John brings church to his street
After praying for years that the neighbours on his East Belfast street would come to church, John Menagh has brought church to his street.
At the start of the lockdown, John spotted a video on YouTube that planted an idea.
It was of a minister in England going to the home of one of his parishioners and playing Amazing Grace through a PA system and then praying the Lord’s Prayer.
“I thought this was a lovely gesture,” says John, “and something that I would like to do for the neighbours in my street.”
John contacted his neighbours through a street group chat telling them what he was going to do and invited them to come out and join him at 3.00 pm on a Sunday afternoon.
“I set up a PA system, played Amazing Grace, said a short prayer, prayed for a neighbour who was in ICU with Covid–19 and then asked everyone to join in the Lord’s Prayer.
“I honestly didn’t intend to make it a weekly occurrence but a number of people contacted me during the week telling me how much they had appreciated it, saying that it had given them real lift and asking if I would do it again the following Sunday. I have now been doing it every Sunday since.
“At 3.00 pm I play a hymn, read a Psalm, say a few words, pray, ask everyone to join in the Lord’s Prayer and finish with another hymn. If the weather is good around 30 neighbours in my street come out to listen, plus a number of people from surrounding streets come out into their gardens or stand at their doors.
“At the start, one neighbour was recording it and putting it on Facebook and a number of people were watching online.
“On the second week I played some modern worship songs and got told off because nobody listening goes to church and they didn’t know them! So they started giving me hymn requests like How Great Thou Art, Abide With me, The Old Rugged Cross, When I Survey The Wonderous Cross, Because He Lives and so on.
“The last 3 weeks I have asked different neighbours to say the prayers which has been amazing to watch.”
After the success of the Sunday service, John started a street Alpha on Zoom and put an invitation into every house. Seven households are now taking part every Tuesday night.
He is bowled over by what has happened.
“For the past ten and a half years since becoming a Christian I have prayed for the day when all my neighbours would come to church together on a Sunday and that we would have a life group running in our street. This is not the way I imagined it would happen, but God has answered both those prayers.”
John Menagh is Community Pastor for Willowfield Parish Community Association and a Church Army Officer.