A CHURCH is to undergo a £780,000 facelift which the congregation hopes will put it at the heart of its community.
Middleton-in-Teesdale Methodist Church – a former Wesleyan Chapel built in 1870 – is in dire need of repairs.
“Raising the money to pay for this remedial work won’t really address our objectives for being at the heart of the community,”
said minister of the church Keith Pearce.
“We want to take the bull by the horns and reconfigure the premises to allow us to be flexible in our mission and outreach work.”
The under-used first floor of the church will be redecorated to provide a hall capable of hosting clubs and sports. Meeting rooms, a kitchen and a gallery will also be provided.
Church member Ian Tallentire said: “We’d like our facilities to be cool in that we want all generations and all sectors of the community to feel that it’s a good place to be.”
The cost of the redevelopment will be partly met by the sale of the Sunday School Hall at the back of the church.
Details of the project, called Renewal, will be on show on Saturday in the Sunday School Hall, from 11am until 3pm.
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