The Parish Magazine March 2022

feature — 1
Life in The Ark is brighter than ever!
Before covid gripped the country The Ark at St Andrew's Church, which
opened in May 2017, was a hive of activity but sadly when the virus struck,
everything ground to a halt and the building stood empty. But the good news
is that, from the start of this New Year, it has burst into life again — and this
new life is looking even brighter than before!
At The Ark opening in 2017, Rev Jamie
outlined plans for the future. He told
the Henley Standard: 'We need space for
our growing Sunday school and our new
outreach programme, which will include a
pensioners’ lunch club and youth club. The
Ark has given us the facilities we need.'
Now, almost 5 years later — and
despite Covid — these plans are
not only back on track, but they are
exceeding expectations!
YOUNG PEOPLE
The 'growing Sunday school' Rev
Jamie spoke of is now a very active
Sunday Club for the younger children
who meet there on a Sunday morning,
and a young people's STAY group that
meet to explore how their faith can
help them come to terms with many
of the pressures that society puts
on them. The Sunday STAY group is
reaching the stage where they could
soon be outgrowing the room in The
Ark where they meet, and a second
room will need to be equipped so they
can split into two groups.
YOUTH CLUB
A key part of the outreach
programme Rev Jamie spoke of was
the creation of a youth club that meets
on a Friday evening. The club has
quickly got up and running again after
covid with some 50-60 young people
RENDEZVOUS
IN THE ARK
For senior citizens
We meet every
second and fourth
Tuesday
of the month
for lunch and
conversation
To reserve your
place call
0118 969 3298
turning up to enjoy the facilities that
provided for both indoor and outside
sports, games and activities.
RENDEZVOUS
The pensioners' lunch club, Rev
Jamie envisaged became 'Rendezvous
in The Ark' and this also has steadily
got going again after covid. Unlike the
children and young people's groups
where often the building is full of
games equipment and electronic
devices, Rendezvous becomes a
comfortable dining lounge where
members meet to enjoy an excellent
lunch prepared by Emma's Kitchen of
Twyford, and to share in 'grown up'
conversation.
'It's a great opportunity to meet new
people and have the time to just sit, talk
about anything and everything, and to
laugh together — and to enjoy a good
meal prepared by someone else!'— is a
good summary of what the members
say the club is all about.
MEET TO CHAT
One of the other main reasons
for building The Ark was to provide
a comfortable and safe venue for
everyone, young and old, to meet
and chat with each other after the
main Sunday services and enjoy a
cup of coffee or tea. This was one
aspect of church life that sadly
disappeared during the worst days
of the pandemic, but again, the good
news is, it is now up and running.
Each week it seems, that more and
more members of the congregation are
feeling confident about meeting again
in a social environment.
MORE GOOD NEWS
The other good news is that the
Wednesday morning mid-communion
service held in The Ark is also back and
running again, and so is the coffee and
chat that follows it!
While all the above is very
rewarding for the members of the
church whose efforts not only raised
the money to build The Ark and in
doing so took a huge 'step of faith'
The Parish Magazine - March 2022 19
Messy Christmas
into the unknown because it could
easily have failed, there are two other
unexpected exciting developments
that have been made possible by The
Ark — Messy Church and Sunday at
Six.
MESSY CHURCH
Messy Church arrived in The Ark
in April 2018, about a year after the
official opening. It offers people of all
ages an alternative style of church in
which 'messy' activities help to explain
the Bible, the Christian faith and why
and how we pray, in a practical way
using everyday objects. Activities
revolve around craft, food, games,
music, story telling, sharing a meal
and music.
Messy Church soon became a
popular service that supplements the
more traditional services held in the
church and it attracts young and old
alike. It has returned after Covid on
the third Sunday of the month at 3pm.
SUNDAY AT SIX
Rev Kate
On the fourth Sunday of the
month at 6pm a small group of
church members began meeting to
explore another less formal, relaxed,
alternative style of worship, prayer and
Bible study.
Although, like Messy Church, this
was not on the agenda when The Ark
was designed, it has already proved to
be the perfect venue for this exciting
venture. Called Sunday at Six, it is
proving to be a huge success and each
month attracts a growing number of
families and people of all ages. Since
the re-opening of The Ark after covid,
the number of people who come along
to share in this new venture is now
around 50 - 60 and growing!