HERE IS HOW A CHURCH IN THE UK TRIPLED IN THREE YEARS!

 

Radyr Methodist Church is in a suburb of Cardiff, Wales.  Like most churches in the United Kingdom, the church has declined, down to only 20 Sunday worshipers by the start of the Pandemic.  Enter Pastor Judith Holliman.  Judith began prayer walking the varied neighborhoods around the church, especially the new housing estates that were being built up.  As Judith led her people outward, from the church house into the community, the word began to spread that Radyr Methodist was a place of life.  The church’s Sunday attendance hit 30, then 40, now over 60 most weekends.  This is abnormal these days in this part of the world, so I have paid close attention to Pastor Judith and her flock. The following story is a snapshot of how they roll at Radyr.

Earlier in 2023 Judith was prayer walking in the new build estate where she runs a ‘forest church’ for parents and small children. As she walked and prayed, she felt really strongly that they should give a star to every house on the estate this Christmas.

She shared this idea with one of the Radyr church members who said he could make some wooden stars, but not 1000! So then she shared the idea with the evangelism group.  They started talking about it on Sundays.

The stars started coming in, knitted, crocheted, wooden, cardboard, fabric - all handmade!  200, 400, they just kept coming, then the Art Community that met on a Wednesday afternoon started making stars, the Brownies made stars, the friendship group, the guides, the Bible study groups, the new folk who had joined… they hit 1000, 1200.

The church had Christmas cards printed, one for each star.   And then groups went out to deliver stars across the community. Then they made still more stars, and they were delivered to members neighbors and friends.  Over 90% of the church members were involved, stretching from the youngest to the oldest!   They had a blast!  And starting on Christmas Eve, one community family showed up at services, inspired by the gift given to them.  And then another.  And another.

The star was more than a mass mailer.  It was hand-crafted, each one entirely unique, extremely old-world, and delivered in person.  It exuded great caring and sent a signal that Radyr Methodist Church is a special kind of place.

In this brave new world, people are still touched by acts of caring, by people taking time for personalized TLC, impressed when actions match words, and very open to spiritual communities where people are real, and the experience is culturally accessible and relevant.

The impending demise of the church is more about the church’s failures (the high-profile scandals, the embrace of extreme politics, archaic music, obsession with the pedantic, and snobby attitudes toward outsiders and younger people) than it is about a spirit of secularism sweeping the planet.  People are open.  And when churches send signals that they are places of love and joy and authentic community, people respond favorably.

Happy Epiphany one and all!  The Star that drew Magi to Christ still beckons and draws strangers to become friends and spiritual family in Christ.  Radyr Methodist Church just proved it, yet again.