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Yatton Methodist Church
A family friendly church
A family friendly church
“Hurry up, or you’ll be late for Church!” It was the voice of my cousin. You see, she and her boyfriend had discovered a little church in Swiss Road, Weston-super-Mare, called the Children’s and Young People’s Church – we just called it ‘C.C.’- and decided that they should drag me along. It was the early 1950’s and I was still at junior school.
It was just great. A church run by young people for young people. There was an adult in overall charge, of course, Miss Monday, but everyone knew her as ‘Monday’. As I discovered more and more about how ‘Monday’ put just everything into God’s hands and trusted him for the answers, it was a very powerful demonstration that faith actually works.
Just one example: Every year we had our Sale of Work but because we were only a little church we hired Weston’s Town Hall for our Sale. It was the proceeds of that which determined whether our C.C. could remain open for another year. But what made it so special was that on the stage was a large Christmas Tree. It was our Gift Tree. There were no decorations on it and at the foot of the tree ‘Monday’ placed a notice which read ‘Every tree is known by it’s fruit. The fruit of this tree is the fruit of prayer.’
‘Monday’ made sure all of us prayed that God would provide for us on the tree so it was an exciting time as one by one during the sale little coloured gift pouches were hung on the tree to decorate it. In the evening it was time to strip the tree and count what we had been given. Two teenagers were given the task of taking off the pouches and calling out how much was in each one. “Sixpence”, “two shillings” and so on but amongst them; “Twenty pounds”, “Twenty five pounds” and there were gasps as “One hundred pounds!” was called out. God never let us down. In fact, every year God gave us more money on the tree than we raised on the stalls.
I can’t remember a specific moment or a conversion experience but I just know from what I saw that it’s for real. ‘Monday’ said that new lives for Christ are the Church’s Harvest so, as was the custom in our little church, it was at one Harvest Festival, as a young teenager I made my public declaration of faith and became a ‘YD’, that’s Young Disciple or Young Deacon because YD’s helped to run the church.
I’ve never looked back and still God hears and answers prayers in a quite remarkable way.
It was just great. A church run by young people for young people. There was an adult in overall charge, of course, Miss Monday, but everyone knew her as ‘Monday’. As I discovered more and more about how ‘Monday’ put just everything into God’s hands and trusted him for the answers, it was a very powerful demonstration that faith actually works.
Just one example: Every year we had our Sale of Work but because we were only a little church we hired Weston’s Town Hall for our Sale. It was the proceeds of that which determined whether our C.C. could remain open for another year. But what made it so special was that on the stage was a large Christmas Tree. It was our Gift Tree. There were no decorations on it and at the foot of the tree ‘Monday’ placed a notice which read ‘Every tree is known by it’s fruit. The fruit of this tree is the fruit of prayer.’
‘Monday’ made sure all of us prayed that God would provide for us on the tree so it was an exciting time as one by one during the sale little coloured gift pouches were hung on the tree to decorate it. In the evening it was time to strip the tree and count what we had been given. Two teenagers were given the task of taking off the pouches and calling out how much was in each one. “Sixpence”, “two shillings” and so on but amongst them; “Twenty pounds”, “Twenty five pounds” and there were gasps as “One hundred pounds!” was called out. God never let us down. In fact, every year God gave us more money on the tree than we raised on the stalls.
I can’t remember a specific moment or a conversion experience but I just know from what I saw that it’s for real. ‘Monday’ said that new lives for Christ are the Church’s Harvest so, as was the custom in our little church, it was at one Harvest Festival, as a young teenager I made my public declaration of faith and became a ‘YD’, that’s Young Disciple or Young Deacon because YD’s helped to run the church.
I’ve never looked back and still God hears and answers prayers in a quite remarkable way.
