Swaythling Methodist Church is a local church and a grade II listed church building in Swaythling, Southampton. The building hosts, and is managed by, a partnership of three churches; Swaythling Methodist Church itself, City Life Church, and an offshoot of New Community Church called Flower of Justice.
The building is extensive and includes a number of halls and smaller rooms in addition to the main auditorium, as well as a manse and some workshops.[1] Designed by Herbert Collins in a neo-Georgian style and built in 1932, the main auditorium is octagonal with a balcony over the entrance porch; the balcony is accessible via two stair towers on the north face. Attached to the south side is a wing containing other halls and rooms. Separate buildings on the west of the site contain some workshops and the manse.[1] The roof of the main hall is shallowly domed and clad in copper, topped by a copper-clad cupola.[1]
The whole site was grade II listed on 20 November 1997.[1]
Swaythling Methodist Church was established by architect Herbert Collins following his construction of many houses in the surrounding area, with the remit "I have built the houses, now build a place for the people to go". The buildings were constructed in partnership with J. Arthur Rank with full cinema facilities.[2]. The projector room is still present.[1]
City Life Church began in the 1970s as a youth group which broke away from nearby Swaythling Baptist Church. The fellowship has adopted several names during its history, changing from City Gate to City Life in 2000, and is part of the national Pioneer Network. The church occupies the main Swaythling Methodist Church auditorium on Sunday mornings.
New Community Church's origins are also in the 1970s; the church formed from a group of students at the University of Southampton. The main body of the church meets at Central Hall in Southampton City Centre, which the church owns, but a small group called Flower of Justice, which has a focus on the Flowers Estate in Swaythling and Bassett Green, meets at Swaythling Methodist Church.
Both City Life and New Community are new churches.