Sunday 30 September 2012

Roots and Branches

I had a ‘coming home’ sort of Sunday for the 50th Anniversary of Park Lane Methodist Church Wembley.  My paternal Grandfather found Methodism at Park Lane Methodist Church in Wembley in the 1920s.  I never knew him, but he took my father as a young boy with him, and thus that side of my family ended up Methodist.

Samuel Wakelin was much impressed with the Hymns of Charles Wesley finding great comfort in the sense of ‘all are welcome’ which up and ‘till then had not been something he’d come across.

It started a journey for my father, Paul, as a Pacifist going to Ethiopia in the 2nd World War, and then after the war as a Methodist Mission Partner in West and later East Africa.

I grew up a Methodist Missionary Boy – with my twin sister Mary and my brother Michael.  To come back, then to a church, admittedly not the same building, as my grandfather and to find the Church blessed with ‘every nation, ethnic group and language’ was thrilling.

What a fine church celebrating 50 years of the new building.  I preached, ‘place matters but people matter more’, and enjoyed the company of God’s faithful people.

Mark Wakelin

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