Laura Critoph at Causeway Community Church speaks to Marian Stone

We have much to thank God for at Causeway Community Church by way of our partnership with Together for Mission.

Our partnership in the gospel begins when the last male leader of the church died leaving just twelve elderly members of the congregation. Two church members who had been regularly attending evening services at Enfield Town Community Church for many years, spoke to the pastors one evening about their situation. The partnership offered to help the little church on the outskirts of Potters Bar by providing "six consecutive sermons per academic term and the rest of the time we filled in with our own speakers" remembers Marion Stone. "I used to go to Enfield in the evenings and they had a pre-service prayer meeting and they were always praying for us!"

Long term commitment came with retiring missionaries Peter and Sally Maclure, who formed a team of 12 people from Enfield Town Community Church, and joined Causeway Community Church. "We prayed very hard for unity and getting everybody together. The impact of that was amazing really because we did really come together as a group." Some of the members from Potters Bar had been regularly visiting the Enfield church, and many relationships had formed over the years, so the partnership felt very natural. "There were a lot of people we knew so it was such a beneficial arrangement for us" says Marian.

Over time people moved away due to work or family commitments, and Peter retired, leaving Martyn, one of the elders, to pick up the majority of the preaching. For two years the church continued without a pastor, until the appointment of Spencer Critoph in February 2021, just before the first COVID lockdown.

"When I think how much the church has grown we can't say that it's anything we've done at all because it all happened through COVID," reflects Marian. "It's the Lord's work. For those who aren't too sure of their faith it's evidence that it's God's hand at work. And that's just amazing. I can't get over it at times how we have grown so big we have to move out of the church! What a wonderful situation to be in."

"The benefit of being part of the partnership for us as a church is that we can encourage one another. And I also think for Spencer and yourself is to have the support of other pastors and pastors wives. I think that's a real benefit for all of us."

 

When my husband Spencer began his role as pastor of Causeway Community Church, we were both so thankful to God for the support of the Together for Mission partnership of churches. It has been a real blessing to join a church which has been so loved over the years by her partner churches, who have invested such a huge amount in her. I've lost count of the number of people from Together For Mission churches who, when we introduced ourselves, say "Oh! How's it going? We've been praying for Causeway!" What a privilege.