Sad news: Ilkeston’s Church of the Nazarene is to close
The Church of the Nazarene on Corporation Road will hold its last service this month.
Following 77 years of Christian witness, worshippers will gather at the building for the final time on Sunday 14th May.
On the day before, Saturday 13th May, there will be a ‘Memory Lane’ drop-in event between 10am and 12 noon where people can gather to share memories, view memorabilia and enjoy refreshments.
Church secretary Ian Bond passed on the news to other church leaders in the town.
“Sadly, I have been asked to write to you, to inform you that at the recent members meeting the members voted unanimously to support the Board’s recommendation that the Church be closed.
“The decision to close the Church has not been an easy one but after meeting with the Assistant District Superintendent Tracey Day and Steve Leach the Secretary to the District Advisory Board the Board decided to recommend to the members that we close.
“The decision to close was made because of our financial situation, lack of Church members and an ageing congregation.”
The official closure will follow the service beginning at 4.30pm on the Sunday, which will be led by the Reverend Carl McCann, the Church of the Nazarene’s District Superintendent.
Members of other church congregations are invited and there will be a chance to chat at the end.
Anyone wishing to add to the collection of memorabilia can take items to the church on Friday afternoon from 2pm or bring along on the Saturday.
Helen Chesters, Lay Pastor at the church, writes:
It is with great sadness that in its 78th year in Ilkeston the Church of the Nazarene will be closing its doors for Sunday services. The last service will be held on Sunday 14th May at 4.30pm, everybody is welcome. There is also a Down Memory Lane event being held on the Saturday 13th May between 10am and 12 noon. This will involve many collections of photographs, newspaper articles and other memorabilia of our time in Ilkeston. However, if anyone has anything they would like to be added to this collection you can drop them off on the 12th between 9am and 1pm or bring them along to the event on the 13th. Although the Sunday service will be closing, the toddler group which is held here on Thursdays and Fridays will still take place. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the people who have had any connection with the church in its 78 years in Ilkeston. You have helped us to continue to thrive within the community.
Photo by Garth Newton.
