Quiet Day at the Monastery 7/10/2017

We had an enjoyable Quiet Day at the Monastery today. The weather was good so we could wander around the lovely grounds. Lots of time for contemplation on our theme 'Is there room in our space for God today?'

For the Love of Trains 2017

Part of the 2017 Golden Jubilee Celebrations at Hall Lane Methodist Church (Whitwick, Leicestershire LE67 5PF)

This was not a typical “Model Railway Show” but ideal for all who have any interest in trains or model railways.

Flower Festival August 11th to 13th 2017

One of the biggest and most popular events held this year was our flower festival. Over a 1000 flowers where used during the festival with stunning effect. Click on the arrangements below to see the festival in all its glory.

Film Night - Viceroys House July 19th 2017

Quiet Day 25th July 2017

Street Party July 8th 2017

The sun was shining, it's been a beautiful day ... Lots of games for the children (and grown ups), bouncy castle, races and a game or two of bingo. What a great way to spend a sunny afternoon. Thanks for coming everyone and taking part in our street party.

'More Tea Vicar? An Interview with Frank Williams

Vicar of Dad's Army TV series and film talked about his life as a real life vicar and his time on TV and in film. 

Everybody loves Dad's Army. Even after 50 years it continues to pull huge viewing figures becoming one of the all-time classic ‘greats’ of television, also enjoying West-End success, a Royal Variety Performance, a national tour, a themed cruise and now the new feature film in which Frank returns as the vicar. 

David Croft and Jimmy Perry chose Frank to create the role of the wonderfully eccentric vicar who was always slightly tetchy as he tried to come to terms with the elderly platoon’s invasion of his beloved church hall. We joined Frank as he celebrated a lifetime on Stage, TV, Film and the legendary BBCTV series. In an entertaining trip down memory lane, Frank gave a unique glimpse behind the scenes and stories of the celebrated TV & Film casts of Dad's Army & a host of other TV classics such as Emergency Ward 10; All Gas & Gaiters; Morecambe & Wise; The Two Ronnie’s and many more. 
Frank was interviewed by author & entertainer Chris Gidney in a lively evening of television nostalgia and signed copies of his best-selling autobiography, Vicar to Dad's Army. 

Coffee Morning  24th June 2017

Happy 10th Birthday Lunch Club

Pentecost Afternoon Tea 4th June 2017

Pam Rhodes, Evening of Hymns & Songs 3rd June

Easter Garden Transformed May 2017

Film Night - Dad's Army - 27th May 2017

BBC Down to Earth May 11th 2017

Paul Field Concert 6th May 2017

Coffee Morning 29th April 2017

Working Party 22nd April 2017

Film Night - A Street Cat Named Bob 22nd April 2017

Easter Garden 2017

Daffodils March 2017

Our daffodils are bringing a bright splash of springtime to Whitwick.

Lent Film Study March 2017

A Six week course led by Rev John Hudson. The first week we watched the film The King's Speech followed by five study weeks looking at different elements of the film.

Coffee Morning 25th February 2017

The smell of delicious home baked cakes just coming out of the oven ready for our coffee morning at Hall Lane Methodist Church, extra help has been brought in.

Prayer Labyrinth 17th & 18th February

Our Prayer Labyrinth was a lovely, calming experience which helped to reduce stress, quieten your mind and open your heart. 

Film Night - Swallows and Amazons - 28th January 2017

Hope everyone enjoyed Swallows and Amazons at our first film night tonight. It was a good turnout so tell your friends that there will be another one planned soon.

Sunday Lunch January 8th 2017

Great lunch today at Hall Lane - thanks to all the organisers and helpers - it started our anniversary year off perfectly!

Happy New Year

On September 1^st the National Forest East Circuit celebrated the beginning of the new connexional year for Methodism with a service that took place at Hall Lane. Chairman of the District, Rev Loraine Mellor, preached about the need for churches to move with the times in our approach to mission and how we must ‘repackage’ ourselves. Rev John Hartley was recognised as the Circuit’s new superintendent minister and two new ministers were welcomed into the Circuit. Rev Jacqueline Goaten is a probationer minister and will oversee the Ashby side of the circuit and Rev Janet Tanner will move into the Whitwick side of the circuit. Rev Diane Grice continues to serve the Castle Donington area and Rev John Hartley the Melbourne area.

A good time of praise and worship took place followed by a time of fellowship over refreshments.

Cheque Presentations

Cheques amounting to £1,800 have been donated to a number of local charities over the past year by Hall Lane Methodist Church Ladies Fellowship.  Events were organised throughout the year to raise the money which included a fashion show and several coffee mornings. 

Charities that have benefitted from a donation have been Olivia’s Journey, Thringstone School House, ADHD Solutions, a new support group for cancer sufferers, Shepshed 1st Responders and a craft group for autistic children. 

Our fellowship meets every other week on a Wednesday evening and enjoys a varied programme of speakers, activities and outings.  Ladies of all ages are very welcome to join us.  

Cheque presented to local charity 

For the past 12 months, the Hall Lane Methodist Church Ladies Fellowship in Whitwick has been working hard raising funds for a local charity called 'Coping with Cancer'.  It is a charity that provides practical and emotional support to anyone affected by cancer. 

A number of events and projects were organised through the year to raise funds which were all supported by the wider church.  These included coffee mornings, card sales, quizzes, and a Ukulele concert to name just a few.

A grand total of £2,220 has been handed over to a representative from the charity at the AGM of the Ladies Fellowship. 

Coffee Morning

The cake stall at the coffee morning held on saturday 28th February did a roaring trade. Victoria sponges, fairy cakes, cheesecake and Monica's renowned Bakewell Tart sold out very quickly. All proceeds were for the ladies fellowship charity for 2014\15 - the Leicestershire and Rutland Coping with Cancer Charity.

The World's Harvest

A harvest supper was held at Hall Lane Methodist Church on the evening of Saturday 4^th Saturday. Thirty people came along to enjoy a hot supper and to take part in a fun quiz which included rounds of identifying vegetables from around the world such as okra, prickly pear and lemon grass and the price of groceries at a local supermarket.

The eventual winners were Alan and Margaret Clarke with Robert and Natalie Missenden, it was an exciting finish with the last round deciding the top four teams. 

The next morning we enjoyed our Harvest Festival and all contributions from members and church groups were distributed within the local area and to Coalville’s food bank.

Methodist Church on the evening of Saturday 4^th Saturday. Thirty people came along to enjoy a hot supper and to take part in a fun quiz which included rounds of identifying vegetables from around the world such as okra, prickly pear and lemon grass and the price of groceries at a local supermarket.The eventual winners were Alan and Margaret Clarke with Robert and Natalie Missenden, it was an exciting finish with th last round deciding the top four teams.The next morning we enjoyed our Harvest Festival and all contributions from members and church groups were distributed within the local area and to Coalville’s food bank.  

A Mad Hatters Tea Party Summer 2014

This years summer fair had the theme of a Mad Hatters tea party. Rev Colin dressed up as the Mad Hatter, Dot was the Queen of Hearts, Anita was Alice and Alan was the White Rabbit.

The refreshment table was decorated with giant teapots, red balloons and lots of hearts. 

 It was a great day and £1400 was raised for church funds.

Summer "Strawberry" Fair   Saturday 6th July 2013

Hall Lane’s Strawberry Fair was a huge success.  Held at the beginning of July we were blessed with perfect weather which brought out the crowds looking for strawberry sundaes, home baked cakes, plants, books and lots of silly games to play.

Whitwick Historical Group brought a display of photographs about the history of Whitwick and Mark and Alan brought their model trains and fairground displays.  A clown entertained the children and a cake decorating demonstration was enjoyed by the more crafty visitors.

It was a lovely day for sitting around just chatting and enjoying meeting our neighbours from the surrounding area.

Coffee Morning Saturday 16th March 2013

The church held a Coffee Morning from 10am until 12 noon and despite the miserable weather the church was filled from start to finish! Good company, tea and especially cake was enjoyed by all as well as numerous raffle prizes. Thank you to all who donated items, time, assistance and to everyone joining us - a total of £300 was raised.

Willersley Castle Holiday 2012

On the weekend of 12^th to 14^th October 2012 a group of 24 members and friends of Hall Lane travelled to Willersley Castle in Derbyshire for a church weekend. 

There was a full programme planned starting with a beetle drive on the Friday evening that was won by Kim. 

On Saturday – after a full English breakfast – the group split into two groups with the more active members going for a walk from Monsel Head to Bakewell while the others went for a more leisurly amble to Tideswell to see the Cathedral of the Dales and then on to Bakewell to feed the ducks (although we later found out it wasn’t allowed).  After getting soaked in a downpour we all went on to Haddon Hall where we explored the family home of the Manners family.

In the evening we all took part in a quiz which saw everyone rushing round the castle looking for clues – Mark, Lesley, Jean and Derek won the prize.

On Sunday morning – after another full English breakfast we all went to the Methodist church in nearby Cromford only to find they were having a joint service with the Anglicans so we all trooped along to St Marys which was a church built by Sir Richard Arkwright. 

After a three course lunch we travelled on to Crich to ride on the trams and then we all went home several pounds heavier than when we arrived.

MYSTERY SHOPPER - SEPTEMBER 2012

On sunday 30th September Hall Lane recieved a Mystery Worshipper form the website Shipoffools.com.

"Dear Hall Lane Methodist Church

I was a mystery shopper 2 weeks ago. For a website called Shipoffools.com. The aim is to improve Sunday worship. Here is an advance draft copy - the editor may make changes.  I was not sent to your church it was just the nearest church on our journey, my mobile phone internet connection, my sat nav and of course your website. I like your website but would love to see the worship time more prominently displayed on the home page. Thanks for a wonderful service and warm welcome. I wish you all ... the church members and Minister all the best as we strive to build God’s Kingdom on earth.

Kind regards
Mystery Shopper"
...........................................

Mystery Worshipper: Local Preacher

The church: Hall Lane Methodist Church, Whitwick, Coalville Leicester. LE67 5PF http://www.hall-lane.co.uk

Denomination: Methodist

The building: Hall Lane Methodist Church was built in 1967. The aim was to build the church hall and then to build the church. They ran out of money once they built the hall. They meet in the hall which looks and feels like a place of worship.

The church: The hall is the worship area and the worship area feels spiritual and special. (Iwas far too nervous to take a picture inside so please take my word for it).

The neighbourhood: Hall Lane Methodist Church is situated on the outskirts of the village ofWhitwick on the edge of the town of Coalville. It’s a lovely village with an annual scarecrow festival.

The cast: Reverend Linda Coates and Worship Leader/Steward Natalie Missenden

The date & time: Sunday 30th September 2012 at 10.30

What was the name of the service? Communion Service

How full was the building? 50% full

Did anyone welcome you personally? I was welcomed personally by the couple.

Was your pew comfortable? Very comfortable soft blue individual wide chairs. I could have sat in the chair for hours. Normally the chairs are in straight rows but for this service the chairs were arranged in groups of 5 in a half moon shape facing the front.

How would you describe the pre-service atmosphere? We arrived at 10.28 and they were singing ‘Be still’ which was quietly sang brought a peaceful atmosphere, before the service began.

What were the exact opening words of the service? Welcome to the service today. Today is back to church Sunday.

What books did the congregation use during the service? Methodist Worship Book and Methodist Hymn Book (1979)

What musical instruments were played? Piano

Did anything distract you? A momentary distraction when the Minister said the chairs have been arranged this way so you can move from group to group to talk to eachother. I was looking around thinking do I have to move!

Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or what? Traditional worship

Exactly how long was the sermon? There was not a sermon as such. It was more a series of short addresses.

On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher? 9 out of 10. Reverend Linda Coates was filled with the Spirit and she paused and empathised words that she wanted us to remember.

In a nutshell, what was the sermon about? No sermon given, it was a series of short addresses.

The addresses discussed - how there are storms in our lives, the neonatal unit in a hospital and what sustains us through the storm and what builds us up. Between each address we spoke in small groups about our favourite foods and favourite music and hymns. The Minister said ‘I know all of my church members and they have let me share and help in their storms in their life’.

Which part of the service was like being in heaven? In our small groups we picked our favourite hymn to share with the congregation. When each small group feedback their favourite hymn the aim was for us to pick one hymn to sing. The preacher quickly realised there was a problem, we wanted 4 different hymns including ‘And can it be’ and ‘what a friend we have in Jesus’. She thought quickly on her feet and said ‘let’s sing one verse of each of the 4 hymns’ which was like heaven to me.

And which part was like being in... er... the other place? None

What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost? I met many members of the congregation who were friendly and invited me to stay for coffee. As soon as the service ended

I was asked ‘Do you think we are a welcoming church?’ unsure what to say as I was a mystery shopper I paused. She added ‘we worry about how people experience our church from a newcomers perspective’. So I can answer now it is a welcoming church.

How would you describe the after-service coffee? Nescafé style coffee with biscuits.

How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)? 9 out of 10. The congregation was across a wide age range. The music was good and the congregation was friendly.

Did the service make you feel glad to be a Christian? Yes

Coffee Morning

A recent coffee morning held to raise funds for the ladies fellowship was well attended. There was a cake stall, nearly new, raffle and, of course, tea and cup cakes on sale. The huge amount of £264 was raised from the morning.

Christmas Festival

Our Christmas Festival held on the weekend of 3rd and 4th December 2011 was a huge success with hundreds of people coming along to see 'The Journey...'.

There were over 20 decorated Christmas Trees, each one depicting the journey of a person who was at the first Christmas in Bethlehem.  There was also a display of Christmas decorations and traditions.  Many groups from the church took part in decorating the building including the pre-school and toddler groups, and friends from Marlborough Methodist Church, New Swannington Youth Groups and Whitwick Cubs also helped with decorating trees.

Our two special services led by Rev Lynda Coates were well attended and the Christingles were particularly well received.

Many thanks to everyone who helped to make the weekend so successful.

Quiz Night

A recent quiz that took place in September at The George and  Dragon was a fun night with winners being Natalie, Lesley, Marcus and Allison and runners up Margaret, Liz, Alan and Nick.