The return of Memory Worship to Wesley & Thorpe Bay Methodist Churches

Back in 2016 Rev Julia Monaghan our minister at Wesley Methodist Church in Leigh on Sea and I set up a monthly church service for people living with dementia; we called it Memory Worship. Pre COVID 19 the afternoon would take a regular pattern of welcome; singing well known hymns, reading familiar passages of scripture, and saying the Lord's Prayer together the formal part of the service would last 30 minutes before leading into a craft activity and hospitality, providing an opportunity for conversation to reinforce the theme of the service. Our dedicated team of volunteers were always on hand with tea, lovely homemade cake and Methodist fellowship. This grew very quickly and was then replicated by our friends at Thorpe Bay Methodist Church. So, every month there were two church services on the 1st and 3rd Monday of the month.

This all stopped in March 2020 when COVID 19 gripped the world. This devastating blow compelled me to put together a ‘Memory Worship at Home’ service to be viewed on YouTube, initially, for the people that had been attending monthly service at Wesley and Thorpe Bay. A year on and Memory Worship at home YouTube service is watched at home and in care homes every month locally and all over the country. These monthly services have been viewed nearly 3,000 times.

This is Margaret watching Memory Worship at home in Yorkshire supported by her amazing carer daughter Heather.

The exit out of this currently Corona Virus lockdown for the people that used to attend Memory Worship at both Wesley and Thorpe Bay needs to be very slow and steady but is very much needed. We have all struggled mentally and physically with isolation.

This is also timely because both Thorpe Bay Methodist Church and Wesley Methodist Church are eagerly planning their first live Memory Worship services and would love to invite you to come along. If you have never attended before and would like to lend your support we would love to see you.

1^st Monday of the Month starting Mon May 4^th Thorpe Bay Methodist Church 2pm

3^rd Monday of the Month starting Mon 21^st June Wesley Methodist Church Church 2pm

Every Blessing

Julie Peek

Mission Enabler for Older People

Highlands Methodist Church