Page 18 - Issue 83 Online

Hi there!
My name is Mark Collinson and I’m the new Rector of the Six Fen Churches, of Christchurch,
Doddington with Benwick, Manea, Welney and Wimblington. My wife, Sue, is a Licensed
Lay Minister and she will be serving these communities as a volunteer. As newbies to the
area, we are discovering more about life in the Fens.
So, what have we discovered?
Everyone is very friendly and smiley! As I left my house one morning all I could see was
happy smiling children and parents taking their kids to school. If you see me in the street
wearing my dog-collar do say ‘hi’ as I’d love to meet you.
It’s flat. Yes, I know you know that, but for a newcomer it’s flat - apart from the bumpy
roads. We lived in Amsterdam in the Netherlands for fourteen years, and that’s where we
brought up our two children, Izzy and Sam. So, the Fens feel very familiar with wide open
fields and no fences, just lodes and big skies where you see the sun striking the clouds
with the most amazing colours.

There’s a strong commitment to village community. People know each other in a village,
and some of the people I’ve met who have lived in Manea for more than ninety years have
seen the village change. The church, together with the school, have been around for 150
years and we all join together with the pub, the sports and community clubs to make
Manea a great place to live.
So, why are we here?
We are here because we believe that the church should be a place where everyone can
belong. When Jesus walked this earth, he didn’t discriminate between who he healed, or
helped. Everyone got to taste the power of his preaching, or the wholeness of his touch.
We believe that Jesus is speaking to you in the village today, without even coming to
church. Jesus may be giving you a dream about himself which left you feeling secure and
comforted. Jesus may be prompting you to think about phoning someone you’ve not
been in touch with recently. Jesus may be encouraging you to say sorry to repair a broken

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