Single Friendly Walking Church
Our newest Single Friendly Church is a creative Fresh Expression from the Salvation Army. Captain Claire Whybrow shares how Walking Church on Hadleigh Farm Estate is bringing single and married together through nature to help them encounter God and experience ‘fullness of life with Jesus’.
Hadleigh Farm Estate is a beautiful 900 acre site in South Essex – home to a commercial farm, farm breeds centre, tearoom, and community hub. Bought by The Salvation Army’s founder, William Booth in 1891, the Estate’s purpose for over 120 years has been to love God and love others. Our vision is to help people experience ‘fullness of life for all with Jesus’, and through our various programmes and activities we hope people will discover more about themselves, the world and God.
What is Walking Church?
Just over a year ago a new worshipping community began at Hadleigh Farm Estate, in the form of Walking Church. Walking Church grew out of a desire to continue the journey and deepen the relationships built during Lent and Advent Walks held at Hadleigh. Each Sunday morning we meet together for breakfast at our café, before taking a guided walk through the park. Following a different theme each week, we share in prayer, Bible readings and a short reflection, but it is often through the conversations we have as we walk that we encounter God and discover more about him.
Welcoming single people in
Having served for ten years in Yorkshire as a single church leader, I have become increasingly aware of the joys and challenges of being a single person in the world and the church today.
I moved down to Hadleigh just a few months after Walking Church commenced, and it has been amazing to see how as our church community has grown, we have naturally attracted individuals from diverse family backgrounds including single, single in faith, widowed, married and families.
Through social media I had been introduced to the Single Friendly Church Network and was keen to see how we could use the Audit to ensure we welcome and value single people in the best way possible. The social and relational focus of our Walking Church means that there were already key things in place which ensure single people feel at home with us. Everyone sits around the table together as equals, and all are invited to be part of the conversation. We share together in meals from time to time, as well as our weekly breakfast. This means that those who live alone always have an opportunity each week to eat with others. Members of Walking Church look out for those who may be isolated or alone whilst walking and in their daily lives.
“Everyone sits around the table together as equals, and all are invited to be part of the conversation. We share together in meals from time to time, as well as our weekly breakfast. This means that those who live alone always have an opportunity each week to eat with others. ”
Our Walking Church is led by myself, who is single, and Wendy, who is a married church leader, offering different perspectives in certain conversations. The Audit helped us think about the changes we could make to improve our welcome to single people (and actually all people) including putting a sign on our table and always leaving spare chairs out.
As our Walking Church continues to grow, it is just so beautiful to see God bringing people together to journey in faith and in life. We offer a different space from traditional church for people to explore what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. We are in a unique position as a fresh expression of church to intentionally shape our worshipping community so that single people, with all the diverse experiences they have, can find a home with us.
Walking Church meets at 10am at the Hub Cafe on Hadleigh Farm Estate, Essex. Visit their website to find out more.
With thanks to Captain Claire Whybrow for writing this article.