Happy memories
Published: Fri, 07/19/13
Forgive me to leaving the health theme for this morning, I will
pick it up again next week. A couple of days ago I got a message
from the circuit secretary who is based at Wesley Memorial Church
in Oxford. She was letting me know that Horspath Chapel has been
put on the market with planning permission for conversion into a
four bedroom house. The reason I was notified was that I had once
expressed an interest in converting the place into a full time Stav
centre and it would indeed be good for that purpose. I know
because I taught Stav there and held day courses over a period of
several years.
I lived in Oxford from 1996 and attended Lime Walk Methodist
Church. I was invited to join a committee to look at the
possibility of converting the chapel in Horspath, just outside of
Oxford into a community centre with a much wider use than just a
chapel, the main intended project was to be an after school club.
The congregation had declined to the point where it wasn't
viable to keep the chapel open as a church but rather than just
close it the superintendent of the circuit wanted to see if it were
possible to keep the place open by widening its use.
I was invited onto the committee because of my experience as a
handyman and decorator. But I recall on my first visit to the site
that I said. "This will be perfect for teaching Stav."
and this became part of the project. There was a big fund raising
effort and applying for grants meant showing that there would be a
range of activities taking place in the renovate premises. So a
statement that Stav classes and courses would be regularly held in
the chapel was included with each grant application and in all
publicity.
We also took part in the fund raising including doing a sponsored
stances which all helped.
When the work was completed classes were held there on a weekly
basis and, while we never had big numbers, several people did take
their Stav to a high standard. Saturday courses were held most
months and that provided an opportunity for people from further
away to learn Stav too. These courses were always sociable and
enjoyable occasions as well as opportunities for high quality
training.
The after school club never really got off the ground and for
several years Stav was the most regular activity at the chapel and
our fees were an important source of income for the place. After I
left for Somerset around 2007 the classes didn't continue for
very much longer and we still held day courses there occasionally
until the circuit stopped taking bookings a couple of years ago.
Horspath Chapel played an important part in my Stav teaching and
provided a venue for a lot of people to learn. I have some very
good memories of the great people I shared those experiences with.
You can see a picture etc here
http://www.cluttons.com/property-detail/oxfordshire-thames-valley-south-midlands-united-kingdom/horspath-chapel/horspath