From Cornwall to Cumbria

Wirksworth is saying farewell to the Reverend Martin Williams and his wife Rita. In September, they are moving to Barrow in Furness where Martin will have greater responsibilities as Superintendent of the South West Cumbria Circuit of the Methodist Church. With 13 churches to look after, Martin and Rita face quite a challenge.

Born in Cornwall, Martin might have been a thatcher like his dad but had no head for heights. Instead he studied first English then Biblical Studies at Bangor University where he became friends with Rita, from Devon, training as a teacher. Later, as a married couple, they ran a successful grocery store in Cornwall, but Martin felt a call to become Christian minister. Rita by his side, he became ordained and then a Methodist Minister in High Wycombe for 6 years when, according the usual practice, he had to move on.

So Martin and Rita came to live in the Manse in Wirksworth Circuit. Responding to the wishes of the local community they have been allowed to stay for 12 years looking after the 5 churches on this circuit: Wirksworth, Bolehill, Middleton, Cromford and Holloway.

It has been a happy, fruitful and very busy time for them. Rita has worked as a teacher as well as helping with the work of the church, like for instance, contributing to the Circuit Rider magazine, and using her computer skills to enhance services by projecting the words of hymns and pictures as illustrations. As Martin says, the people sometimes enjoy a change like singing a hymn not in the usual hymn book.

The old idea of Sunday School has been modified to attract the young people of today. With the help of members of the congregation, Martin has established “The Flock Shop” which on Saturday mornings offers children a fun hour with stories, games, and Christian learning.

Then there is the free Xmas lunch for those who may be alone at Christmas, inaugurated by Martin and Rita, and a lunch each month for a small charge. Martin and Rita join the helpers on such occasions.

With so many calls on their time and teaching hours not gelling with preaching hours, when did they have time together? Well that’s where the tandem came in handy … around midday they would take a packed lunch and cycle to Idridgehay, eat their lunch on a bench there and cycle home again ~ perfect! Well, if it doesn’t rain!

Asked what they feel about Wirksworth, both Martin and Rita said they had enjoyed it because of the kind of place it was ~ a place where people greet each other in the street with something of the atmosphere of a friendly village, yet somewhere with a lot of drive, everyone co-operating, witnessed, for example by the Leisure Centre, the railway, Churches Together, and the Care Centre and skate park projects. A well-balanced community with a lot of history and beautiful scenery.

So what is to happen when they leave? The Wirksworth and Matlock Circuits are to merge to become the Derbyshire Dales Circuit. Rev. Steve Bennett will be the new minister. An inaugural service is to be held on 3rd September.

Martin will find it very different on his new Circuit which has 13 churches and covers the whole of SW Cumbria where sheep outnumber people. The Manse is in Barrow, a town of 71,980 people (more than 10 x Wirksworth). Barrow’s geographical isolation results in a lack of employment opportunities.

A main employer is the ship-building industry. Here they have built the Vanguard class of submarine which carries the Trident warhead. This is to end in 2023. Now they are building the first Astute class nuclear powered submarine. The government are interested in adapting it to carry Trident. Just recently the Methodist Conference voted to oppose this.

Leaving Wirksworth must be quite a wrench. Etiquette requires that a Methodist taking up a new post, doesn’t come back for a year. Martin and Rita say they will leave “a lot of love from the people around here”. But all will not be difficult. They will have visitors, they will live only 5 miles away from Rita’s parents and enjoy beautiful scenery. Being the people they are, they will soon make friends and be loved by their new congregations.

Their Farewell Service was held in Cromford in order to accommodate all the people who wished to come. Every single church in town was represented. After the service they went on to a party at Willersley Castle. Amongst all the gifts they have received was a bench, like the one they sat on to eat their picnic lunch at Idridgehay.

Betty Rosindell 08/06