 Bestwood Rise Park
(LEP)
History
Bestwood Rise Park Church was originally a Methodist Church. It was planned to cater to the new Park Rise estate, built in the early 1960s. The church building was funded by the Property department of the Nottingham North Circuit, interested residents of Rise Park and a grant from the Joseph Rank Benevolent Trust.
The foundation stone was laid on 24 August 1967 by the Rev Leonard Johnson, superintendent minister of Nottingham North Circuit. The church opened in 1968.
The Rev David Wheeler was appointed as the Methodist minister responsible for the new church, along with St Mark’s Bulwell and East Side Hucknall Methodist churches.
In 1970 Lent house groups were held on the estate involving Christians from a number of denominations. This led to a desire among Christians from different denominations in the area to work more closely together.
In November 1971 the church signed a Declaration of Intent to become an Area of Ecumenical Experiment. The Methodist minister and Anglican Minister Frank Crowther each committed a third of their time to the church. They agreed to work as a team with joint responsibility for worship at Bestwood Rise Park Church, in consultation with the church council.
The church hall extension, small rooms and an upper room to accommodate the Sunday school were completed in 1977.
In 1990 the ecumenical experiment at Bestwood Rise Park was recognised as an official Ecumenical Project. Each team minister spends 50 per of their time working for Rise Park Church.
Bestwood Rise Church is also a member of the Bestwood Six, made up of Bestwood Park Church, Emmanuel Church, St Mark’s Church, St Matthew’s Church, St Philip’s Church and Bestwood Rise Park Church. The group pledged to work and worship together and to share resources and expertise.
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