Community service – no strings attached
John Gillibrand, formerly of this parish, describes plans for a community hub that will transform local engagement
I worked in St. Davids Diocese for many years in the parish of Llangeler with Penboyr. In 2016, when I was appointed to the Parish of Pontarddulais, I took away many happy memories. In 2019, St. David’s Church, Penllergaer was added to my responsibilities. We now form part of the new Llwchwr Ministry Area, in the Diocese of Swansea and Brecon.
Like so many other churches in recent years we have been seeking to discern a way forward or indeed if there is a way forward.
In any process of discernment, our starting point has to be prayer, and shared prayer at that, as we seek to discern God’s will for us and for the communities in which we are set. My motto is always – pray before you start, pray once you have started, and carry on praying once you’ve finished. Prayer is the undergirding of everything.
St. Michael’s Pontarddulais was built between 1900 and 1901 to house the local English congregation.
In January, we had a meeting to launch our bid for lottery and other funding for Calon y Bont (Heart of the Bridge). We are aiming for a complete transformation of the church. If we are successful, there will be office space, a new kitchen, toilets and disabled access. There will be a flexible meeting place, with the old pews cleared, a drop-down screen, sound system and internet access.
What will the space be used for? We will continue to hold Sunday services there but with all the advantages of that flexible worship space brings to both traditional and informal worship.
It will be a condition of Lottery funding that other activities in the space are open to all, without discrimination. Calon y Bont will represent our no-strings-attached concern for and love of the local community, alongside our work of intentional mission. We will be exploring partnerships with anyone in the fields of health, education and social care who want to use these facilities for the benefit of the local community.
We have researched local needs and a key concern is the lack of support for young people in the Bont, outside school hours. So as well as the bid for work on the building, we will be seeking funding for the initial appointment of a youth worker, based in the building but also doing work in the wider community.
It is all very exciting, but there is a challenging road ahead. Keep praying!