Welcome!

Welcome to Central Methodist Church located in Chesterfield's town centre. Central is one of Britain's larger Methodist Churches, with acts of worship and other activities drawing people from across the Chesterfield area and beyond.

Ministers

The ministers at Central are the Revd Mark Carrick and Revd Sean Adair.

Central's Life and Mission

We believe that Jesus invites all to belong to the Kingdom of God, and seek to provide a welcome to all, irrespective of their background or particular understanding of the Christian Faith.

Emphasis is placed on preaching in both word and action. The Sunday morning service is the focal point of Central's life as a Christian family and is designed to provide thoughtful and varied worship, with provision for children and young people.

Hybrid Church

The Covid-19 pandemic curtailed many activities and led to changes in others, but the Church as a people has continued. Developing a hybrid form of church, that meets both online and in person, whilst offering written material to those unable to attend, has become very important.

We meet at Central for worship and fellowship every Sunday morning at 10:30am. We remain vigilant and committed to providing a safe space for all who wish to attend. Therefore, we continue to operate within the best practice we have learnt during the pandemic:

• Face coverings must be worn and we must maintain social distancing whilst inside the building.
• Hand sanitisers are located at entrances to the building and strategically placed throughout the premises.
• The building will be fully ventilated at all times.
• We are able to offer both projected worship and live music & singing, in line with current guidance.
• These guidelines will continue to be reviewed in light of the changing Government guidance.

It is important that we maintain a hybrid approach to ministry and so we have invested in technology that allows us to live-stream our Sunday Morning Worship and we continue to meet together online each Sunday evening, at 6pm, via Zoom. We continue to distribute written material, provide a 'dial-a-sermon' service by telephone, and produce our Daily Devotions through our social media platforms.

Living Church

Being located in the town centre, outreach and service are important to the life of the church. Therefore, Central is much more than just a Sunday Church, with a wide range of activities spread over the whole of the week.

Cornerstone
During the week, 'Cornerstone', the church's Christian coffee bar and bookshop, provides a warm welcome to visitors. We are delighted that Cornerstone has been able re-open its doors each Monday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday, from 10am – 3:30pm.

Fellowship Groups

• Our weekly Prayer Group meet together every Monday evening, from 7:30pm.
• Our Bible Study groups meet on Wednesday mornings at 10:30am (weekly), Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at 7:30pm (fortnightly), providing an opportunity to keep in touch.
• 'Celtic Morning Prayer' offers a half hour time of prayer and quiet every Wednesday morning at 9:30am.
• Our Friday Lunchtime Services are now operating every week, in the sanctuary from 12:15pm.
• A new venture, 'Women on Wednesday', meet on the second Wednesday of each month from 2pm.
• Other groups, such as 'Girls' Night In', Men's Breakfast, and Sisterhood, are all due to resume in the new year.

Children and Young People

There are also regular activities for Children and Young People, as well as opportunities for Christian Development; for building Fellowship, and for supporting Community facing projects.

• Our Junior Church, the J-Gang, meet every Sunday from 10:30am in the Church Hall.
• We hold an All-Age Service every third Sunday in the month, where the Church Family can worship together from 10:30am.
• Our Uniformed groups meet each week on our premises:
• Guides (11-13yrs) meet on a Tuesday evening, 6:30-8:30pm.
• Rangers (14yrs +) meet on alternate Tuesday evenings, 7-9pm.
• Rainbows (5-7yrs) meet on a Wednesday evening, 5:15-6:20pm.
• Brownies (7-10yrs) meet on a Wednesday evening, 6:30-8pm.
• Our Toddler Group is aiming to reopen in January 2022.

Social groups

• Our Snooker Club has reopened, providing opportunities for people to meet in a Covid-19 safe environment.
• Our short mat bowling has also reopened in the church hall.
• Our walking group, Boots & Routes, meet every month for a gentle ramble.
• Our Floral Art Group create wonderful displays and decorate the church throughout the year.

Community groups

• 'Centerpoint' day-care operates in the Church Hall and has resumed with a weekly lunch club every Tuesday.
• The church supports, and is involved with, town centre charities e.g. Foodbank; Child Contact Centre; Roofstops; Pathways.

Wider World

• Central has an Eco-Group and supports Fair-Trade.
• The church also provides financial support to appropriate charitable causes through its 'Caring for Others' programme.

Keeping in touch

• Information on all activities is distributed by the Church Secretary via e-mail, or by post, every Wednesday.
• The Pastoral Visitors team maintains regular contact with members of the congregation.
• If you would like information to be sent to you or require contact for prayer or personal discussion, please use our contact form.

More information on what's happening at Central is available on the ' Latest News ' page and on our Facebook page.

Central's Building – a home for mission

Methodists have been worshipping on the Saltergate site since 1795. The present building dates from 1870 and is Grade II Listed, with the largest 'coffered ceiling' in the country.

A major redevelopment in the 1980s incorporated the most elegant of the historical features and provides an impressive space for worship. Nominal capacity in the sanctuary following redevelopment was 450. The redevelopment programme included a large hall, kitchen, and several meeting rooms. By then, the Church had recognised the importance of reaching into the community, and a coffee bar and Christian bookshop ('Cornerstone') were incorporated.

Over thirty years later, a significant improvement programme has just been completed, including provision of a new lift to allow full disabled access to the Sanctuary, installation of new sound and video equipment, refurbishment of Cornerstone and development of a new meeting room.