Province
The Church of England
Diocese
Oxford
Goal
To give opportunities for worship and spiritual development, and for friendship, to adults with learning disabilities, their families and carers.
Activity
Wednesday Church meets on the first Wednesday of each month, 10.00 am to 1.00 pm. The time together includes meeting over a cup of tea or coffee, trying out different craft activities, related to the theme of the day’s worship, then coming together for worship in the church. Worship is lively, accessible and participative – with signing for hymns and songs, stories from the Bible, and a time of open prayer when people can offer up their own special prayers. Sometimes we even do dancing! Then lunch together afterwards – we all bring our own lunch to keep it simple. The programme is planned for September – December 2011.
Outcomes
Wednesday Church is a new project (started in Spring 2011) and we are fairly relaxed about Outcomes, as we are learning and developing as we go along. The numbers attending Wednesday Church have grown gradually over our first few months, from about 12 in total at the beginning to 40-45 in July. (These numbers include people with learning disabilities and their carers.) Those who come clearly enjoy the opportunity to join in church worship (which they may not have otherwise) as well as the chance to meet friends old and new over a cup of tea and a chat.
People with a wide range of skills, interests and experience share these for the benefit of members. One of the real strengths of the group is the working together of Christians, lay and ordained, from different traditions, towards the same goal.
The project is supported enthusiastically by the “home church”, St. Peter’s, Didcot, which has a good accessible building ideally suited to this ministry.
Main language
English