How did things progress?
Throughout the Victorian period this rural church continued to grow within the French speaking Circuit, based like many others around a number of extended farming and fisherman families. By 1897 a further 20 feet (6 metres) were added to the north end and vestries built. A fine new Hall had been added in 1891 to help with the work of a thriving Sunday School.
By 1929, when fewer and fewer services were conducted in French, the Minister of the day, one Revd. Maddison Phillipson, wrote an article reflecting a situation not unlike today.
The privations of the thirties, the insecurities of Nazi Occupation during World War 2 and the austerities of the late ‘forties and early ‘fifties saw a another era of growth, especially with thriving Sunday School and Youth work. This had a happy legacy, which despite national trends, was to last all the way to the early ‘nineties.
More recently, church membership has maintained itself just below the hundred mark. Morning services are well attended. While they have a bias to the more traditional style of Methodist worship, they feature a good mix of traditional and modern music and the church is resourced for multi media style presentations, allowing a considerable range of approaches.
Last year a small 30 seater Hall, originally built in 1950 for the younger children, was refurbished into a comfortable meeting room for Prayer Fellowships and informal Sunday evening worship.
Today you will still find a warm welcome at St. Martin and a range of week day activities. (Please see 'Who Are We?' and 'Activities')
There is a proud tradition among members past and present of service to and within the community. Many have served with distinction within the Parish and States of Jersey government while a great many others have served with equal diligence in less public ways, giving their time freely to youth work, pastoral support, Meals-on-Wheels, support for Romanian and African families and many other charities.
During the Covid 19 period we have had the privilege of further serving our local community by helping to organise the Parish Food Bank in cooperation with the local branch of a supermarket.
Three teams have been organised, since June 2020, to collect and distribute the food products close to their sell-by dates on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays around midday, . Except during strict lock-down when food bags have been delivered, food has been distributed to 'callers' at the Hall, with strict Covid precaustions observed; bags of food have been delivered to house-bound parishioners and any residue, usuually 6-10 crates, given to Shelter and Men's Sanctuary Trust Centres in St. Helier and St. Aubin.