We’re a non-profit conference centre here to bring the community together, support non-profits and charities, and enable the on-site church to continue doing what they do best.
How we do that is by tirelessly working to make sure you have the best event experience possible.
The community which built Central Hall still meets every week and is committed to bringing hope to the lives of the people of Coventry.
Some of their work includes the Winter Night Shelter, housebound outreach, and raising the profile of LGBTQ+ inclusion in the local church and beyond.
Reverend
Stephen has offered ministry in Britain as detached youth worker, pastoral worker and Methodist Minister. He has worked in Bromsgrove, Consett, Hull, Bradford, Birmingham (including chaplaincy at the NEC Group) and is currently in Coventry.
Reverend
Stephen has offered ministry in Britain as detached youth worker, pastoral worker and Methodist Minister. He has worked in Bromsgrove, Consett, Hull, Bradford, Birmingham (including chaplaincy at the NEC Group) and is currently in Coventry. For several years, Stephen offered industrial chaplaincy alongside his work with church congregations. He helped establish a regional anti-trafficking network to work against exploitation and abuse and he remains committed to seeing people's potential fulfilled inside and beyond the church, especially amongst those who are vulnerable or living in challenging circumstances.
Stephen says that he believes prayer, reflective and focused on God, is at the heart of his most effective ministry though he is not always as attentive to this as he would like to be.He goes on to say, "I believe it is not only in strengths that ministry is realised, but also in weaknesses, and I have plenty of those! At the heart of my vocation is Christ who commanded us: Love God and Love your neighbour as yourself. In relation to this, I find myself concerned with the causes of distress in our communities. How can we be so present in this world that generosity, tenderness, forgiveness and love are fully expressed in global, national, regional and local contexts? I feel what I might call a "prophetic energy" in relation to this."
Stephen's first degree was in Psychology (BSc), he met his wife at the Taizé community where they were both volunteers. They have two grown up children. He studied theology at the Queens Foundation and has researched early Protestant Mission amongst native American people. He speaks some French and enjoys cycling and walking.
Business Development Manager
Ade Johnson is the Business Development Manager at Coventry Central Hall, bringing over three years of professional experience in community-based projects and business development.
Business Development Manager
Ade Johnson is the Business Development Manager at Coventry Central Hall, bringing over three years of professional experience in community-based projects and business development. Ade began as Bookings and Events Manager in August 2021, soon after graduating with a distinction in MSc Business Project Management from Coventry University. Over time, he has held key roles, including City of Culture Legacy Project Manager.
His work focuses on fostering meaningful partnerships and driving community sustainability, grounded in the belief that true sustainability arises from harnessing the connectivity and relational power between businesses, charities, faith institutions, universities, and individuals. Ade’s approach is deeply rooted in integrating faith, community, and commercial activities to create long-term impact.
Beyond his work at Coventry Central Hall, Ade is involved in sociological research at the University of Sheffield. He serves on the Warwick Arts Centre's Advisory Board and is part of Citizens UK's MaRO (Migrant & Refugee Organising) National Leadership Team, overseeing the Strategy for Pathway to Citizenship. Additionally, Ade represents the Birmingham Methodist District at the Methodist Conference (2024/25 and 2025/26).
During his free time, Ade enjoys writing poems and storytelling, with his poem, "On the Shoulders of Giants I Stand," being featured in an NIHR article.
Administration & Finance Executive
Karen was educated in HK and enjoyed a 23-year career in business at PwC with her last position as Finance Manager (Operations).
Administration & Finance Executive
Coventry Central Hall is one of 100 or so Methodist Central Halls built in British cities between 1886 and 1945. They were each designed as a place for the community to gather, and would attract people by their thousands on a Saturday evening with concerts, cinema, and meeting spaces.
As times changed, and wealthier families moved out of city centres, suburban churches grew, and many Central Halls were sold off to become nightclubs or flats, and some just stand empty to this day.
Coventry Central Hall is one of a dozen or so which still function as a church, and we’re able to use our fantastic space for what it was created to do:
bring the community together.
We are a community of people who gather in Coventry City Centre because we are passionate about Jesus Christ, and we have a heart for connecting with the community around us. We may not appear to be the most glamourous church out there but what matters most to us is that we are followers of Jesus.
We believe that Jesus shows us a unique way to live in the world, and we seek to model our lives based on his life and teachings. This is a life of humility, service, prayer, and close relationship with God. It’s also a life of radical inclusion – which means sharing and living out God’s love for the world and embracing all others regardless of their circumstances, status, politics or abilities.
We love Central Hall, and we hope you will too.