………and life moves on

It’s now over a year since I last blogged, when once it was several times a week, and for my own mental well-being it’s time I restarted.

So here we go………… 2022 was a difficult year for most of the country as we tried to re-emerge/live with covid. Ministry amongst folk who also reflected the views and fears of he rest of the country, making decisions that you knew would be derided no matter what it was, should we zoom or not, is it time to scrap the two metre rule, how do we keep our churches infection free. As Superintendent, with the Circuit Leadership Team we navigated our way throughout the covid period probably getting some things wrong but in an honest attempt to keep the ship afloat and also recognising the the pandemic would hasten closure amongst many Churches and Circuits who were just surviving beyond their means.

It all crept up on me, Dads passing just before the crisis, stepping down as Deputy Chair of District and all the subsequent flak alongside how quickly the last of my hearing deteriorated. I can look back now and see how it all unfolded, so I think I was ready for the next stage of my Ministry.

In the previous blog entry you will see that the Circuit were about to offer me the opportunity of a redundant building in which to create an art based new style Church, (now called ‘the Well’). Consequently this was approved……………….

I stepped back from Superintendency on August 31 2022, and took on the project (& an already established circuit project called Oasis. After 18 years in Superintendency this has been a major shift in my Ministry.

Rowland Memorial Methodist Church became

‘The Well’

Since getting underway and still very much a ‘project’ it has been interesting days over the last few months. The core team which I prayed through before sharing the vision and asking if they wanted to be a part of it have slowly been diminished for very good legitimate reasons such as hospitalisation of one, ongoing illness of another, family concerns of two others. Others have their own Church considerations, and family reasons. Consequently it has fallen to me to find quotes for various things, but then unexpectedly in September I had to take on a new Church, which I already love for the graciousness and generosity towards me, but it has increased the workload beyond that which we’d planned for or expected.

Being realistic I have now accepted that I’m not going to see its completion but simply play my part in getting it off the ground, and as I’m convinced it’ll be church for the future I’m content with that.

So far we’ve managed to attract a theatre group (Silhouette theatre) from London, who I’ve worked with many times over the years.

Silhouette Theatre Company in action

January Messy Church

We’ve had the local pre-school to visit for end of year and Christmas Carols; Sadly the visit of a local junior school was cancelled due to Covid, but the gardening club have been able to meet each month and good relations are being established.

Currently the Church and adjacent hall are used regularly for the gathering of the Fijian UK Fellowship under the leadership of my great colleague, Revd Manoa Ratabavalu

Manoa

People are often surprised that there is no Sunday worship (it may or may not happen, we wait to see where God leads); there is a monthly quiet reflection time and weekly prayers open to all.

Our next step is to find volunteers to create a weekly coffee slot aimed at parents dropping their children off at the pre-school next door

So what are we creating ? put simply a space in which creative arts can happen to the glory of God, for the community and beyond an opportunity to meet and mingle and in the fullness of time become disciples of Jesus.

Please pray for us, that The Well (& Oasis) become the places of refreshment that God wants them to be. The third aspect of this multidimensional and multi-sited project is “The Stream” our digital Church but more about Oasis (next time) and The Stream later