About Us
South Hayling United Reformed Church offers a friendly atmosphere to people of all ages. Our worship on Sundays is traditional yet informal, and we welcome people of any church background or none. We are concerned to serve the needs of the community around us and to this end continue to look for new ways to reach out. This we do through Alpha groups, social events, coffee mornings, Parents and toddler group, friendship, fellowship and worship. As a church we also support work overseas particularly through links with Christian Aid projects.
As well as outreach we are a ‘learning church’ and provide opportunities for learning, particularly how to live as a Christian in contemporary society. This happens through the Disciple course, Alpha follow-on courses and regular Bible discussion.
On Sundays we have a junior church and crèche, so welcome children from 0 to any age! Our Youth Group meet once a week and are following their own activities, both fun and serious. They are also encouraged to join in with the Fellowship for United Reformed Youth (FURY) when there are local or national events. All our leaders are C.R.B. checked.
All our activities are underpinned by prayer through a group that meets regularly.
Brief History
After the Act of Uniformity in 1662 times were hard for dissenters but, in this part of the south of England, Havant became a focal point for lovers of free religious ideas. For around 150 years Hayling Islanders had to wait for low tide and walk over the Wade Way or catch the ferryboat on the high tide. Eventually in 1811 meetings on Hayling took place in a farm kitchen. A minister from Havant took some services and students from Gosport would sail over to help. A Congregational chapel was built in 1830 on the present site. The minutes and financial records show that the members worked hard to educate children and to care for the needy in the community. The inter-war years were a time of expansion and a hall was built in 1923.
A chapel was also built to the north of the island, at Stoke Village, in 1874. This was closed in 1991
In April 1941 buildings at South Hayling were badly damaged by a land mine. Within a week a tin hut was erected and used for worship till 1954 when the present church was opened. After more huge fund raising efforts, the Main Hall was added two years later.
1972 was an important year because the Union of Congregational Churches and the Presbyterian Church of England and Wales joined to become the UNITED REFORMED CHURCH.
Congregations continued to grow and a balcony was added in the church in 1983. The tin hut, after 57 temporary years, was replaced by a new small hall in 1998 and linked to the other buildings. With our new vestibule in 2008 we continue as a strong Christian witness in the centre of Mengham village, serving the community, teaching and preaching the gospel of Christ.
