Reflection: Manchester Project
Published: 6 May 2025
As part of their formation and training at Westcott, ordinands have many opportunities to take placements, either in local parishes or further afield, where they can immerse themselves in the life of congregation and community, and the practice of ministry. Final year ordinand, Catherine Cox, reflects on the time she spent during the Easter vacation on placement at the Manchester Project in Salford with our Manchester Tutor, Canon Simon Gatenby.
‘I watched this scene – which I’d looked at many times without seeing – with rapture’. L.S. Lowry
With the sunny skies of East Anglia traded for the equally sunny skies of Salford – home of Lowry’s less sunny industrial scenes – a week of OJT (on the job training) was begun at the Manchester Project. A delightful mix of days saw us involved in a range of business including gas meter readings; visiting Forest Bank HMP; and meetings setting up an experimental Community Organising project in the diocese.
As in many churches, the congregations at Salford have a diverse range of people and it was poignant as we approached Holy Week that I was invited to be involved in Baptism and Confirmation preparation. Made up of two groups, it was a real joy to be part of both. In order to meet the learning needs of the group, one group was designed to be talking and responding to what was said, the other a conversation with questions and responses after hearing biblical readings in Farsi. What a wonderful reminder of the richness of learning about Christ.
The services were also varied, including midweek communion at St Aidan’s, which is the primary service of the week, St Thomas’ midweek communion to include the Gospel read in both Farsi and English, and Sunday services where the choir is being reformed. At every place we went we were welcomed with open arms and open hearts.
Alongside the importance of worship, the significance of ministering to a parish was also evident and highly valued by the non-worshipping parishioners. Exploring the allotment and talking about the range of roles the church plays within the local community highlighted how important the church is in its fullness, and how its commitment is seen within local communities.
This local sense of community was threaded throughout my week, from all the people I met with – food bank initiatives, warm spaces, Christian learning, community cafes, to name but a few. All this brought me great joy and a renewed sense of my calling to ministry. However, on a highly personal level, being welcomed as an Ordinand by a local Roman Catholic priest, discussing the similarities and differences of worship and theology, and having my ministry prayed for by him reminds me of the power of God’s reconciling love.
These scenes go on around about us every day of our lives. We may not see them in the immediacy of where we are in life or in our locations, but nonetheless they are always present. When we place Christ’s love at the centre of our lives, nothing is impossible; when we learn to look properly at the gifts of these scenes, we too will watch with rapture.
Photo Credit: Catherine Cox