North Camp Methodist Church

Visit North Camp
Jul 26
3 min read

The Church has always been at the heart of the community, here in North Camp.

Since it was built in 1878 by the Aldershot Methodist Military Trust as a place of worship for non Anglican or Catholic service personnel, the church has sought to provide a space for worship, community, evangelism and service.

I arrived here in 2022, as a new minister and have found the church to be a friendly, welcoming place where I have grown as a minister, with the people in the church. Over the last three years, we have developed better links with our community, not least as the challenge of covid robbed the church of many of its regular activities which have had to be re- established. From knitting angels with Rushmoor Angels to contributing to the Longest Yarn Project, Come And Meet Each Other (Cameo), the toddler group, to more recently, establishing a food waste café with local charity, Zero Hunger, there is much happening here. We also offer space for other community groups to meet and flourish. These include the many classes of the University of the Third Age, Brownies, a rehearsal space for two choirs and Farnborough Symphony Orchestra. Moreover, we are delighted to offer space to local schools for their plays and performances throughout the year. Furthermore, it’s a space where family and friends can come together to celebrate, whether that’s for a birthday party, a christening, wedding or other reason. And even in the sad times, we are able to help, by hosting funerals and holding our annual All Souls Service, to remember those we have loved and lost.

What are we like? Well, services are varied, sometimes traditional, sometimes more creative, which have included exploring clay in worship, making footprint walk ways, gathering around tables to discuss various topics such as how to seek justice, what does praying look like in the 21st century whilst our communion service may have you doing jazz hands! Our Kingdom Kids Sunday School regularly take part in the service and recently took over the whole of Sunday worship and showed the adults how it’s done. During the week, we also run a Bible study group – Faith and Fellowship (we’re hoping for more!), A Flourish group which seeks to look after the environment around the church. Members are also known to go out for a curry together and we’re always looking out for ideas about what our community wants to get involved in: Watch this space for our next quiz in October and Autumn Fair on 15th November.

There is always a warm welcome for everyone here – no matter what your background or circumstance. We are an inclusive church; in 2021 the church voted to be registered for same sex marriages, and we encourage anyone from the LGBTQ+ community to come, this is a safe space, where you will be able to be you.

I think if I was to sum up North Camp Methodist, it would be through this poem, that

one of our members Emma wrote recently to describe the church and what it means

to her:

Church

Grounded peace

Church is like a perfect trifle

Each layer complements the other .

Have you ever put on the perfect

Pair of shoes?

The fit is right the feel is good the the warmth.

After a long day on your feet you slip into your favourite clothes .

When you have been lost and find a map