A NEWTON Abbot church recently celebrated 60 years of worship in its current home with a weekend of thanksgiving, reflection and community celebrations.

The Avenue Church, a Methodist and United Reformed Church Local Ecumenical Partnership, marked the milestone on July 18 and 19, bringing together members past and present to celebrate six decades since the church was established.

The celebrations included an afternoon tea attended by around 100 people, followed by a Songs of Praise service.

On Sunday, worship was led by the church's first United Reformed Church minister, the Rev Martin Manley, who reflected on the church's past while looking ahead to its future with a sermon entitled To Do or To Be.

A specially commissioned banner marking the anniversary was unveiled in the church, while one of its original members, Jill Rew, had the honour of cutting a commemorative cake, which was shared with the congregation after the service.

Jill and daughter Elizabeth cutting the celebratory cake
Jill and daughter Elizabeth cutting the celebratory cake (Gill Sinden)
Avenue Church
The cake (Gill Sinden)

Although the Avenue Church celebrates 60 years in its present building, its roots stretch back much further.

Non-conformist worship in Newton Abbot dates to the 17th century, when Puritans met at Bradley Pit.

The town's first Methodist chapel opened in Mill Lane in 1817, before larger premises were built in Courtenay Street.

In 1923, Queen Street Church replaced the Jubilee Chapel, and during the 1960s a decision was made to merge the Queen Street and Courtenay Street congregations.

The Courtenay Street church was subsequently sold, and a new church was built on the Queen Street site.

The Avenue Church was officially opened and dedicated on July 23, 1966, with almost 400 people attending the ceremony.

While the church's exterior remains largely unchanged, the building has evolved to meet the needs of modern worship and the wider community.