A vibrant new community can be found in a north west corner of Durham Diocese – it has no windows or walls but everyone can be assured of a warm welcome.
Deep within the picturesque setting of Chopwell Woods, people of all ages are joining together to share food, friendship and prayer.
Magdalene Community Church (MCC) is an outdoor entity by design, and all who are part of it engage with God’s creation throughout all four seasons of the year.
It was launched two years ago by the Revd Rachael Phillips, curate in the nearby parish of Greenside and the Revd Canon Tom Brazier, vicar of Greenside. Rachel was appointed by the diocese as a church planting curate, and in doing so, has realised her own long-standing dream of creating an outdoor church.
This form of finding and worshipping God by connecting with nature struck a chord, and now the church welcomes around 30 people every mid-week and between 40 - 70 on Sundays, with many more joining in with online worship.
MCC is becoming well known thanks to word of mouth, a strong social media presence, and a determination to build a new church community.
“We are a simple ‘back to basics’ church, finding new life in ancient traditions,” said Rachael, who is church leader for MCC. “We are outdoors and that really frees us. We understand that church is wherever the people gather to be with God. It reminds us that God is everywhere, including within each of us.
“But we don’t just want to remain a regular church (well we’re not that regular). We feel God is calling us to be a New Monastic Community. One day we imagine several of our families will live together in an intentional community here in Chopwell, and we will grow our own food, have space for workshops and studios, be a place of prayer and learning and developing leaders.
“We are already laying the foundations for this which you can see in our weekly pattern of prayer, worship, the sacraments, studying and eating together. Our community is already deeply embedded in each other’s lives. We’re ‘all in’ and seeking to live out Acts 2:42-47 as wholeheartedly and authentically as we can. It’s countercultural and risky, but isn’t that always the way with following Jesus?”
There’s a warm, welcoming feel about the gatherings. On Fridays, the church takes an informal walk into the woods while engaging in all forms of conversation, from the weath
er and other everyday topics, to sightings of deer and native birds within the woodland.
Sometimes the subject of spirituality is not mentioned until the group finds a suitable location for liturgy and prayer. Everyone is invited to pray and even lead the prayers, if they wish. But there are no obligations. It’s an incredibly relaxed environment. Everything is opt-in.
Children and parents are very welcome. Many of MCC’s members have pre-school age children or those who are home educated. The outdoor environment means they have the freedom to play and express themselves, engaging more closely whenever they choose to do so.
Celtic inspired liturgy and prayers are followed by a trip to local community café The Bank, where hot drinks and brunches are enjoyed, before the group heads back into the woods for communion.
This is quite a spectacle, and takes place within MCC’s specially created church setting in the woods where log seating has been assembled, as well as other key features, including an altar table, camp fire, and an area for children to play within a safe boundary.
A spiritual theme will include readings and open discussion, while everyone is sitting on logs or hammocks around the fire. Dough made that morning is cooked on the fire before it is broken and shared with wine.
As well as Fridays, MCC also meets twice monthly on Sunday afternoons. The first Sunday offers ‘Explore’ which looks at different ways of worshipping and knowing God. The format varies, but there’s always music, discussion, prayers and food.
The third Sunday is known as The Feast, which is centred around being fed spiritually and physically, with prayer, song, Bible stories and Holy Communion followed by a big, free community meal out in the woods.
On Wednesdays at 9pm, there’s an online offering from MCC. ‘Compline’ is a live prayer service led via the church’s Facebook page, following the Anglican tradition of Evening Prayer.
Rachael said Fridays are often a good starting point for anyone thinking of coming along. It’s usually a smaller group (about 15-20 people) and it’s easier to dip in and out of.
Rachel has noticed that MCC has become a place for some people who have struggled to engage with other models of church, with one example being Neil, who attended a recent Friday gathering for the first time recently.
“I’m coming around to thinking that this might just be for me,” said Neil. “I’ve been looking for a different way to engage with God and this very much appeals.
“I love music and we get to play our favourite songs in the woods. People dance to them. I can see it’s a close-knit community. It’s easy to find people to talk to and I have felt comfortable here.”
The MCC Facebook page features a video in which one of its members, Mandy, talks about how she had previously been part of a thriving New Monastic Community in Essex, but after moving north, struggled to find a way to engage with faith communities until she discovered MCC.
The new outdoor church is more than a place to meet for worship. It’s an environmentally conscious, family friendly place where for many people, church can become intrinsically linked with their everyday lives.
MCC has a good working relationship with the Forestry England, which manages Chopwell Woods, and is supportive of the church’s need for a dedicated space and is beginning to partner with a local food growing project in Chopwell.
For more information, follow Magdalene Community Church on Facebook or visit their website.
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