Beeston Methodist Church has received the go-ahead for a major modernisation project to enable it to respond better to church and community needs in the 21st century.
Broxtowe Borough Council has approved a planning application to renovate the distinctive building on Chilwell Road, where hundreds of people a week already attend a wide range of church and community activities.
Beeston Methodist Church (BMC) was formed in 2014 when the congregations of four Methodist churches in the Beeston and Chilwell areas came together to form one church.
Now a programme of essential work will concentrate on improvements to the church sanctuary. The 121-year-old building is expensive to heat. So, a new heating system will be installed and the church roof, which has come to the end of its natural life, will be re-slated and insulated.
The worship area will be re-modelled to meet the needs of a 21st century Methodist church while enhancing its role as an important community asset. The side balconies will be removed, allowing the impressive stained-glass windows in these areas to be fully revealed and bringing extra light into the church. New lighting will be installed and the church windows double glazed.
The fixed pews facing the preaching area will be removed and the floor levelled to create a more flexible space, suitable for small and large group worship and a wide range of community events.
The impressive pipe organ, presented to the church when it was built in 1902, will undergo a complete overhaul as part of the redevelopment.
New audio-visual technology will facilitate live streaming of services and events, including concerts and other performances. The coffee bar area will be up-graded and automatic doors installed at the side entrance.
The project will make the building more accessible for those who rely on mobility aids and assist younger visitors who arrive in buggies and pushchairs.
BMC already holds the Eco Church Bronze Award. It is committed to making the building as eco-friendly as possible and is considering fitting solar panels on the hall roof.
In keeping with a heritage building sited in a conservation area, the church frontage will be retained. Refurbishment work on the 110ft church spite will start soon.
The cost of the redevelopment will be largely met from the money received from the sale of Methodist buildings in the area. The church has already showed its commitment to the project by collecting £200,000 – through a series of fundraising events and generous gifts from members.
Chris Bridges, chair of the BMC Redevelopment Group, said: “The congregation at Beeston Methodist Church has been planning this project since before the COVID-19 pandemic, so it is very exciting to finally have planning permission. We are excited about the possibilities that the updated premises will offer to local groups, as well as our church community – the buildings have served them both since 1902 and this work will help ensure they are still valued in one hundred years time”.