My first memory of Brooke Methodist Chapel was Saturday 5th February 2005 when I arrived with my family on our visit for my potential new appointment as the minister. I would have three churches, of which Brooke was my small village chapel with a membership of about fifteen and I confess that having landed from the Urban West Yorkshire sprawl, the place terrified me. I was greeted by two characters from the church, who over the years I came to love, and my hearts warms even now as I recall memories of this special corner of God’s kingdom.
The Church always held a special place in my heart because the village of Brooke had been home to my great grandmother, and there was something special about treading the very soil that she might have trodden in her day, indeed, she might even have worshipped God in this very chapel.
The original building should have been demolished a few years before my arrival because the building was moving and the assumption was that it would eventually fall down, so the loyal people of the chapel built a new sanctuary on the side, which included a small entrance lobby and simple, yet beautiful worship space that would seat approximately thirty people. The new chapel was, in my opinion, very much like the church community at Brooke, functional, no fuss, and did the job, yet somehow it was a holy place, much in the same way that some of our huge cathedrals are.
An interesting thing happened, the new building somehow stopped the movement of the old chapel and by the time of my arrival there was no talk of the building collapsing anymore and I spent eight happy years of my ministry with the lovely people of Brooke.
Today marks the 150th anniversary of the opening of the little chapel and Karen and I plan to drive up and worship there with the people. Perhaps it is because of my family links to this place that I find myself wondering about that period since 1874 when the chapel was first opened, I think of all the people who have come and gone during those years, children who have learned the famous Bible stories in this building, people who have come to faith here and those for whom this little chapel, passed by thousands of commuters every day, hold the building and the community here close to their hearts. I thank God that he blessed me with eight years of my life working in this precious corner of his Kingdom.
This reminds me how important it is for us to be thankful for those places and people who matter to us and warm our hearts. Where are your special places?