September Newsletter - Amanda in the UK

It’s a rather quiet afternoon here at the church. The office is empty, afternoon tea is being cleared away; and, of course, it’s raining. Occasionally during ordinary moments like these, I take the time to breathe and think…and suddenly realize, holy cow! I’m in London!
I still find it amazing that I ended up in Primrose Hill, London, of all places in the world. As you probably know, I am volunteering through the ELCA’s Young Adult in Global Mission program. When I completed the application last February, I had already put much time and thought into the notion of spending a year abroad in mission. I was ready to go the depths of Africa or Latin America, to live and serve those who are “less fortunate” than myself.
Looking back, I realize this is a very traditional definition of a missionary: to see ourselves as first-world “heroes” with so much to offer. God, of course, had other plans; and in His infinite sense of irony opened up a position for a church in Primrose Hill, one of London’s most affluent neighborhoods.
Of course, the prospect of sanitation and plumbing were quite a relief, but I still struggle to redefine the term missionary. Most people who I’ve spoken to, either at home or here in London, ask a similar question: “What does London need of missionaries? Why not Africa or somewhere less developed?” My standard answer is that God needs missionaries everywhere. It has therefore been my project this first month to discern whether or not I truly believe and live out this principle.
Primrose Hill is a rather “posh” neighborhood, as my British friends would put it. One pays around £1,000 a week to rent out a flat, and owning a home costs a fortune. It attracts the rich and famous; and I can now boast of living in the same neighborhood as Jude Law and Ewan McGregor.
Primrose Hill gets its name from the spacious park in the center of its homes and schools. Climb to the top of Primrose Hill and you get an extraordinary view of the London skyline. However, if you were to turn around and look in the other direction, you cannot ignore the five tower blocks that spring up among the wealthy homes. These are packed with flats that go for a much lower price; and therefore, the neighborhood is a strange mix of wealthy families and those of middle or lower classes.
Our church, Saint Mary the Virgin, includes congregants from both social extremes. It is one of the few environments where social classes mix; otherwise, everything from where you buy your groceries to where you send your kids to school is dictated by wealth. Unfortunately, class is one of the factors that inhibits Christian community at St Mary’s. For example, two of my coworkers coordinate “Family Football” each Sunday, inviting members to play soccer together in the park. They told me of a few families who came regularly, until the Sunday where children from the blocks showed up. These families have not come back since. Other examples are when the youth clubs organize residentials (retreats). There have been instances where the wealthy parents are waiting with their kids the morning of departure, with suitcases packed and everything; yet when kids from the blocks show up they pull their children out and take them home.
Instances like these are unforeseen challenges in my vocation. Prior to arriving at St. Mary’s, I hadn’t put much thought into class dynamics within a church. My hometown of Bismarck is largely middle class, so class distinctions are less obvious in my home church. Community and fellowship come easier since most people come from a similar social and economic situation. I therefore feel a bit unprepared to meet these challenges, since I am an outsider to the situation. However, my supervisor has helped me to see how my outsider position can also be a blessing. My past experiences demonstrate that it is possible to be more inclusive within a church.
These differences play little role in my day to day work, yet they remain in the back of my mind. Thus I’ve moved outside of my youth work to explore options to bridge this gap. I’ve talked to my supervisor about initiating informal activities such as meals to encourage fellowship among parishioners, using my home church’s Dinners for Eight as an example. Further, I’ve never heard of a church that doesn’t do potlucks! This could also be a way to stop the trend of leaving immediately after the church service.
I was a bit nervous that I wouldn’t be able to fill an entire newsletter, but looking back I’ve only touched upon so little! I feel like I should tell a bit of my daily routine and what sort of work I have been involved in.
My primary position at this church is “youth worker.” Quite remarkably, we have a team of about 6 youth workers in our average-sized parish. This is very different from the conventional Lutheran church in North Dakota, which normally has one or two people assigned the role as “youth pastor” for the entire church. The reason we have so many is because of the St. Mary’s Centre, which focuses on outreach and social inclusion to the greater society. Therefore, we are all involved in various projects, from detached work to lunchtime outreach to cell groups and young person’s worship.
The majority of us live together as well in St. Peter’s vicarage. Although St. Mary’s is expanding in numbers, two other local parishes—St. Peter’s and St. Saviour’s—have very small numbers and therefore share one vicar. Father Paul lives at the vicarage of St. Saviour’s, and the church has decided to leave St. Peter’s vicarage open for young adults involved in church work. This is a remarkable decision, considering the value of land in its area. The church could easily tear down the vicarage and turn it into flats, thereby solving all of its financial woes; but instead they believe in the ministry of presence of the vicarage. Even though we are surrounded by wealth, nearly 80% of people live in flats by themselves. We are working to create a sense of community within the neighborhood and are looking to open our garden on Sundays for community meals.
The vicarage itself has been a huge blessing…as well as a source of many trials. I was certainly a bit concerned about moving into such a prosperous neighborhood; but by the time I got off of my international flight and survived fighting through the London underground at rush hour with all of my luggage I was ready to settle down at my new home. The house was described to me as “large,” “spacious,” and “very nice.” My anticipation was building as Jack, a coworker who met me at the tube station, took me past house all of beautiful homes. At last we arrived at the vicarage, and immediately my opinion changed: not only was the vicarage easily spotted by its run-down 1950’s design, but it seemed hardly able to contain the clutter that just lay in the entry way. Quite reluctantly, I stepped across the threshold wondering “What am I getting myself into?” Clare took me to the kitchen and kindly made me a cup of tea, giving me the opportunity to take in the state of the kitchen. After miraculously finding clean mugs and discovering the chairs in the front yard, we sat down and I had my first of several English teas.
Next came the tour. We have two toilets, but only one room with a shower. The bath was no longer white, and the puny shower head was dangling tragically from the wall. “The shower is not too nice,” Clare says, “but I don’t wash up that often so it doesn’t bother me.” Finding a shower would not be my best option of relaxing, Clare showed me to my room so that I could start to catch up on my lost hours. Now that the house was full, I was given what was previously known as the “prayer room.” It is the smallest room, which in itself isn’t a problem; but the garish orange walls made it feel like it was contracting. I had no bed, but a double mattress that virtually took up the entire floor. As Clare left me to my nap, I took a took a moment to sit and ponder my new circumstance. I’m not living in a posh mansion but sleeping on the floor of a home without a proper shower or a clean kitchen. God had, after all, given me the full missionary experience! Smiling at the irony, I lay down and had a long and rejuvenating rest.
The housing arrangements did improve, as I took it upon myself to make my room my own. Only two days later, while going for a run, I passed a bed that was left on the pavement for collection. Clare and I carried it up to our home, ignoring the stares of our neighbors. She told me that all of the furniture was either donated or taken off the street or in skips (dumpsters). The bed was in perfect condition and even had drawers underneath, a perfect fit for my tiny room. Also, after a week of pulsating orange walls, I had a night of therapeutic painting where I attacked the orange with a pure, serene blue. The next morning I awoke and stared for several moments at the calming blue in front of me, pondering the fact that God truly does provide. The vicarage has been an amazing blessing in that it has demonstrated this to me.
The greatest blessing of all, however, is not the furniture but the people with whom I live with. It is nearly impossible to meet people in London, yet the vicarage has provided me with people from the start. Furthermore, only a week after my arrival a young woman named Anna arrived. She, too, is new to London and to the crazy vicarage life; and together we have supported each and helped each other to adjust. I thank God continuously for the friends he has given me; their companionship helped me to get through the difficult first month without suffering extreme homesickness.
I’ve kept rather busy, not allowing myself to sit and think about the bigger picture: that I’m gone from my home, my family, and my friends for an entire year. After this first month, though, I’ve realized that I haven’t taken any time for silence and self-reflection, one of the major things that this year is supposed to be about. I can tell how easily one can become distracted in the city of London, so it is my goal to start to slow down and live more simply, taking the time to reflect and pray.
You can look forward to another newsletter soon, since we are already half-way through October. Hopefully it won’t be quite so massive, but I felt as though I should give a thorough account about my life over here. Thank you again for all of your support and prayers. Even in the more difficult moments, I remember all of you and realize that I am not taking this journey alone. Please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers!

Please take care, and, if you have the time, drop me a line and let me know how life is going for you!

Many blessings,
Amanda