After almost two years, Midsomer Norton Methodist Church Centre is reopening this week. It had to close in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and then last August, suffered major flooding.

Rev Stephen Robinson, Minister of the Church, said: ‘This has been a really challenging time for us as a Church. Due to a lot of hard work by our volunteers and the very impressive work from the Methodist Insurance company, we are looking forward to reopening on 11th February.

“However, the church as God’s people, has continued to care and serve throughout this time using other means such as social media, online services and telephone contact. It has been a good reminder that the Church is people and not buildings.”

The Centre will re-open on Friday, 11th February at 10 am with reduced activities and access. Reception will be open on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and some Saturdays between 10 am and 12 noon. Friday Coffee and Chat will resume on 11th at 10 am, Knit and Nattter will reopen and Baby and Toddler group resumes on Mondays at 8.45 am. Other activities will restart as advertised and will all have Covid-19 safety in place. More details can be obtained either by phoning: 01761 410450 during Reception hours or at: [email protected] . The Church Facebook page will also give updates.

Rev Robinson added: “We have taken this opportunity to review and change what the Centre is used for and how we operate. We have also had to respond to decisions by some of our volunteers that, because of age or health matters, they have taken this opportunity to step down from their roles. So, for example, our weekly community lunch on a Tuesday probably won’t return on a weekly basis. This is still being reviewed and cannot reopen until we have enough volunteers to run it, maybe on a less frequent basis.”

The Methodist Centre is also now able to take bookings from community groups for hire of the premises. Contact the Bookings Secretary on: 01761 410450 or at [email protected].