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Swaythling Methodist Church
October 2005
Dear
Friends,
Last year
we appointed a New Outreach
Worker for 5 years to assist us in
sharing the gospel with our neighbours.
As in all such activities it will succeed or fail in proportion to our
praying, and so we value your prayers for us and the work we are involved in.This had resulted in the Bunker open Monday,Tuesday Thursday Friday mornings where people can drop in for a cuppa and a chat
Some History
The
church is a massive property with around 26 rooms, including a few good sized
halls. It was built in 1932 in the style
of a Methodist Central Hall to serve the local housing estates going up around
the same time. In the early days the
church had a Sunday School with attendances estimated somewhere between
400-600! But from the 70’s numbers
slowly declined to a membership now around 32, with many in their retirement
years, and a non-existent Sunday School.
Over
recent years the church has anguished, along with many others, about how to
become more effective in sharing the gospel - let alone making disciples. It has experienced a mini Share Jesus
mission, done some prayer walking, been involved with a house church, shared
its buildings in outreach by the Community Church to local children, shared in
some all night prayer meetings, and hosted a Walk Wessex team. All these have shown something of the
potential, but for a variety of reasons the church has failed to ‘take the
plunge’ and really engage in sharing the gospel.
But
now we have done it...
That was last Year Steve Ingrouille paved the way with Alpha groups - NOW
we have a local person IRENE BOURNE who is known on the estates and knows the
needs “In the far Country”
The Team
Irene
will be working with Chris Bradwell under the direction of our Minister Peter
McNeill and the guidance of a support/management group drawn from the
Swaythling Church and the Southampton Circuit.
The Work
We
want to share the gospel effectively with our neighbours around the church, and
especially with the ‘flower estate’ (every road is named after a flower) which
faces on to the church. To do this we
have identified four main areas of work..
Prayer Needs
1. Pray
for Irene,Jean and Chris as they work together that they will know the unity of the
Spirit,
supporting one another with a
minimum of misunderstanding and making time for prayer.
2. Pray for the Church body that they will
not feel sidelined but will be informed, involved and
praying.
3. Pray for the Management group that they
will have spiritual discernment, be aware of issues
that need resolving, and provide
direction and support as needed.
4. Pray for the Thursday Group, a lively
group of mainly younger folk (including a number of
University students).
.
5. Prayer for the Prayer Breakfast - A
group of us meeting on Thursday mornings for a light
breakfast and prayer together.
For
more information contact:
Irene
Peter or Chris at...
Swaythling
Methodist Church
282
Burgess Road
Swaythling
Southampton
SO16
3BE
Or
email chrisbradwell@tiscali.co.uk
THAT’S NOT ALL!!!
FROM 1ST SEPTEMBER
or Minister Rev PETER K McNEILL
has been appointed as a ˝ time university Free Church Chaplain -NEW WORK AHEAD
This
year his appointment is based ˝ time with SWAYTH:ING METHODIST CHURCH and the church will support him in Evening
Services, Weekday Groups for young people,
and
Home from Home Sunday lunchtimes.
Come
and join us. (if you are new to the
university or from overseas and need a
local Mum & Dad e-mail (terry@prsucefd.demon.co.uk
)
or e-mail Peter on rev.petermcneill@someth.org.uk
We
need musicians especially a piano or organ player for Sunday morning (contact terry@prsucefd.demon.co.uk)
Pray
for this work and all of the students.