News & Stories
Various News & Stories from around the District and the Connexion will appear on this page.
Beatitudes Chinese Christian Fellowship (八福华人教会)
24th October 2025
The Beatitudes Chinese Christian Fellowship (BCCF) is a new Mandarin-speaking worshipping community in our District currently meeting twice a month for Sunday services at 10:30am at Longton Methodist Central Hall. We are a group of Chinese people from mainland China, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan, gathering to worship God, grow in faith, and share the love and Gospel of Jesus Christ with the wider Chinese community in and around Stoke-on-Trent. Everyone is warmly welcome — whether you are a believer or simply seeking friendship and belonging.
BCCF was planted by Biddulph Methodist Church, whose support and prayers have been instrumental in our beginning. We are also grateful to the Dane & Trent Circuit and our District for appointing Rev. Yanyan Case as our minister, and to Longton Methodist Central Hall for their kind hospitality and ongoing support in providing a home for our fellowship.
Rev. Yanyan Case
For more information, please contact:
Rev. Yanyan Case
📧 yanyan.case@methodist.org.uk | ☎️ 01782 513218
Representative Synod
13th September 2025
The Chester and Stoke District Representative Synod met at Helsby Methodist Church on 13th September. The theme for the day was 'Deepening Discipleship' and two sessions were led by Andy Fishburne, the Discipleship and Faith Formation Officer with the Connexional Evangelism and Growth Team (pictured).
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Rev. David Willis gave an update on missional opportunities within the District and Nick Jeffries the Children and Families Evangelist from Swan Bank Church highlighted an exciting opportunity for secondary aged young people in the form of a youth weekend called 'The Summit' planned and subsidised by the District for April 2026.
More details will appear on this site and our Facebook page as they become available, but if you have any questions email Nick Jeffries by clicking 'The Summit' logo...
Village Chapel Refurbishment
21st July 2025
Members and friends of a village chapel celebrated the refurbishment of their building at a special thanksgiving service recently. Woore Methodist Church has benefitted from a new roof, an upgraded heating system and internal re-decoration.
The work, which cost around £10,000, was funded by a combination of successful grant applications and donations from the congregation and well-wishers.
National charities, Benefact Churches Trust and the Garfield Weston Foundation, made contributions along with the Chester and Stoke-on-Trent District of the Methodist Church and Woore Parish Council authorized the use of the Community Infrastructure Levy, which is provided by housing developers for improving local facilities.
Church Secretary Peter Goringe commented, “We are delighted that our chapel is now a bright and warm space that can be used both for Christian worship and community activities.”
A well-attended coffee morning is a popular meeting place in the village and, during the winter, around 20 soup lunches are served each week. Card-making and craft groups also make use of the chapel.
The service also provided an opportunity to say farewell to the chapel’s minster, Rev. Robin Fox, who is moving to a new appointment in Rossendale, Lancashire. His sucessor will be Rev. Obeth Thevanesan from Liverpool.
Wings of the Sky
23rd June 2025
Hi all,
we wanted to share news of Methodist involvement in initiatives that have come together for Refugee Week 2025 in Chester & Ellesmere Port. As you know, ‘Plum’ ( Uniting Church Garden Lane) have for a number of years been initiating creative arts opportunities, inviting the gifted local professionals to develop community arts activities which have potential to welcome the stranger, one such project is 'Wings of the Sky’: ‘Plum secured CWACC funding for a Sanctuary Seeking project to involve local sanctuary seekers with creative arts activities. Its been the most amazing journey and this little video clip tells the story...
Rev. Chris Jones
Mow Fire
Camp Meeting 1st June 2025
On 1st June 2025 around 250 people from different denominations, backgrounds, nationalities, and generations gathered to celebrate the 218th Anniversary of the first Mow Cop Camp Meeting.
United in worship through the One Spirit - may this Camp Meeting be just the beginning of a greater purpose.
Rev. Yanyan Case