Seeing Jesus on the seafront
Pioneer gets new lease of life where the sea meets the shore
Photo: Rev Julie Wheeler is at the heart of a pioneering seafront ministry in Sidmouth, Devon
Spurred on by CMS supported training, a pioneer in Sidmouth has been finding new ways to create spaces for conversations about faith.
Our story starts with some residential training for curates (vicars-in-training) in the Diocese of Exeter. Rev Julie Wheeler went along to the training with a growing sense “of something dormant waking up” in her.
This particular residential was being led by Greg Bakker and Tina Hodgett, offering Pioneering Parishes training to provide tools to help congregations to look beyond the church and get out into the parish community. Greg and Tina led the group though sessions exploring how pioneering and parish ministry can go hand in hand. They considered ways to engage with people in their parishes who would not usually connect with a church at all.
The weekend acted as something of a wake-up call for Julie, as she sensed a call to pioneering that had gone to sleep. This wake-up call eventually led her to a six-month pilot role, based at All Saints Church, Sidmouth, exploring missional opportunities on the seafront area.
During a fruitful and encouraging six months Julie spent time on the seafront among locals and visitors. Julie spent time simply being present on the seafront area or the beach, where she could chat to people or offer creative spaces to reflect. Alongside acts of kindness like giving away homemade hearts on Valentine’s day or offering space to light a candle at dusk on New Year’s Eve to say goodbye to the year and remember those who have died, Julie offered a listening space and creative prayer opportunities, told stories of Jesus and even helped someone to re-affirm their baptismal vows in the sea!
Julie explains that she has seen the beach, with its tidal flow of water, act as a “liminal” or in between space where the rules of normal life don’t apply and people can be more open to the Holy Spirit’s invitation to connect. It is a great example of someone going to the edges – literally the edges of the land – meeting people where they are with the kindness, patience and creativity of God.
Julie is now deepening her understanding and practice of pioneering on the CMS Certificate in Pioneer Mission, which is offered as a partnership between CMS and the Anglican Church in the south west of England.
Julie’s pioneering role has been made permanent, a recognition of the quiet and steady fruitfulness of this ministry and the hope that God will continue to meet with visitors and locals through her posture of humble listening, prayer and creativity. Julie was licensed as an associate pioneer priest at the end of July.
She says, “I’m very grateful for the wake-up call that happened through the work of Pioneering Parishes, which has led to such a joyful opportunity to join in with the mission of God.”
