Loving God, loving your community

Something that came out of Covid for St Mary’s Parish Church in West Moors has been a new vision for the parish - 'Loving God, Loving West Moors' - which Vicar Andy Muckle launched after reflecting on the work of the church’s Community Support Team.

The Team was formed at the beginning of the pandemic to help those isolating with shopping and prescriptions, and with each lockdown, it has swung into action to help the local community.

Andy says:

“The vision, rooted in the two great commandments that Jesus gave us, has a double face to it, in that we love God and are called to express that love to the community around us.”

The vision has very quickly become part of the church’s language and culture, and well-known in the local community.

So whilst praying for the local businesses as they begin to open up in recent weeks, Andy came up with the idea to drop round a thank-you card to all the businesses in the town (nearly 100!), assuring them of the church’s continuing prayers and expressing the whole community's gratitude for their courage and strength over what has been such a difficult fourteen months.

In with the thank-you card was a very ‘sweet’ image of the St Mary’s vision – a little bag filled with mini packets of Love Hearts!

Andy adds:

“It just seemed very appropriate of saying to our businesses here in West Moors, they are loved by us and loved by God!”