Warm Hubs in Winter’s Cold

Adults Committing to Jesus

There are so many inspiring stories of how adults are finding Jesus who transforms their lives later in life. Recently, 76 adults and children were confirmed in the Cynon Uchaf Ministry Area. Here we speak to Emma who was baptised with her husband and two children in the summer at St Fagan’s Church, Trecynon, and Rachel who, with her husband Steve and daughter Sophie, was confirmed at St Lleurwgs Church, Aberdare in the autumn.

As a child we regularly holidayed in France and visited different Churches which made me aware of how attending Church can bring everyone together to feel safe and familiar and bound by belief yet in different counties and languages which fascinated me.

Over the last 5 years I have been attending Church and since moving to Trecynon we now attend St Fagan’s. The welcome, feeling of belonging and unity in Christian values and beliefs is evident and why I enjoy attending so much.

My husband and I and our two children got baptised all together in August, which was really special.

It was really humbling. With a chaotic life and busy work and kids, in that moment in the church, everything’s calm and just tranquil and just lovely.

I can’t recommend it enough. It will make you feel part of a community and they were so fantastic at reflecting on the passages from the Bible, but then bringing that to current life and how we might be feeling now with something that’s going on in a world community and how we might think about things now in 2022. The Bible is helping us get through everything. So I get a lot from going to church on a Sunday. I really enjoy it from a community point of view and a reflective point of view. And a sort of empowering point of view I guess to make you feel like actually yeah, we can all do this. We’ve got that power within us. Our beliefs, help us get through whatever challenges may face us in life. I think it’s definitely different as an adult.

Rachel

We both attended church as children, Steven at St Cynogs, Penderyn and myself in Aberaman. Steven was in the choir which he loved even though he couldn’t sing! Through his teenage years and twenties he did lose touch with the church, returning for the first time about 10 years ago with our young daughter Sophie. He went to many a service on a Sunday and was really sad when the church was closed despite numerous fund-raising efforts.

We had been told lovely things about St Lleurwgs, Hirwaun, and so as a family we decided to go along to a service on a Sunday. We instantly felt welcomed. For me after not having been to church for so long it gave me a lovely feeling of comfort and peace. Sophie has enjoyed the Sunday Club where she has made many friends and Steven and I have too made many new friends. We feel like we have a new family.

Church has now become an important part of our life. As a couple we decided we would both be confirmed along with Sophie. It would show our commitment to our faith. The day of our confirmation was very special and one which we will always remember. Making new disciples is the ultimate goal of the Church as we seek to spread the gospel and incite people to follow Jesus as we do.

Planting and Growing

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and

secure. Hebrews 6:19

The Rev’d Ryan Forey, vicar of Citizen Church, Cardiff, has and is planting new locations in Senghenydd and Pontypridd. Here Rev’d Ryan talks about how he has seen successful growth of Church communities:

We never intended to set up a church for Christians. We always wanted to reach the people no one is reaching, and so set up a church aimed at the 99% of people that don’t yet go to church. To do that, we felt like a big part of that for us is Alpha [an introductory course to the basics of the Christian faith through a series of talks and discussions]. to convince their friends to travel to try church for the first time. With our new locations we want to get local so that we can run Alpha and tell people about Jesus in a context that works for them. And so, what we’re doing Cardiff is very different to what we’re doing in Senghenydd, and even Pontypridd will probably feel a bit different as well.

We’re pretty keen on enabling people to belong before they believe. We feel like everyone needs to be needed and known. And so, as soon as someone starts coming along we look at how we can get them on a team and belonging in a small group.

We want to break the stereotypes of church and also breach loneliness.

We do lots of big invitational events. Alpha is the big invitation, but soon it will switch to Christmas events.

The biggest way that we’re inviting people in is word of mouth and building that level of trust that when you bring your friend here, they’re going to have a great time. They’re going to hear about Jesus but they’re also going to meet friends. Loneliness is at an all-time high right now so that’s something we’re really trying to tackle. We want to build real authentic community for people to belong to before they believe and really find a home here.

Senghenydd

“The congregation at Senghenydd has a lot of young families and is set up and committed to providing engaging content for all children, allowing parents to start finding their own community in the space.

“They then plan to offer the Alpha course to those parents who have gotten to know them through our child provision, including the midweek toddler group. The culture at Senghenydd also strives to combat loneliness which elderly people and students can often struggle with alike. “It’s about community.”