REV Dan Haylett, Chair of the Plymouth and Exeter Methodist District, led the Church Anniversary service on April 30.

The church was opened on April 28, 1892 at its present site on Union Road.

The first Methodist Church in Crediton was built in 1815 on Bowden Hill – what is currently the Moose Hall. 

Dan said that we were celebrating God’s goodness, faithfulness and care.

We spent a few minutes talking to each other about various journeys we had taken recently – where we had gone, how we travelled and what shaped our travels.

Several people spoke of recent  journeys, whether it was to Newton Abbot, Okehampton, Exeter, London on the Tube  or from home to church that morning. Dan said the way we travel as a church really matters. 

In the reading from Luke we heard of two followers of Jesus  travelling to Emmaus. Their eyes were focused on the ground, they were afraid, worried, despondent with grief.

Jesus joined them on the journey but they did not recognise Him.  They told the stranger that they had hoped Jesus would be the one to save His people and that their lives would have been very different. 

The stranger took time to interpret the scriptures of what would happen to the Messiah.  He stayed with them and had a meal at which He broke bread, blessed it and passed it to them. Immediately their eyes were opened and they recognised Jesus and He then  disappeared.

Their journey to Emmaus was one of despondency and despair. After Jesus disappeared, they immediately returned to Jerusalem to tell the 11 disciples. This  was a happy and joyful journey  when their hearts and eyes were opened by meeting the risen Christ.

Luke was telling the young church how it should be. Living with grief, God gave to them the risen Christ who was made real to them. What matters in our lives today?  It matters how we travel together.   It is encouragement for the church where we are. God honours that and Christ comes to meet us where we are.

As we meet together we find something in God’s promises. There is hope for us.

Dan said he is invited to preach at church anniversaries and there is often disappointment and loss when looking at pictures from earlier times, when they see how many people there were in the original photos who are no longer present.  Let us be reminded and reconnected with the faith here and now.

Today this is an opportunity for us to be reconnected and reminded of the important things for us. To celebrate what God has called us to be:

1 A missionary was once asked about the future of the church. He said “I believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ”. Jesus is the only basis of hope and faith. He is in the midst of us today. We are called to be people of hope. We live in a time when the hope we have needs to be shared. 

2 We need to be a people of faith. The two followers on the road to Emmaus recognised that Jesus was the risen Lord. They found faith to share the reality of Easter.  Faith burns in us and is waiting to be shared.

3 We need to be a people of joy. The two followers suddenly found their lives transformed. Have we forgotten the journey of joy in Christ?

Jesus has been walking with us for 131 years, sharing with us in worship, prayer and actions and continues to be with us here today.  We are to be people of hope, faith and joy.

Following the service, a delicious lunch was served to approximately 40 people.

Bronwyn Nott