We are a lively joint Methodist and United Reformed Church with a membership of just over fifty, and regular attenders in excess of that. (In case you haven't discovered it, there's a larger picture of some of us on Welcome page if you click on the small photo. Alas, most of our young people were missing!)

We have a wide age range, from new-born to ninety years old and over (we don't like to pry too much into a lady's age!), and come from a variety of backgrounds, so our weekday activities reflect that.

We have two ministers, one URC (Rev. Stuart Nixon), who is also the minister of Derriford URC in Plymouth, and one Methodist (Rev. Jeff Moles), who is the Superintendent minister of the Tavistock Circuit. We also have a pastoral assistant, Rev. David Rogers.

Rev Stuart Nixon URC Tel: 01752 240383 A letter from Stuart

Rev Jeff Moles Methodist Tel: 01822 612840 A letter from Jeff

Our leaders, L to R, Jon Hodge, Graham Boot-Handford, Lesley Wright,
Dorinda Paddon-Hall and Trevor Atkinson

It was in 1989 that the Bere Alston Methodist and United Reformed congregations united in the existing United Reformed Church building and subsequently became the Bere Alston United Church. The Methodist Church building in Bedford Street was considered to be in need of too much repair work to be viable and was subsequently sold for conversion to a private dwelling. At that time both congregations were relatively small and consisted largely of older folk. A couple of years later numbers had fallen still further and there was a question over the future of the church.

In 1993 the congregation took a great step of faith and agreed to have the Fore Street building completely renovated. The cost was immense, but with grants and fund-raising it became possible. At about the same time there was a large influx of younger families with children and the membership has continued to grow since then. The renovation work was completed in 1995. We owe so much to those few 'older' members who prayerfully took that step of faith. Without their prayer and faith the church would almost certainly have closed.

We have since purchased the cottage next to the church, which is now a cafe and meeting place (see the Hope Cottage page) and we pray that our growth will continue.

Our church as it is now

and looking towards the back of the church. The coffee lounge used to be in the small area at the far back, where the sound desk can be seen, but the area has now been integrated into the main worship area. Sound and vision wizard Ian can just be seen peeping over the desk!

Our worship group's corner, complete with drummer Paul

and the church in cafe style for a Gateway service