Rev. Jay Phelps, has just retired from Flore and Weedon having faithfully served both Chapels since 2009.
We wish him every Blessing in his retirement.
This is his story:
Brought up in the faith, I admit cheerfully to have wandered away from it in my late teens and twenties, A variety of experiences brought me strongly back to faith at the age of 30
I trained at Nottingham University, and later at Westminster College, Cambridge. I am well known locally for my interest in riding Motorcycles, and that is my usual form of transport. A Teddy Boy (if you are under 50 you might have to look it up!) and Rocker since my teens, I am still able to communicate with all manner of people, and generally have something in common with everyone I speak to.
At this stage of history I am passionate about the new directions the Church is taking and look forward to continuing to grow a community of people that care for each other, and care for others (including the difficult ones!) with Jesus at the centre of our lives and attitudes.
If Jesus can change me so completely, he can change you! The change is not about giving things up, but adding to life so enormously!
Closing Churches
Throughout the country smaller chapels and congregations are closing down.
But both here in Flore and at Weedon, our Chapels are of considerable historical importance, and current social significance.
We provide useful venues with our schoolrooms/halls, we have a constant Christian presence and ministry from our congregation and Minister, and our villages would not be improved by our chapels having to close. The Chapel had always been a symbol of our connected community.
So please help to save our Chapels!
To do this, we don’t simply need money…though it helps and we would be glad of it…what we need is for every household in the village to make a commitment to coming to the Chapel (and/or the Parish Church) spread out at least twice a year.
It is people coming together that creates community so help, not just to maintain and preserve it, but to develop it into a new thriving community hub for the 21st Century.