A church at the heart of a Black Country community will hold two celebration events to mark 50 years of worship at its current home.

Birch Coppice Methodist Church in Quarry Bank has played a vital role in people’s lives.

It has hosted hundreds of christenings, weddings and funerals. Members of the congregation are now pulling out all the stops to pay homage to the important moment in the church’s history when their new church building was opened in 1958. On August 16, the ladies choir will open the event at 4pm.

There will be a celebration tea and an exhibition of old photographs documenting the church’s past.

On August 17 there will be a family service at 10.45am followed by an evening service at 6pm which will include a performance by the Colovoce choir conducted by Richard Ganner.

Birch Coppice Methodist Church was known as the Tin Chapel when it was first built at a cost of £360 in 1888.

There was seating for 150 people and all services and sunday school were well attended as well as a weekly Young Men’s Bible Class.

The corrugated chapel was eventually knocked down because it was in such a poor state and in March 1958 the new Sunday School was opened by Superintendent Mary Flohr.

Worship continued in the school while the old tin chapel was demolished and the new church was built and officially opened by the then councillor John Billingham on August 23, 1958.

Although the numbers have dwindled over the years, church steward Mary Rousell says it remains a “friendly” and “welcoming” place.

The 83-year-old, who was christened and married in the Tin Chapel, said: “It is a very happy church. Everybody works together and we are give our time to the church. Everybody knows everyone else so it is one big family.”

Churchwarden Joy Woodhouse said: “120 years have rolled by since worship commenced in the “Tin Chapel”. This year we celebrate 50 years of worship in our present building.

“Over the years, there have been many members who have given of their time and talents together with much prayer, to ensure that we may continue.”