WESTBURY Methodist Church recently celebrated its 90th birthday with a meal out for members of the congregation.
Reverend Ward Jones said, “A strong community within the town, Methodism has been active since the day John Wesley rode in and preached in 1748.
“The first chapel, from 1808, stills stands as a Masonic Lodge. In the dark days of World War One the ambition was born to meet the needs of a growing congregation by erecting a new and more versatile suite of premises. It took until the problem days of the general strike in 1926 before today’s church on Station Road opened its doors.
“Among those sitting down to lunch were two long-serving members, Ken and Maureen Holloway, who were celebrating their 56th anniversary of being married in the church.
“A bouquet of flowers was presented to them by the minister, Rev David Coppard. The day before their wedding the minister crashed on his cycle and took the service with his arm in plaster!
“Mr and Mrs Holloway moved into Westbury from neighbouring villages when they married. Ken has spent most of the years looking after the church building and its finances, many as chairman of the committee.
“Ken was always keen on accounting; he worked first for local civil engineers and then became one of the original employees of the cement works and stayed with their books until he retired.”
As part of the 90th celebrations, Ward has written an illustrated booklet telling the story of Methodism in Westbury. He retired to Westbury last year after serving as head of the Methodist Church in the west of England for 17 years.
Copies of the booklet cost £5 plus postage and can be ordered from awardjones@cantab.net
