Angela Banfield
I grew up in Wiltshire, near to Stonehenge and long before fences restricted access to these wonderful stones. As a family we picnicked freely in the fields surrounding them. We then moved to Dorset, and an idyllic childhood spent on a small holding with chickens, rabbits and ponies, in a then small village. Next was Hampshire, where I helped my parents run their drapery shop, learned to play the guitar and enjoyed my teenage years.
We moved to Devon when I was 21, and it was in Ashburton that I discovered the Methodist Church and my faith in Jesus. It was a surprise and quite a challenge to me when I was called to become a Local Preacher, but one I could not refuse, and one I have treasured. The opportunity to share my faith, to prepare and lead worship and regularly search and study the scriptures has been both an overwhelming responsibility and an amazing privilege. I have also been hugely blessed by my work as Lay Assistant in The West Devon Circuit.
In Hebrews we read “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.” We have indeed given up so much but taken up new and equally amazing things as we have adapted and are still adapting to a new and different normality.
This is our race, not to sit out but to join in, not to avoid but to run, with our eyes ahead on Jesus and our hands stretched out, to encourage and help anyone and everyone.