(Keyingham, pronounced something resembling 'cane gum'.)
I was in Holderness - East Yorks - only 48 hours ago and was interested to see that the roomy, modern Methodist Chapel in that village along with a small cottage, was being sold for a paltry £200k.
(https://www.frankhillandson.co.uk/property/302-keyingham-chapel)
My wife said "Oh, isn't that dreadful?' - Sadly, I was unable to agree.
The Methodism of my childhood is long gone. I attended two Methodist Sunday schools as a child and learned a foundation of faith which blessed me years later when I had finally yielded my life to the Saviour.
I think back to those glory days under the ancient Mrs Cooper (she'll be well over a 150 years old now) and Mrs Grier looking after us young uns and the awesome ministry of the very Welsh, and awesome Reverend Thomas in the chapel on Victoria Rd in Mablethorpe, back in the 50s.
My grandfather was a Methodist preacher too (Primitive though) and he and Grandma were true Bible-following people of God.
There is every likelihood that Grandad preached in Keyingham, back in the day - indeed, he must have done - he preached in over 300 venues - most in East Yorks.
So why no regrets at this closure?
I do regret an apparent loss of Christian presence in that village, certainly but Methodism has now become toxic. There are still pockets of belief, here and there, but as a church - Methodism has opted to take an unGodly path. It is now over half a century from that time when preaching about Hell was banned in Methodist pulpits. Today, it has moved on to blessing sin!
So many of my Christian friends are former Methodists. They have been impelled to leave a corrupted organisation.
'Dreadful?' - Oh, indeed. But the closure of an heretical body is actually a blessing.
Whatever happened to all those mighty, Godly graduates of Cliff College who were on fire in the 70s and 80s? Did they change denomination or were they corrupted by this perverse, pretend church?
I pray for Keyingham that the remnant of people from that building who actually do love Jesus and His Word may succeed in Godly House Churches to serve the many locals who are unsaved.
May every church which has ceased to preach the Gospel and opts to misunderstand or ignore the Scriptures - irrespective of denomination - also FAIL!
I used to be involved with a Congregational Church. I was with the new Pastor when a very wise and seasoned Christian Pastor gave him some advice. "As soon as you start, your first job is to clear out all of the dead wood."
Years later, that 'new Pastor' said to me, "If only I had taken that advice." That church closed down a short time later.
