1956 to 2006

During the last 50 years several changes have taken place. The old pipe organ was replaced in 1995 by an electric organ, originally used at Wesley Hall in Wakefield, and it is still in use today.

In 1997 a Preacher's Vestry was built where the old pipe organ stood and the electric organ moved to the east side of the church. The pulpit was altered and repositioned to allow access to the vestry; the remaining choir pews were removed; and a raised dias was constructed to the whole area in front of the pulpit, surrounded by a new communion rail. These latest changes have integrated the old with the new and, such a good job has been done, that it is difficult to determine what is old and what is new!

At one time, Sunday services were held in the afternoon with children attending, and there was also an evening service. Now only one morning service is held with a Family service once a month. The number of children attending Sunday school has fallen dramatically and we now have just a few members in what we now call "Junior Church".

Also, in the past, a stage had to be erected in the large schoolroom and then dismantled when concerts, pantomimes and Sunday School Anniversaries were held. The stage was later made permanent and put to good use. However, in 2004, due to the decline of Sunday School children and general usage, the stage was removed and the area carpeted. Tables and chairs have now been placed making a comfortable seating area for coffee mornings and other functions. A false ceiling has been installed, the walls and borders re-plastered in places and repainted, and the wooden floor sanded and resealed.

Other renovations and updating have also taken place throughout the whole church, including the kitchen , parlour room, entrance lobbies and toilets. A new sound system and a new central heating system have recently been installed throughout. At present, building plans are being prepared and estimates invited for the creation of a new porch and disabled ramp at the rear entrance to the church leading into the Sunday School building and the Parlour. It is a credit to Walton Methodist Church that most of the cost of these improvements over the last few years has been met through fundraising and donations by members and individuals associated with the congregation.

The church is used by members and village groups for various meetings and functions:

The "Women's Own", which began in 1929, still meets once a fortnight on Wednesday afternoon for devotions, outreach and fellowship, and is well served by different speakers.

A "Craft Class" on Wednesday mornings is well supported.

The "Open Door" on Tuesday mornings is well attended. This is a joint effort by our Church and St Paul's which attracts church people and other residents from the village, offering tea, coffee, biscuits and a chat.

A "Dance Evening" has recently started which is run on alternate Monday Evenings and is proving successful with all ages.

The "Third Saturday Tea/Coffee Morning" is held on the third Saturday of each month with a range of stalls/table top items for sale, including books, cakes, home made jams and marmalade, art and crafts and bric-a-brac.

In 2001 Walton Methodist Church became the first Church in the Wakefield Circuit to create an Internet website.

Over the years we have been well served by different Ministers, Local Preachers and lay members, who have offered a richness and variety of leadership in the Methodist tradition. Under the Methodist Church "Model Trust" all members constitute the Board of Trustees and are responsible for the maintenance and control of the property. Through a leadership system, involving the Minister and a number of Church Stewards elected by the Church Council each year, the Church continues to be run very efficiently, serving its members and all people within and around the local community.

As outlined in the brief history above, we see that Walton Methodist Church has been an integral part of Walton village life over the past 150 years. The church building has changed outside and inside over these years. However, we should not lose sight of the fact that that, despite these changes to bricks and mortar, the body of the Church continues to provide a useful service and function to the village community at large, in addition to offering the opportunity for spiritual care and renewal through fellowship, prayer, praise and worship in the same spirit of those early 19th Century pioneers, who vowed to build a House of God for the benefit of the village of Walton and its people.