CRCW - Kirsty Mabbott
Coventry is re-emerging young, vibrant and multi-cultural city, ‘a City of Sanctuary, Peace and Reconciliation’ and will became the City of Culture in May 2021. The traditional extensive car industry has been replaced by hi-Tec jobs and there has been the expansion of two universities. The population is spread from comfortable middle class, through to working class, to those in poverty, with a higher than average level of homelessness. There are several charities, including the cathedral and churches, working to improve relationships and the lives of people within the area.
Ansty Road URC is a 2016 amalgamation of Wyken URC (the present site about two miles from the city centre) and the closed Stoke URC. St Columba’s URC unfortunately had to close on 31st December 2020. The Coronavirus Pandemic accelerated conditions that led to this decision by the church membership. Some of the folk from St Columba’s will be moving to Ansty Road URC, others will be looking at URC’s closer to them in Coventry.
Memberships at Ansty Road URC is about 30-35. The work that took place at St Columba’s is currently on pause, due to Coronavirus rather than the closure of the church and will be relocated once things can reopen. Ansty Road hope to generate community involvement once things can open properly now that the major building project has been completed. Their goal is to open a ‘shop front’ outreach venue, close to the site of the former Stoke URC. The lease on a property is currently being negotiated and the aim is to open later in 2021.
Vision for the CRCW Project:
CRCW Kirsty Mabbott was called to this project and Inducted at a service in April 2019. The focus has been to develop existing work, and to seek and bring to fruition the goals of both churches. Kirsty has spent a lot of time consulting local people, identifying need and building relationships. Several projects had been established at St Columba’s and Ansty Road, but all of them had to be paused due to national lockdowns and the local council taking the lead on provision for the homeless in the city. Once things can begin operating again, the hope is to move forward promptly with the ‘shop front’ project.
The project aims to offer love, welcome, hope and faith. Kirsty will bring knowledge and experience to this role and will be committed to working with local communities to tackle injustice, inequality of opportunity, poverty, and homelessness. Kirsty will also assist in helping the church to create a faith-based space for the LGBTIQA+ community while continuing to support the church to offer same sex marriages.
You can read Kirsty's most recent reflection: Time to Remember - reflecting on the struggles many in the LGBTIQA+ communities have faced in the past and the celebration of LGBT Pride, which takes place in the month of June each year.
