Events-Jubilee Timeline

Since I started working for the Pastoral Team in 2021, I wanted to create some kind of event where people will understand, once again, why our church is an important part of their lives. That it is not just a building; it is not just a place for worship: it is a place full of memories and prayers. When we moved to the parish, I experienced that several members of our church were just simply upset that they needed to pay for endless repairs to the roof… Some of them even wanted to demolish the church and start from scratch again. So, from the moment when Bishop mass had a confirmed date I knew something special needed to be planned.

My initial idea was an exhibition of some form, where parishioners could bring in old pictures of special events and bring back special memories.

The collection of photos started early this year. Surprisingly, it was a bit more complicated than I had initially thought and I started to panic. Luckily, these things in life are led by God himself. So just a few weeks before the jubilee mass, I met with Michelle Swann from the Good Shepherd Flower team and she told me about her idea of timeline. I knew instantly that the timeline was exactly what this church and the event needed. There are two main parts. The history of our church and its development over the last 60 years, and the people of our parish - The Good Shepherd people. Once I knew it would be a timeline, my designer's brain had to start thinking quickly how to create it. I wanted a simple design which would not cost much and can be printed in our church. And the hope was, that once people see the timeline progressing they would bring more photos in.

So, with Michelle and Helen (White) we began the timeline and our prayers were answered: people really started bringing more photos in.

Although interest in the timeline grew as it expanded in the few weeks it was on the wall leading up to the Bishop's Mass, it garnered far more attention in its completed form on the big day. It made me really happy when I saw people talking near the timeline. I could see them discussing it as it brought back all the fond memories of the past sixty years. While for newer or younger members it made them aware of the history and development of the building and the community.

Submitted by Julie Rawding of the Good Shepherd Church