Activities

Audlem's central act of worship each week is on a Sunday morning at 10.30 am. Other services are also held most Sundays and, occasionally, during the week.

* this service is usually conducted by the minister

8.30 am, 3rd Sunday
Quiet communion service, with accompanying music; no hymns; usually conducted by the minister; lasts half an hour.

10.30 am, every Sunday
Main gathering of the church community; traditional Methodist worship; usually a preaching service with hymns; sometimes communion; JAM runs concurrently; children and young people usually join first part of the service; conducted by different ministers and local preachers; first Sunday each month usually conducted by the minister; lasts about an hour; refreshments served afterwards.

12.00 noon, last Wednesday
Shortened Methodist preaching service with hymns; brief sermon; lasts half an hour; lunch served afterwards.

Special services

Baptisms are conducted during, or after, the 10.30 am Sunday service. If you wish to arrange a baptism, contact the minister. Audlem Methodist Church is registered for the solemnisation of marriages and the minister is an Authorised Person under the Marriage Act 1949. To arrange a wedding, contact the minister. Funerals are conducted as required. Contact the minister or make arrangements through an undertaker.

Musicals

Audlem Methodist Church has produced regular musicals since 1981. Latterly these have been annual productions, performed for four nights each February or March.

The 2013 production was 'The Story So Far ...'. It was part of this year's 150th anniversary celebrations and told the story of the church in Shropshire Street from its opening in March 1863. It was performed during the February half term holiday.

Both the 2023 and 2024 musicals were complete sellouts!

Sunday Drama

Sunday Drama began in February 2024 following the success of Sister Act. A group of young people now meet to understand and act out stories from the Bible. The first performances all took place between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday and received rave reviews!

YCMC/JAM

YCMC was launched in October 2006 to coincide with the completion of the 2006 church alterations. It aims to provide a co-ordinated and mainly modular programme of activities for children and young people. The programme includes Sunday activities (Sunday Morning Club, Seekers), a regular confirmation course, music and drama (mainly the musicals), school holiday clubs, and occasional pizza evenings and sleep-overs. YCMC also raises money for a selection of charities. In the summer of 2012, older members of YCMC participated in 'The Break-In Weekend'.

All who share in any part of the YCMC programme are members of YCMC. Modern technology keeps members in touch. The YCMC programme is delivered by a team led by Nancy-May Goodwin. The team is trained in the Safeguarding procedures of the Methodist Church.

So what does YCMC mean? It can mean many things: 'Youth and Children in the Methodist Church', 'Young Christians Meeting and Caring', 'Your Church, My Church', 'Your Charity, My Concern'. It means that Audlem Methodist Church is committed to the lively presentation of Christian faith and practice to children and young people.

In 2020, the name was changed to JAM, meaning Jesus And Me, which was a name picked out by the young people themselves.

Holiday clubs

The present programme of holiday clubs began in October 2010. The programme provides holiday clubs during each school holiday – apart from in February when the annual musical takes place. The clubs are for children at primary school (Reception to Year 6), and were initially delivered by a team under the leadership and direction of Janet Taylor. Keep your eye on the website for further details of our next Holiday Club.

Book group

The Book Group began in the autumn of 2007. Its purpose is to encourage the reading of theological books. The Group decides what to read, goes away and reads it, then meets again to discuss what has been read. A new title is then agreed and the process repeats itself.

Books so far read include:

Trevor Dennis: 'Imagining God: Stories from Creation to Heaven' (SPCK, 1997)
Richard Holloway: 'Leaving Alexandria: A Memoir of Faith and Doubt' (Canongate 2012)
Marcus Borg: 'Speaking Christian: Recovering the lost meaning of Christian words' (SPCK 2011)
George & Andrew Carey: 'We Don't Do God: The Marginalisation of Public Faith' (Monarch Books 2012)
Eddie Askew: 'Breaking Through: Conversations & Prayers' (The Leprosy Mission International 2006)
Karen Armstrong: 'Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life' (Bodley Head 2011)
John Pritchard: 'Going to Church: A user's guide' (SPCK 2009)
Keith Ward: 'The Word of God' (SPCK 2010)
Esther De Waal: 'Seeking God: The way of St Benedict' (Canterbury Press 1984)
Adrian B Smith: 'Tomorrow's Faith' (O Books 2005)
John Pritchard: 'Living Jesus' (SPCK 2010)
Philip Pullman: 'The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ' (Canongate 2010)
G K Chesterton: 'The Everlasting Man' (Hodder & Stoughton 1925)
Brian Sibley: 'Shadowlands' (Hodder & Stoughton 2005)
C S Lewis: 'Surprised by Joy' (Harper Collins 1955)
Rob Frost: 'Freedom Fighters' (Authentic Media 2005)
Brother Roger: 'Essential Writings' (Orbis Books 2006)
Giles Fraser: 'Christianity with attitude' (Canterbury Press 2007)
Frank Morison: 'Who moved the stone?' (Faber 1930)
Michael Mayne: 'This Sunrise of Wonder' (DLT 2008)
William Young: 'The Shack' (Hodder & Stoughton 2008)
Gerard Hughes: 'God of Surprises' (DLT 1985)
Mark Oakley: 'The Collage of God' (DLT 2001)
Clive Marsh: 'Christianity in a post-atheist age' (SCM 2002)
Marcus Borg: 'Meeting Jesus again for the first time' (HarperSanFrancisco 1995)
Gerd Theissen: 'The Shadow of the Galilean' (SCM 1987)
Keith Ward: 'Christianity: A guide for the perplexed' (SPCK 2007)

Three Ts

Three Ts meets (usually) on the third Sunday afternoon of each month. (Tea on the Third Sunday at Three) It's a meeting for those who live alone who would like some company and conversation on a Sunday afternoon. As well as the monthly meetings, outings and 'specials' are also arranged. The first meeting of Three Ts was in March 2009.

Audlem Acorns

Audlem Acorns began in September 2022. It is a group for bumps, babies and toddlers which takes place on a Monday afternoon during term time. It is a friendly group who take part in activities, stories, songs and crafts.