BBC Songs of Praise

BBC Songs of Praise is coming to Carshalton Methodist Church

The BBC has invited Carshalton Methodist Church to host its Songs of Praise programme on the life and faith of the Methodist film maker and philanthropist, Joseph Arthur Rank. The transmission will be on BBC One on Sunday 21 November with Songs of Praise presenter Pam Rhodes. The filming will take place in our Church during October and the key dates and times for ticket holders are:

Why did the BBC come to us?                                                        

Joseph Arthur Rank (1888 – 1972) was one of the most significant forces in British cinema. He began making films in the 1930s and acquired the Odeon Cinemas in 1941. He had the vision of bringing Methodism to the masses by making religious films to show in Methodist churches, chapels and village halls throughout the country and donated significant sums of money to make this happen. Carshalton Methodist Church has used his approach  to create a community cinema. We run monthly film performances for local people and use film to work with uniformed youth organisations, environmental groups and homes for the elderly and disadvantaged.

J Arthur Rank's parents lived close to Sutton and are buried in our Borough. The photograph shows our Senior Steward, David Forty,  alongside their grave in Sutton Cemetery.

When Carshalton Methodist Church was being built in the mid 1920s local people remarked that it looked more like a cinema than a church. Perhaps they had a point. Andrew Mather, the architect of our Church, went on to become an eminent designer of cinemas. He designed 41 Odeon cinema for the Rank Organisation.

 How can I get tickets?                                            

200 congregation tickets and 100 choir tickets are being issued by the BBC. Choir tickets will be allocated to practised singers for whom there is a prior rehearsal.Our Church will apply for tickets for its own Church members who have said they would like to take part. The BBC will also write to other local churches inviting them to apply for tickets.

Any individual may apply to the BBC for themselves.You will find details on the BBC Songs of Praise web site - please click on http://www.bbc.co.uk/songsofpraise/tickets.shtml

There will also be a special Ruskin Community Cinema performance with the BBC film crew present on the evening of Friday 15 October - click on our Cinema on your Doorstep page http://www.carshalton-methodist.org.uk/cinema-on-your-doorstep/