In May 2019 Trinity Untied Reformed Church and Ramsey Methodist Church, both on Waterloo Road in Ramsey closed as places of worship after over 100 years.
The two churches came together and now meet in St. Paul's Church Hall in an ecumenical partnership.
The closure was reported in an article on the IOMToday website in an article which is reproduced below:
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Congregations' farewell to much-loved churches Saturday 18 May 2019 - North
by Adrian Derbyshire - Reporter
email: adrain.darbyshire@iomtoday.co.imCongregations of two Ramsey churches have joined forces - and are saying farewell to their places of worship that have been local landmarks for well over 100 years.
Trinity United Reformed Church will hold its last service on Waterloo Road tomorrow (Sunday May 19).
Ramsey Methodist Church will follow suit the following Sunday (May 26), with the last service at its chapel on Waterloo Road after 173 years.
Both old churches, built in 1885 and 1845 respectively, are up for sale and currently under offer.
Trinity United Reformed Church and the Methodist Church are coming together in the first local ecumenical partnership seen in the island and from next month will be meeting at St Paul’s church hall.
United Reformed Church Minister Revd Dawn Mather said: ’We’ve been in Waterloo Road for a long time and I think it will be emotional for the members and those associated with the church.
’We are giving people a chance to say their goodbyes.
’It’s more than just a building but the church is not a building - the church is the people and that’s not closing.’
Dawn explained that the old building was no longer fit for purpose and the cost of keeping it going was not sustainable when the congregation has a set income, with most of them retired.
Its congregation was down to about 20 to 23.
Dawn said: ’It wasn’t sustainable. But it’s not about the numbers. It’s a building of its day. If we were a house, we would need to think about downsizing.
’We decided rather than closing we would come together to work in mission and share in worship.’
Talks of joining forces with the Methodists began some three years ago.
Such local ecumenical partnerships have become common in the UK but this was a first for the island.
Initially, the two congregations met together once a month, alternately at their respective churches.
’We decided we liked each other!’ said Dawn.
The churches then met on two Sundays a month and then every Sunday, again alternating between the two buildings.
Now they have taken the next step, to sell their buildings and meet together at St Paul’s church hall.
The two churches together now have about 45 worshippers.
Dawn said they were open to the idea about becoming a three-way ecumenical partnership with the Church of England parish church.
But that’s for the future. Dawn said the full-time coming together of Trinity United Reformed Church and the Ramsey Methodist should not be rushed.
She said: ’We need to take it slowly, to find out what is really important and what people in their own church need.
’We want to preserve the DNA of both.
’It’s about unity not uniformity.
’We want as a church as both congregations to be able to become more involved than we have been in Ramsey.’
For Sunday’s final service at Trinity United Reformed Church, a memory wall has been created with members and friends invited to put their own memories on a timeline around the church. There are also albums full of photographs, some dating right back to the beginning of the church.
Ramsey Methodists, who say they are ’looking back and moving forward’, will hold their last service celebrating 173 years at their chapel at 10.30am the following Sunday, followed by lunch.
The first joint service at St Paul’s church hall will be on Pentecost Sunday (June 9), followed on Saturday, June 15 with a signing of a declaration of commitment by the two churches.
This will be attended by United Reformed Church Mersey Synod moderator Rev Jacky Embrey and the chairman of the Methodist District, Revd Richard Hall.
Ramsey Methodist Church, constructed in 1845 and located on a prominent corner position at the junction of Parsonage Road and Waterloo Road, has been on the market for offers in excess of £200,000.
Agents Black Grace Cowley say that it is potentially suitable for a variety of uses, subject to planning consent.
Trinity United Reformed Church, built in 1885, is advertised for sale at £225,000.
Complete with high vaulted ceiling, stone pulpit and organ, it is described by estate agents PropertyWise as a ’development opportunity’.'
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