C.E.L.L.
(Christians together in Compton, Efford, Laira and Lipson)
The Idea
There are currently seven churches in Compton, Efford, Laira and Lipson serving some 22.500 souls, about one twelfth of the total population of the City of Plymouth.
In January 1992, we pledged ourselves to work under one Christian Umbrella to further God's Kingdom in this area - as Christians Together in 'CELL' - that is Compton, Efford, Laira and Lipson.
The Origins
The nucleus of this idea originated in 1965 when the Anglican Congregational (later United Reformed Church) and Methodist Churches of the community around the Old Laira Great Western Railway depot first formed the Laira Council of Churches. At about this time the nearby Carmelite Convent at Efford was transferred to the Redemptorist Order, who took responsibility for the Roman Catholic parish, and they were invited to join the Ministers Fraternal. On the other side of the area the Anglicans and Methodists at Compton later started to meet occasionally for worship together also.
The Development
In 1995 three of the Church of England Churches (Emmanuel, St. Paul's and St. Augustine's) came together in a Team Ministry, covering Compton, Efford and Lipson, and the Ministers of all the local churches began to meet once a month over a fraternal lunch, which proved to be fruitful gatherings, from which a number of joint activities resulted.
In 1991 - an Enabling Group of Ministers and Lay Representatives from each church community was established and Churches Together in 'CELL' was born.
Subsequent to this, the Laira United Reformed Church and Zion Methodist Church have come together to form one Laira United Church and St. Augustine church has been declared redundant.
An Act of Commitment
Sunday 19 January 1992, in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, an ecumenical service was held at St. Paul's Church, Efford, when those present made the following 'Act of Commitment':-
"As a company of people who have received Christ as Saviour and by Grace become God's children, we here and now commit ourselves to Him and to each other as Churches of Jesus Christ, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, to journey together in the fear of God, set apart to proclaim His word, to obey His commandments, and by His Grace to work according to His Will for the salvation of others and well being of His world".
'Christians Together in CELL'
C - Compton
E - Efford
L - Laira
L - Lipson
Our aims are:
- to Worship together
- to Witness together
- to Serve the local community together
- to Learn together
- to Share in Fellowship, and get to know one another
To achieve the Aims we consider:
- Sharing resources, including personel, buildings etc
- Co-ordinating activities
- Planning and Communicating together
- Breaking down Barriers and Building up Bridges
Worship
We Worship together on a regular periodic basis on Sunday evenings in each church in turn, the other churches are closed. We use our own form of service as far as possible and it is great to come together and to experience each others different styles of worship.
1993 - Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. This year for the first time, a local ecumenical group - CELL - was invited to plan and lead the Plymouth service of evening worship at the Roman Cathedral. This we did with participants from each of the churches, including a large band of musicians.
Witness
On Good Fridays we join in a Procession of Witness, linking up all the churches in the CELL area.
In 1998 a for a number of years since, details of all our Christmas Services were combined into a common leaflet, with a brief Christmas message and delivered to all the households in our area - approximately 10.000 homes.
Serve
In 1992 during one of our Lent Group discussions, a member recalled hearing a female neighbour crying for help, and subsequently learned that the woman was being physically abused.
The group found out about the Plymouth Women's Refuge and decided to help the mothers and children there with a donation of food and other gifts. The support has continued in the form of summer picnics, pantomime visits, collections of goods at Easter, Christmas and Harvest times. We have also given support to the Shekinal Mission.
The CELL Voluntary Visiting Service
This group was set up in 1995 with a Steering Committee of Lay church members, to meet a real need in our area.
The aims of the Visiting Service are to provide, free of charge, to all who wish to avail of it::
- Befriending Visiting
- Relief Visiting for carers
- Shopping for or taking people shopping
- Reading service
- Recreation visits
- Advice on benefit claims.
The demand and the services provided are continuing to grow.
Our active Justice and Peace Group has been established and has been involved in many local and international issues, including a Credit Union being created in this area of Plymouth.
Learn
Originating from the Laira Council of Churches, weekly Lenten lunches are organized by the ladies groups in Laira with either a talk or discussion group following and the proceeds are given to Christian Aid.
Ecumenical study groups meet weekly during Lent, following a common course with groups meeting at different venues and times. It was from the 1992 study 'Living the Good News' that one group decided to follow up their study of poverty and deprivation by 'adopting' the Plymouth Women's Refuge.
Share
As we get to know one another better, we are joining in more with common activities of many kinds, attending each others fairs and bazaars and have outings together. We use each others equipment such as word processing facilities and on occasions have shared Ministers.
We are now seeing one another as members of one family.
The Enabling Group of Representatives from each CELL church co-ordinated and plans the activities within CELL.
The ordained Ministers meet 'Fraternally' each month in each others homes for soup and sandwiches.
We are pledged to:
"do together those things which we need not do apart".