{"id":765,"date":"2019-10-12T09:41:32","date_gmt":"2019-10-12T08:41:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/estatechurches.org\/?p=765"},"modified":"2022-12-08T14:44:08","modified_gmt":"2022-12-08T14:44:08","slug":"stories-of-transformation-st-james-rounds-green","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/estatechurches.org\/2019\/10\/stories-of-transformation-st-james-rounds-green\/","title":{"rendered":"Stories of transformation – St James, Rounds Green"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here is a really beautiful story of a transformed estate church and transformed lives:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Jill MacDonald, Minister-in-Charge of St James\u2019 Church Rounds Green, on the Lion Farm estate, Dudley<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"
JILL MACDONALD AT THE REFURBISHED ST JAMES CHURCH, LION FARM ESTATE, BIRMINGHAM. PHOTO BY CLARE KENDALL. 29\/8\/19.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018People thought that the place was shut for years. The grass wasn\u2019t mowed. The glass in the doors had been broken so many times that they were boarded up. The windows were opaque glass with wire over them. However much we cleaned, it looked grotty. It was vile.<\/p>\n

They know it\u2019s open now! I mow the grass every week and that enables me to say \u201chi\u201d to everybody as they go past.<\/p>\n

We have always been a church with absolutely no money. We had \u00a31,000 in the bank. We took out a loan to redecorate and applied for lots of grants. Painting the church has made such a difference. The whole feel of the place lifted people\u2019s spirits. I\u2019ve even put pink chandeliers in the toilets, and you don\u2019t see that often. They\u2019re a real talking point.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a hard patch. There\u2019s a lot of apathy, drug abuse, financial problems. But now we have a friendly face and there are people coming in. The hall is booked every night.<\/p>\n

We will never be a massive, humungous church, but we have grown. There used to be a time when I thought, \u201cWhy would I invite anyone to come?\u201d But now I don\u2019t mind inviting people.<\/p>\n

We used to get lots of graffiti and broken windows on a regular basis, and dog muck on the grass. That\u2019s very rare now. It\u2019s almost like God has put angels round it. People have seen that it\u2019s cared for and looked after, and they have responded.<\/p>\n

The church has a future that I could never have imagined. The fellowship here have a confidence in sharing their faith. We take the love of God to those around us in whatever way we can.\u2019<\/p>\n

Barbara, member of the congregation<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"
JILL MACDONALD AND BARBARA HUNT AT ST JAMES CHURCH, LION FARM ESTATE, BIRMINGHAM. PHOTO BY CLARE KENDALL. 29\/8\/19.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018When I first came to St James\u2019, I was a heavy drinker and gambler and I was getting loans every week for my drinking and gambling, but I couldn\u2019t afford the loans. I had big debts: hundreds and hundreds of pounds from door-to-door loans.<\/p>\n

Drink blocked out memories. The more I drank, the more it blocked them out. But I\u2019d been to Sunday School as a child. Later in life, one of my twin daughters died. The vicar who did her funeral was very nice. I realised that this [church] was where I belonged. So, I turned up one Sunday and thought I\u2019d sit at the back, do the service and go. But people opened up their arms to me. It was \u201cwow\u201d.<\/p>\n

When I first came, I had long uncombed hair, and everything I wore was black. I never knew how to dress. I never knew about hygiene.<\/p>\n

My family are worse than you can dream. This is my family now. This is where I\u2019m happy. I\u2019m not scared any more. I don\u2019t need the booze now. I thought I was nothing, but I\u2019m as important to God as the next person.\u2019<\/p>\n

Andy Delmege, Urban Estates Missioner<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"
ST JAMES CHURCH, LION FARM ESTATE, BIRMINGHAM STORY. ANDY DELMEGE. PHOTO CLARE KENDALL. 29\/8\/19.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018The estates are one of the more socially and economically challenged part of the country and if we are not present in vital ways in the estates, then we have lost the gospel of Jesus\u2019 heart for people in situations in poverty, which was so much at the heart of his life and message.<\/p>\n

It is vital that people on estates such as Lion Farm realise their worth in Christ. Everybody is our sister and brother, especially those who are in more challenging situations. So it is important that the church is there, helping people.\u2019<\/p>\n

Read more of this story by clicking here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Here is a really beautiful story of a transformed estate church and transformed lives at St James, Rounds Green on Lion Farm in Dudley<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ub_ctt_via":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"featured_image_src":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"Andy Delmege","author_link":"https:\/\/estatechurches.org\/author\/andy\/"},"yoast_head":"\nStories of transformation - St James, Rounds Green - National Estate Churches Network<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/estatechurches.azurewebsites.net\/2019\/10\/stories-of-transformation-st-james-rounds-green\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Stories of transformation - 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