopal Church, National Register of Historic Places
  4. ^ Salem Chapel, British Methodist Episcopal Church, Directory of Designations of National Historic Significance of Canada
  5. ^ Salem Chapel, British Methodist Episcopal Church, National Register of Historic Places
  6. ^ See also Tubman Home for the Aged, Harriet Tubman Residence, Thompson A.M.E. Zion Church, Auburn, New York.
  7. ^ British Methodist Episcopal Church, Windsor Mosaic
  8. ^ a b c d e f Ian Serjeant. "Historic Methodist Architecture and its Protection". Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  9. ^ "The Methodist Church in Britain | Listed Buildings Advisory Committee". Archived from the original on 3 May 2013. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
  10. ^ Historic Environment Scotland. "St. John's Methodist Church, 15 Ponderlaw Street (Category B Listed Building) (LB21147)". Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  11. ^ Historic England, "Wesley's Chapel, Islington (1195538)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 5 December 2012
  12. ^ History, Wesley's Chapel, archived from the original on 5 October 2013, retrieved 5 December 2012
  13. ^ Heptonstall Trail, A Calder Civic Trust publication, 1996
  14. ^ "BBC Four - Churches: How to Read Them, Dark Beginnings". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
  15. ^ "Richard Taylor, Rider Books".
  16. ^ Historic England, "Bethesda Methodist Chapel (1195821)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 10 July 2023
  17. ^ Historic England, "Brunswick Methodist Chapel (1024933)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 9 December 2012
  18. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  19. ^ St. George's United Methodist Church Archived July 3, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  20. ^ "Redirection of: Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church". ushistory.org. Retrieved 9 October 2015.