10,000 mile service

A former Minister at Aylesbury Methodist Church travelled 10,000 miles to take two services there on the first Sunday in Lent. Australian Rev. David Purling was the Minister at the Buckingham Street church from 2001 to 2003.

At the time, he recalls, “The church’s community centre project was just the seed of an idea.” The £1 million refurbishment was completed last July and he described the finished product as, “Fantastic! Seeing it in the flesh after all the pictures it is just so light and airy and welcoming.” His wife Judith added, “I love the light from the atrium which must save lots of money on energy bills. Also, the place was so busy when we looked round with widely disparate groups using it.” David agreed, saying “Well done” to the congregation for the outreach work that had been and was still being done. 

During the morning service which he led at the invitation of the present Minister Rev. David Jenkins, he brought greetings from his own Morialla Uniting Church in Adelaide. Although now retired, he explained, “I am a 0.3 minister there, which means that I work one and half days a week.” 

The couple who are in the UK for a 7 week visit are being hosted by the Aylesbury’s church members and other friends throughout the UK. They are pictured in front of the tapestry that Judith made for the church as a leaving present in 2003.

After the morning service 100 church members from across the Circuit shared a lunch together in the newly refurbished hall.