Well, the Wesleyan Reform Chapel and the people in it are my family.

It gives me joy and peace. When I’m having difficult times at home, I know that when I come here, I’ll be revived and refreshed. That’s very important to me.

We moved to Addingham around 1984 from Keighley. Before that, I’d been in a charismatic church and wasn’t sure where to go next. I lived just two doors away from this chapel, so I came here first. From the moment I walked in, I was met with such love and warmth that I thought, “I don’t want to go anywhere else.” This was where I wanted to be.

We distribute hundreds of invitation cards around the village because there are many elderly and lonely people here. They come, meet others, chat, and realise that they’re not alone in their challenges. They can enjoy a warm cup of coffee, a friendly environment, and companionship.

My name is Malcolm Neale. I’m an elder of this church, Mount Hermon in Addingham, which is Wesleyan Reform. There are two elders, myself and Stewart, who was a missionary in Peru.

I was a pastor in Bradford, and I serve as a pastor here as well. It’s a big responsibility, but a great honour. My name will soon be going on the board, as the other elder doesn’t want his there. It’s a great responsibility — to help people come to know the Lord Jesus Christ, to teach them, and to build them up in their faith, making them stronger.

I’ve only been here about four months, but I’ve found a tremendous sense of freedom that I didn’t find in the Church of England. Unlike the Church of England, we don’t have a set liturgy. We have joy here — real joy to share. Our congregation is older, as the village has a population where over 70% are over 65. So, most of our members are seniors, but they’re deeply committed and find great comfort here.

We don’t just meet for Sunday services — we also have fellowship and prayer meetings. I like to combine both: prayer and fellowship together. On Tuesdays, we sit around the table, have coffee, and discuss what was shared on Sunday.

My name is Stewart McIntosh. I’ve been living and working in this area for seven years. We came to this church because we believed God called us here, and we believe it’s an important part of the community. This church was built in 1861.

The story goes that seven farmers lived up on the moor behind here. They came down to the village and were saddened by the poor conditions of the mill workers — there were seven large woollen mills here at the time. They felt compelled to act, so they bought this land, and it took them 40 years to pay it off. This building has stood as a witness to the Christian faith ever since.