Cotherstone Methodist Church

Situation; History; Building; Activities; Facilities for hire; You and us; Contacts: Click images to enlarge them 

View of the church front.       

Situation
Cotherstone Methodist Church is prominently sited in the village of Cotherstone on the B6277 road. It is a few yards west of the Village Shop and east of the Fox and Hounds Inn.
The Market Town of Barnard Castle lies 4 miles to the east. Cotherstone is near the junction of the rivers Balder and Tees.
Whilst Cotherstone is administered as part of Durham County, it is really situated in the historic North Riding of Yorkshire being situated south of the River Tees.

History
The Church was built in 1872 by Thomas Waite of local sandstone quarried at High Shipley Quarry which lies to the North of the River Tees.
The stone merchant James P. Dalston arranged for the stone to be transported to the site across the Tees by way of the ford at Cotherstone.
The schoolroom built at the same time was used as a day school until 1963.

Building & Facilities:
Outside: The Chapel faces south. There is a small front garden by the entrance, a side lane leading to a car parking area for about 12 cars. There is a large lawn to the rear and the chapel backs onto pastures and trees to the north.
Inside: Entrance lobby, for the reception of attenders
Worship area. A fine open space, with a piped organ which was installed in 1925. The organ is placed behind the pulpit and choir stalls all of which are constructed of finely carved and finished woodwork.

The chapel seats about 150 persons in traditional wooden stalls which still retain the numbers by which they were originally rented.
The chapel leads via vestry (to the west) or lobby (to the east) to the Schoolroom a fine room which can seat about 60 people. off the school room is a fully equipped kitchen and two toilets.
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Activities: All our activities are open to all comers! Click for forthcoming events

• Services are held each Sunday at 6.30pm. They are led by preachers accredited to the Teesdale Methodist circuit and generally last about an hour. Hymns are sung, prayers said and the bible is read. An address by the preacher lasting about 15-20 minutes gives a Christian message.
  At special times in the Christian Year there are morning services at 10.30am. These services follow the same pattern as the evening services but are often led by a visiting preacher.
  Communion services are held regularly at 6.30pm when the service is conducted by a minister or other authorised person.
• The Wesley Guild meets during the period October to Easter in the Schoolroom at 7.30pm on Wednesday evening. The Guild provides opportunities for entertainment, charity work and understanding Christianity, There is usually a short act of worship, an activity, followed by refreshments and a good chat. The Guild offers training in Christian living: provides a meeting point for honest encounter and plans and initiates active service.
• In the Summer (Easter to October) a coffee morning is held on Saturdays from 10.00am to 11.30am.
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Membership and Attenders
There are about 20 members of the Church, but its activities are attended by many others, some joined to other churches, some with no particular affiliation. All are most welcome.

The Church has cordial relations with the people of other places of worship in Cotherstone the Church of England on Moor Road and The Quaker Meeting House delightfully placed in a field to the East of East Green.

The Church is, of course, part of the Methodist Connexion and particularly the Teesdale Methodist Circuit of 10 churches and chapels. These include Newbiggin Chapel where the founder of Methodism, John Wesley, preached: this chapel is the oldest Methodist place of worship which has been in continuous use.
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Facilities for Hire.
The church building is regularly used by groups outside the church. The Schoolroom is available for daytime or evening hire at £12 per 2 hour/session which includes heating and the use of the kitchen.

Baptisms, Marriages and Funerals are conducted by arrangement with the circuit Minister.

We welcome groups from other churches visiting our beautiful region and will arrange refreshments for them and arrange the use of the premises.
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What can you do for our church?

• Remember us in your prayers.
  
• Join us in our activities - we are the only local church whose main act of worship is on Sunday evening.
  
• Help us restart our Sunday School! We have run out of leaders for young peoples activities yet there are plenty of young people in Cotherstone who need Christian experience.
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How to contact us

by email pejowi@aol.com
Stewards Frank Gargett 01833 650525; Keith Lamb 01833 650302
Church Secretary Peter Wilson 01833 637834
Wesley Guild Secretary Jean Ambrose 07759597113
Organist Joyce Gargett 01833 650525

Situation; History; Building; Activities; Facilities for hire; You and us; Contacts



Flowers provided by a rota organised by Audry Siswick