110th Anniversary – St Andrew's

St Andrew's Methodist Church 110th Anniversary

St Andrew’s Methodist Church on Beckett Road, Wheatley celebrated our 110th anniversary on Sunday, 1 March 2026. According to Geoffrey M Morris's book ‘The Story of Methodism in Doncaster & District 1743 – 1988’, 'the Beckett Road Chapel first opened in 1916—so close to the opening date that the pews hadn't even arrived two weeks beforehand! After the ceremony marking the chapel’s opening, guests enjoyed tea in the adjoining ‘Tin Tabernacle’.

The tea was described:-

“Starched white sheets covered the long tables and the head of each table was one of the men wearing a white apron and a tall chef’s hat, ready to carve into the home-baked hams. Just think of that in the middle of a war!”

Previously referred to as Beckett Road Chapel, the congregation merged with members from Highfield Road Methodist Church in 1964 after the latter closed. At that point, the chapel was renamed St Andrew’s Methodist Church. In 1971, following the closure of Netherhall Road Methodist Church, its congregation was integrated into St Andrew’s.

For our 110th Anniversary, Rev Joy Ventom was invited to preach. Joy grew up at St Andrew’s, going through Sunday school, being part of the Girls Brigade and in years to come set up the RE Team in the Doncaster Methodist Circuit. Rev Joy now has her own congregations in 5 village chapels in the North Staffordshire Circuit. It was wonderful to see her and welcome her back. We were also able to welcome back other former members of the church who were visiting to support Rev Joy, and it was great to catch up with them also.

Rev Joy preached about the patchwork that is God’s family. How we are all so very different in our various ways but stitched together by the thread of Jesus to form a quilt of comfort and safety and the love of the Lord Jesus. Every member of the congregation was given a laminated sheet with a poem (shown below) and a piece of patchwork material – each very different.

With some rousing hymns, including ‘Great is Thy Faithfulness’
and ‘God is here! As we his people meet to offer praise and prayer’, we sang to the pipe organ played by Margaret (organist for over 70 yrs).

A very uplifting service and a great tribute to all those who have gone before us.

Following the service, we enjoyed a very well stocked ‘Bring & Share’ lunch together giving us time to catch up with friends new and old and share in fellowship together.

Thank you to Rev Joy for her wonderful service, thank you to everyone who played a part in arranging the service and the lunch and thank you to all at St Andrew’s for your shared love and faith.

The Patchwork People of God – Anon
We are the worshipping people, the patchwork people of God We all belong.
There is a place for each of us.
There is a place for the loud, bright and vibrant.
There is a place for the deep and mysterious.
There is a place for the musician and flower arranger.
There is a place for the door steward and coffee maker.
There is a place for the confident and the shy.
There is a place for the young and for the old.
There is a place for those full of ideas and there is a place for those with none.
There is a place for those on the cleaning rota and for
those who step up to help with a local arrangement.
There is a place for those who have never had a place before,
and there is a place for those whom it is all very familiar.
There is a place for the people who read from God’s word
and for those who interpret that word and help us to understand.
There is a place for those who quietly pray, and for those
who struggle to find the words.

There is a place.
There is always a place.
We are the worshipping people, a patchwork people of God.
We all belong.
There is a place for us all.