On Saturday November 19th, 2016, Woodchurch Methodist hosted a visit from Rev. Tim Nicholls and 15 members of six different churches in Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester. The visit had been suggested by Rev. Rod Hill, a former Evangelism Enabler in the Liverpool Methodist District.

The Churches represented were Lawton Moor, Brownley Green, Northenden, Baguley Hall, St. Andrew’s and the Dandelion Project (a URC Project). The aim of the visit was to learn and receive encouragement and inspiration from Woodchurch, a community church on a housing estate, which was in danger of closing some years ago.

The visit began with a welcome from church worker David Smith and was then followed by a Soup and Batch Lunch, a cuppa and the mandatory choice of cakes!  After lunch, there was a time of sharing news, questions, ideas and vision for the future from various members of the Leadership Team at Woodchurch and also from Rev. Tim Nicholls.

There was also an opportunity to see the 770 gift-filled shoeboxes ahead of the Shoebox Dedication Service the following day and their subsequent journey to children in Latvia, one of the Baltic States bordering Russia.

A short time of worship followed where we sang ‘Beauty for Brokenness’ and ‘Christ be our Light’. Wendy White shared a blessing, before we said our farewells to our delightful new-found friends. The Woodchurch members happily accepted an invitation from Tim to make a visit to Wythenshawe in the New Year.  It was a wonderful afternoon and a real privilege and joy for Woodchurch to be invited to host this visit.

David Smith, Church and Centre Co-ordinator