Undiscovered territory?

The 'Pru'

The third walk headed (very roughly) NE from the church building, passing between two buildings associated with well known Reading names: one from the past, Huntley & Palmer of biscuit-making fame, and the Prudential.

Huntley & Palmer's

The group finished with a a sense that we'd discovered somewhere new, certainly we'd not ventured around much of this area individually and for us it felt like a journey of discovery, particularly in the new housing we explored.

Regeneration

Plenty of building (work also continuing
on the railway, in the background)

Huntley & Palmer had much to do with the development of housing to the East of the town centre, an area known as Newtown.  There was a sense that we'd seen a 'new Newtown' during the course of our walk, with regeneration in the new housing built on 'brown field' land in the area.  Development continues on this peninsular which sits between the River Kennet and the mainline railway.



Perhaps surprisingly, there was only one building set aside for community use, with the exception of a pub/restaurant and Blakes Lock Museum, involved in children's work of some sort.  [Since our walk I have discovered this was Kennet Walk Community Building, home to a Family and Specialist Early Years Centre]

This prompted questions about what the church (at large, not just Wesley) might or might not be doing to witness in this area.  Equally, whether fellow Christians in other churches on the edge of this area are engaged in mission here, as there were no obvious signs of the presence of any faith community.  Time to ask them to see whether we can work together?  

Signs of communities

...what is the Huntley & Palmer building used for?

...a few narrow boats together on permanent moorings.

...the Polish Community (some notices in Polish).

...communal noticeboards (albeit belonging to the estate management company) - can we promote some of the activities at Wesley on these boards?

...a feeling that this is a safe area,
with maintained open space and gardens.

Look...

...cameras on the main roads as we walked 

...seeing things from the other side with a different perspective (e.g. the canal, included in the first walk)

...family life - toys in gardens

...fewer people (related to time of day?)

...advertising posters on lamp posts - would this a good way of promoting the church and its activities?

...group of young people on sitting near McDonald's 

...dereliction

...housing in uniform cellular units
- a mixture of houses and
'an astronomical number of flats'

...yet more flats

...breeze in the trees

Listen...

...building works

...the background presence of the railway

...a conversation with Spase, who we met on our return to the church, including time praying with him for a safe journey home to Macedonia

...children playing (at St John's School?)

Looking towards the town centre

...water running over the weir

Pray...

Heritage

Thanks for continuing insight through this exercise of looking, listening and praying.  How might it develop after this initial stage?

Thanks for the heritage of Reading, and for regeneration in the Kennet Walk area visited today.

'Relativity - travelling at the speed of life'
How can we get more opportunity to look
and listen for God and pray?

For the community of 'new Newtown'
- Kennet Walk -
an area dominated by this landmark.


The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it (Psalm 24 v1)

For the church community at Wesley as they seek to live out their faith as individuals and together in the neighbourhood, alongside fellow Christians.