Story six: nurturing the potential of a chapel in a fast-growing village
Seeing the mission potential of the chapel, the Superintendent has given it a year of focused time and attention. A renovation project has already led to growth, and has opened up further mission possibilities.
A forward-thinking circuit has restructured around a plan to ensure that churches that are clearly striving forward missionally are properly resourced. Eight missional churches are being supported to grow with extra ministerial time and attention. The circuit includes a village that has doubled in size over the last five years, with more new housing being built. The only suitable community spaces are the Methodist chapel and a small village hall. In 2022, the village gained its first shop with the arrival of a Tesco, indicating that the village is seen as strategically significant by more than the Methodists.
The previous minister worked to establish a vision for the community, identifying a need to retain and redevelop the building, which was last updated 50 years ago. They needed a warm and welcoming space, with room to grow. This is now a very clearly articulated vision of ‘putting the chapel at the heart of the community.’ Seeing its mission potential, the current Superintendent has deliberately spent a year focusing his time on this chapel. From September 2023, there are plans to align a Supernumerary minister to the chapel for ongoing pastoral support. A new Deacon with a circuit-wide role will also be starting in September with a remit for reaching out to residents in the new housing and establishing New Places for New People across the circuit.
An opportunity has arisen to partner with ‘Resurrected Bites’ – a pay-as-you-feel food waste café, that is looking to launch a third venue, and whose values closely align with the circuit. The refurbishment of the chapel included installing a high-quality kitchen to enable this partnership to be developed. There is a plan for a weekly café with a local pastoral presence from the chapel as part of the agreement. It is hoped that a community of all ages will grow, including building links with toddler groups using the space.
External support has come via the district fundraiser, who accessed regional Net Zero funding. The chapel now has solar roof panels, an air source heat pump, electric vehicle charging points, and new windows and insulation. The district ‘Circuit Support Team’ also provided a lead for the three-month renovation project. The team leader led the committee by consensus, brought everyone on board, and presented options for the local group to choose. As an external person, she didn’t keep revisiting decisions already made and was able to manage the process as an ‘impartial outsider’. A local Supernumerary provided the pastoral support during this process, and will be taking pastoral charge of the church from September 2023. As a result, the community are now 98% on board with the project and very excited for the future.
While worshiping in the village hall during the three month renovations, the congregation grew. The church’s monthly coffee morning has always had a large village turn out, with even more people attending now: it’s seen as a key meeting place. The chapel is active on social media and their presence is affirmed and supported by the village, who often respond positively. A ‘Community Day’ was held to celebrate the end of the refurbushment, where funders and contractors were thanked and the village and circuit came together to celebrate, and the food waste café is now open for business.