Proclamation in Ponders End

After seeking advice from many people within the college, St Matthew’s Ponders End has become my placement church for this year. This church is part of a revitalisation program, having reopened last year after being closed for three to four years.

It is a small church, with a core congregation of around 20–30 people, located in an extremely deprived area of London. Coming from Christ Church Cambridge (a church that is well established, relatively large, and largely made up of software engineers) this placement is very different and has already helped me grow in many ways. I have begun serving in a number of capacities within the church.

Given the sociable nature of the local community, I often stand outside on the street around thirty minutes before the service, speaking with people in the area and inviting them to come in.

Ash Zarei - student, Oak Hill College