OUR SHARED HISTORY
A Methodist congregation, sometimes called a society has been in Carrickfergus for over 270 years. From small beginnings in 1752 to laying the foundation stone for our current building on Easter Sunday 12th April 2009.
The current church was officially opened on Saturday 4th September 2010.
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Beginnings of Faith
The first class meeting of Methodists was formed in 1752 among men of the 42nd Regiment, the Highlanders, later known as the Black Watch , who were garrisoned in Carrickfergus at that time.
The First Building
The seed was sown and although thing were not easy for the next few years, permission was granted by the Methodist Conference in 1808 to build a preaching house. A site was leased in West Street for 99 years and a preaching house and a preacher's house were opened in November 1812. This preaching house was the first consolidation of the work that had been going on for sixty years.
The First Congregation
Rev John Wesley visited Carrickfergus on eight occasions between 1756 and 1778 as he travelled around Ireland. In his journal he wrote in 1762 that he "added a few members to the society and left them in peace and love". On his visit in 1773 Wesley records, "There was a lovely congregation at Carrickfergus. I coukld not but hope that there was seed sown that will never be rooted up."
Beyond Carrickfergus
Once established, the Methodists began to expand in the area. New churches were opened in in Larne in 1827, Ballyclare in 1828, Hyde Park in June 1829 and Islandmagee in September 1829.
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Our Story
From the opening of the first building in 1812, Carrickfergus congregation continued to grow and in 1883 the decision was taken to acquire more land and to build a larger church.
This was opened in 1884 at a cost of £2,100. In 1906 a Lewis two manual organ was purchased for £310, a Pittsburgh millionaire contributing £1258 and a Liverpool friend donating £175 towards the cost.
At the end of the 1800s Carrickfergus premises consisted of a church, a schoolhouse with daily and Sunday schools and a comfortable minister's residence.
From that time, we have replaced the church building and halls with a modern open sanctuary and worship spaces, a purpose built café area and dedicatied rooms for music and games.