Great Barr Methodist Church
Great Barr, West Midlands
Originating as a mission church, St Paul, Hamstead was set up in 1865 and met in temporary buildings in nearby Spouthouse Lane.
The present building designed by William Davis, was consecrated in 1892 and together with the church school served the mining community of Hamstead Colliery. Coal was the 'hidden gem' on which the area relied. Legend has it that the opening to the coal seam is directly below the chancel steps.
The font and the pulpit date from the beginning whilst everything else, including the beautiful oak furnishings came before the Second World War. The organ dates from 1895.
The stained glass windows are of exceptional quality and great beauty. They are the work of local craftsmen in the Arts & Crafts movement and tell the Christian story and the life of the local people too. The murals depicting the life of St Paul marked the church’s centenary.
Today the parish serves 15,000 people through services, baptisms, marriages, funerals, worship and Bible studies throughout the year. There is a lunch club for the elderly, special interest groups, Mothers Union, Men’s Fellowship, Messy Church and uniformed organisations for children and a Foodbank with ecumenical partners to meet local need.