Day Twenty-Seven: County Wexford
Wednesday 27 May
The annual VOX magazine Finding Faith Tour looks very different this year. Instead of a 7-day road trip around the island, this year VOX editor Ruth Garvey-Williams brings you highlights from all 32 counties (one per day plus one for each of the 31 days in May). Contact Ruth if you have a story to share.
Day 27: Walking by Faith
Looking back over the years, Paul and Cathy Phillips see how God has led and provided for Wexford Christian Community Church but they describe it as a real “walk of faith”!
The church grew out of a prayer group that met in Wexford town over 30 years ago and in the early days, they met in the hairdressing salon belonging to Pat Murphy (a founding pastor alongside Paul and Cathy).
“The church had the most comfortable seats in Ireland and we could double the congregation just by looking at the mirrors,” Paul grinned.
As the congregation grew, they moved into other buildings but began longing for a more permanent space. When they finally found a place, they saw miracles happening with planning permission and God’s provision to enable them to open up a place of worship in an industrial estate on the edge of town.
“We just stepped out in faith. I always remember it,” Paul said. “God was saying, ‘I’m giving you the place to go but you have to go.’ He was putting paving slabs down one at a time but only when we took the next step!”
In 2009, the congregation moved into their new building and since then, they’ve been on an exciting journey. “We see God bringing new people in and He is building His church. People are feeling that God is leading them to start different ministries, and we are saying, ‘Go for it’," Cathy shared.
One of those ministries was a Food Bank, modelled on Feed Cork run by Cork Church (featured in the Finding Faith Tour 2018). Although not operating during the lockdown, the church has been providing donated food to the local development partnership for delivery to vulnerable families during the pandemic and are keen to open up to the public once again when restrictions ease.
“The Food Bank has been a great way of meeting people. People who would not normally come into a church, have come seeking help and it is amazing how many have started asking for prayer,” Cathy said.
Paul believes God is waking the church up from its slumber during the pandemic, “He is saying, ‘Trust me.’ He has everything under control. God is preparing His people to stand up and be who we are called to be. I’m passionate about that. I pray that the church will stand up and stand stronger together!”
“As the body of Christ, let us walk in the fullness of what Christ has for us!”
