Port Carlisle Chapel

Port Carlisle Methodist Chapel is so far north it almost peeks into Scotland. Like most chapels, it has suffered a serious decline, the My Wesleyan Methodists website stating

The chapel was built of brick in 1861 at a cost of £230. In 1873 it had 150 sittings. In 1940 the chapel had 90 sittings in pews. There was also a one other room. By 1980 the sittings had been reduced to 60.

Now it opens only on the fifth Sunday of the month, which in 2024 means there will be public worship here in the months of March, June, September and December. This does not seem terribly burdensome and I understand they are well attended. If I suggested this level of opening at Salem Chapel, I should be rightly out of a job. We open for worship thrice weekly, in addition to Bible Studies and other events. Most probably attend once or twice a week, while others have the desire or opportunity to attend more often.

Attending worship regularly is important even if we sometimes find it hard. The others present will be encouraged by our presence, and the preacher or pastor especially. Although I think the home should be our primary place of personal worship, the local church should be the primary place of corporate worship. I am sometimes under the impression that my main source of competition in this regard is actually YouTube, rather than another fellowship down the road where the pastor is taller, the music more modern or the preaching better. I fear that should a church or chapel just open four or five times a year, there are some local believers who would barely notice, and care less.