An introduction from Lorraine…
As we start thinking about how we move forward as a church, it’s good to be reminded that outreach and ministry have still been happening in our community over the past two years, but perhaps in a very different way.
Here John Freeman talks about two of the church’s regular outreach activities, both of which bring a lot of joy in their different ways…
We all need to be thinking about our loving interaction — practical, social and spiritual — with the folk living in Haxby and Wigginton and beyond. The time for ‘Covid Hibernation’ is over. We’ve got the Scarecrows Festival to attack and we need to roll up our sleeves by supporting the works with children/families and the older folk for which our church is so famous.
The time for ‘Covid Hibernation’ is over.
We haven’t been idle during 2020 and 2021; two of our perhaps less well known ventures — Open the Book and Park Run — have been able to continue.
The Open the Book team has continued to present Bible stories in four primary schools. This venture is run by our revered Local Pastor [Cheers John! – Lorraine] and has involved members of the Anglican and Catholic churches too. Great, eh?! Children stop us in the street and introduce us to their parents. What an effective way to get to know and to be known!
Park Run has also staggered on, although even that was abandoned for quite a while. A group of around fifteen of us charge around the courses in York, New Earswick, Easingwold and well beyond on occasions: sporting our fancy T‑shirts saying “Haxby and Wigginton Methodist Church Park Runners” on the front and “Feed the 5K” (get it?) on the back. We keep fit and let people know that the church is alive just by trotting 5,000 metres and supporting the events by marshalling/organising pretty often too. We range from around 8 to almost 80 in age so no barriers there. Just ask and get involved, you won’t regret it! See Richard Freeman and get fit and fly the HWMC flag! Could we start a Couch to 5K club based at church?
John Freeman
Back to Lorraine…
I’m afraid John or Rich still can’t persuade me to do any sort of running, as fun as it sounds, but Open the Book is definitely my thing. In fact, I think I reached the pinnacle of my career the other week when the Headteacher told the team that they had featured on the Year 3 spelling lists. I do wonder what the words were though! (Answers on a postcard, please?!)
We need more actors, scene designers and costumiers
We need more actors, scene designers and costumiers in the Open the Book team. Please see me to offer any help you can!
God bless you all as you start to come out of ‘Covid Hibernation’ as you are able to, and we start to reimagine what our life could be like together again.
Lorraine Jones