Faith Stories

Sheila

My early days were spent in Westcott near Dorking, but when I was about 2 years old we moved to Cobham where we lived for many years.

My mother was a Christian but my father wasn’t. So I grew up going to Sunday school and at the age of 14 years I was confirmed at my mother’s wish, chiefly to transfer the responsibility, rather than any real commitment on my part. I continued going to church and praying and, as is common, answers don’t always come by return. The turning point for me was when my Auntie had a stroke and needed to move in with us so my mother could care for her. To achieve this we had to move my cantankerous grandfather from two rooms in to one (his wife had died many years earlier) I had never prayed so hard in my life that he wouldn’t cause problems. Praise be, he accepted the change without argument.

A few years later whilst working for British Railway I met Bill and we married a little while afterwards and continued to live in Cobham for about 10 years. We moved to Guildford with our two children in 1965. We started coming to Emmanuel and felt it to be a very welcoming church, there have been many changes over the years as the church has grown. I found Emmanuel very supportive when Bill died and later when I decided to move house, the love and prayers helped me through very difficult times.

God has also been very good to me by giving me two lovely grandsons of whom I am very proud.

Looking back God has done so much for me during my life, how could I not worship Him?

Erica

A week before Easter in 1955 Hugh and I arrived in Rydes Hill Crescent with 2 toddlers in tow and number 3 expected in June. We had no mains drainage then and no car or washing machine. Transport was by 2 bicycles and a pram!

Hugh discovered that Emmanuel Church was nearer than the Methodist Church and Eric Allen who had been Vicar for a year was an Evangelical and he and his new curate had attracted a number of young families to the church.

With the offer of a baby sitter I was soon on the P.C.C. and Hugh had become Church Warden with Jack. They sat in a small pew by the font at the back of the Church, so on Sunday mornings I had all three children with me in a pew (and they were expected to be quiet!) No Crèche in those days.

The Wardens’ wives were responsible for the Friday and Saturday harvest suppers then – fortunately only ham salad with the ham bought from a church members’ firm and cooked by his wife. I remember only one hitch when some people came on the wrong evening. The kitchen was minute in those days with just the essential cooker and sink.

Before Eric Allen left in 1960 I was asked to help in the Sunday School so joined Bert & Betty in Pathfinders. We met then in the Scout Hut with up to 50 youngsters – girls one side and boys the other! We ran a summer outing and a London one for the Pathfinder rally.

Our younger son had been baptised on a Sunday afternoon with quite a few other babies using the old font at the back of the church. Later (1962?) I was Godmother at the first baptism held during a church service by Rev Basil Hazledine using the small portable font at the front of the church.

The Church hall had been built just before we came and there was still the “old hut” past its demolition date which Pathfinders moved into later.

Whilst the children were still young we occasionally had the youth group in our bungalow on Sunday evenings – quite a challenge as the children wanted to see the teenagers arrive and the dog fancied the biscuits!

What a lot has happened in 55 years. It has been a privilege to be part of Emmanuel for so long and to see the buildings grow – necessitated by outgrowing the old church and hall. But the important growth has been people joining us through many groups and the ministry of our vicars and curates and fellow Emmanuelites and of course the working of the Holy Spirit.