From Wild Seedling to Growing Community

William Barr

Hope Church Pembrokeshire is now over a year old, and it started more like a wild seedling than a carefully nurtured church plant! What do I mean by that? Well, there was no official sending church backing us. Instead, the church was born out of a real need in the St Davids Peninsula, as the local community faced some challenges within the established Anglican church. Our current leadership consists of two couples, all GPs with young families working in the area.

The origins of Hope Church are rather humble. We began by setting up a lockdown Sunday school in a village hall, with the idea of offering something for the Mums bringing their children—a bit of adult-focused worship and Bible study. But, as is often the case, God had bigger plans in mind.

Fast forward a year, and we’re meeting with up to 50 people every Sunday morning! It’s been a joyful, yet sometimes overwhelming, journey. We gather at Mathry Village Hall at 10 a.m. each Sunday and we are currently working our way through the book of Acts together. There’s a separate children’s ministry and a monthly all-age service that brings everyone together. What started as a small effort has blossomed into a vibrant community. During the week, we’ve also launched mid-week groups, a men’s breakfast, and even a women’s group called “Purls and Pints” (knitting in the pub—yes, you read that right!).

But with growth comes challenges. We’re still a young church, finding our way through some important decisions. Here are a few areas where we’d appreciate your prayers:

1. Leadership – Since we started in such an organic way, we haven’t yet appointed a formal leadership team or church leader. Please pray for wisdom as we seek to elect elders and a leader who can help guide us forward.

2. Unity – With such a diverse range of theological views within our congregation, we’re seeking to maintain unity through our shared love for Jesus Christ. Please pray for grace and understanding as we navigate these differences. Also, we’re eager to build bridges with the ageing churches and chapels in our area—pray that these connections will flourish.

3. Outreach – As leaders, we often feel stretched, just keeping the Sunday service going alongside our day jobs and family responsibilities. We’re passionate about doing more to reach the community but need more hands on deck. Pray that others would step up to help us grow sustainably, always in God’s time and through His power.

Ultimately, our prayer is that God’s name would be hallowed in our lives, in our church, in our community, and across Wales!