Sunday 16th April: This is the Flourish weekend and therefore there will be no service at Central. (There are a few churches in the Circuit where there will be a service – see the Circuit Weekly news for details)
Author Archives: Ian Miller
York Resident’s Festival 2023
We’ll be open to visit this Saturday 28th January 2023 from 11:00 to 16:00 for York Resident’s weekend.
This Grade II* listed building, built in 1840, is one of the few chapels of it’s period still intact. See the horseshoe shaped interior with gallery and box pews, and listen to the organ, one of the finest in York.
All are welcome, no need to book or bring a YorkCard.
Carols at Central 2022
Join our musical celebration of Christmas…
Sunday 18th December 2022 at 4pm
Everyone welcome, traditional free event
Gather from 3:30pm for Mince pies and Mulled Wine (non alcoholic)
We are delighted that the York Cantores Chamber Choir will join us for our annual carol service. They will help lead the singing of many well known favourites (complete with some descents by Willcocks!), as well as offering some solo items by Peter Warlock, Herbert Howells, Paul Manz and Peter Cornelius.

All welcome, we look forward to a good sing!
Heritage Open Days 2022
Our church will be open to all to discover for the forthcoming Heritage Open days.
You are welcome to join us for free refreshments if you visit on Wednesday 14th September at our ‘Place of Welcome’ 1 – 3 pm and on Sunday 18th September you are invited join us for worship at 10.30 am.
We’ll also be open 10am – 4pm on Saturday 17th September and 12noon until 4pm on Sunday when we hope to have a range of musical and poetic performances.
We look forward to welcoming you!
More details at https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting/event/central-methodist-church-york3
My stories about Central
Major repairs to the roof and masonry of the chapel, joinery and plaster repairs to the chapel ceiling have now been successfully completed which is a huge step forward in the church’s vision to make the city centre buildings on St Saviourgate into a place of welcome for all.
Angie Creswick was interviewed about the project by Jonathan Cowap on BBC Radio York on Wednesday 27 th July at 11.15 am, you can listen to it on BBC Sounds.
The church is continuing it’s work on plans to bring the large chapel basement back into use and improve the entrance and circulation within the chapel and ancillary buildings as part of their commitment to offer generous hospitality.
Please share your memories about events, activities and people at Central that our wider community might be interested in! We’ve set up a dedicated email, yorkmethodiststories@gmail.com
- Did you know Central was a canteen for service men and women during the second world war. Did you have family members involved in the theatrical group or who served food?
- Have you been involved in work over the years to repair and adapt the buildings at Central. There are over 40 boxes of uncatalogued archived papers stored in the Borthwick, could you help us tell the continuing story of change to meet current and future needs?
- Do you know something about faith stories associated with the memorials on the walls under the chapel gallery e.g. what compelled David Hill in the 1800’s to go to China to serve as a missionary during a time of famine and how are we be called today? Do you have recollections about the ‘Tools for Africa’ initiative in Central’s basement?
- Do you have recollections about Carecent when it was first set up over 30 years ago or more recent experience of the lives changed through this important outreach?
- How does singing familiar hymns accompanied by a large pipe organ help us connect to the hope that our faith gives us?
- Does the story of non-conformity in York in the 1800’s inform us about injustice both then and now and how has Central’s location in the city centre helped us to speak out for and serve the powerless?
Central Methodist Church will be open for visitors for the Heritage Open Days 17th & 18th September 10-4 and 12-4. This year’s theme is Inventions, innovations and discoveries