Buy now, pray later

THERE’S an exercise class going on in the Methodist Church. In a light open space where the pews once were, ladies are bending, stretching, moving to the music. Through the glass wall and the big glass doors, you can see right out into the street. And the people outside can see in, see what goes on in church, that it’s not so strange after all...

Which is why Margaret Foxall is looking so pleased..

Her official job title is Lay Worker with the Methodist Church, based in Ferryhill. You may have come across her – warm, smart, approachable – at church and community events, like that exercise class, or at nursing homes, hospitals and schools.

Or you might also have met her in Asda in Spennymoor, in the store uniform, with just a discreet badge saying Chaplain to mark her out.

A chaplain in the aisles of Asda – not shopping for converts but happy to help, as a reminder that the church is part of the community too.

Margaret grew up in Gateshead, but the road to Ferryhill took a very circuitous route, including two separate spells in Kenya, where her husband was teaching, 14 years in all. “I got married and three weeks later we went to Kenya for five years,” she says.

Margaret did voluntary work, brought up her son and daughter, became a teacher, then a headmistress, and in 1986 came back to England to study business. She then worked in Employment Training in South Wales as the coal industry died, “helping people who had been made redundant get into business, advising on business plans, what help was available, guiding them along the way”.

A bit of a business midwife really.

At the time she was attending the church in Mumbles, just outside Swansea.

“And I felt called to preach. I studied for a year, qualified as a local preacher – in the Methodist Church that qualifies you for life – and worked as a business adviser during the week and a preacher at weekends.”

Margaret considered the ministry.

“But I liked working alongside people.

That’s where I knew my strengths lay.”

So instead, she applied to be a lay worker and was sent to Penlan, one of the toughest, most notorious, most deprived areas of Swansea.

Talk about a baptism of fire.

“The church had closed down three years before. There was nothing there. I was on my own. It was...

challenging,” she says.

But Margaret Foxall is definitely a woman who can cope with a challenge.

Just as well. She remembers a holiday club she ran for the children.

“I was kicked, punched, bitten...”

But the holiday club was still counted a great success and she refused to give up. “Things like that are hard, but you’ve just got to get on with it.” She carried on involving people in different projects. And even now, years after she left, many of those projects are still going strong, helping people and giving a sense of community. “You plant seeds. They take root,” says Margaret.

IN 2002 she came to Ferryhill, supposedly for five years. She works alongside the minister, who has an ever-growing number of churches to care for. Her list of jobs includes Bible study, preaching, going to hospitals and homes, speaking to groups, liaising with other churches, lots of meetings and lots and lots of fund-raising.

The church needed £200,000 worth of refurbishment. “A terrific amount, especially for an area like this,” she says.

Amazingly, the money was raised.

“People were wonderful.” The church was transformed into something much lighter, with that glass wall and a splendid kitchen.

Barely had they done that, celebrated and relaxed, than the water poured in. They realised they needed a new roof and had to start again to raise a further £91,000: Margaret’s business experience certainly helped.

“But we have had marvellous support.

Everyone has rallied round us.

There’s a great team here, wonderful people doing all sorts. The Working Men’s Club had a dance for us,we’ve had strawberry teas, coffee mornings, all sorts of events,” she says.

And yes, they’ve raised a lot of money, but even more importantly, they’ve brought people together. People who might never have any interest in the church, but who enjoy the company, the social aspect. And that is just as important.

“So much so, that even when we’ve raised the money, we’ll carry on with events like that, because that sense of community, of connecting people, is what it’s all about.”

In among all that – and a couple of operations, just to make life even more interesting – Margaret found herself appointed as chaplain to Asda.

“I thought this was just the sort of thing we should be doing, going out and about to people,” she says.

“We’re not out to convert people, or even to talk about religion – unless that’s what people want – but we’re just there to listen, in case they ever need us. For staff and customers.”

Chaplains have been out and about in the work place for more than 50 years – but not necessarily wearing an Asda bright green fleece.

There are now chaplains at more than 120 Asda stores as part of their Store of the Community initiative.

But they are not employed by Asda and it is their independence that can make them so valuable.

“Life is so stressful now and many people can’t help but bring their worries to work with them. I go in and just walk around, chat to staff or people doing their shopping, just engaging with people,” says Margaret.

“It’s nothing formal or organised, just very laid-back and flexible Sometimes I’ll sit in the staff restaurant so staff can come and have a coffee with me. But I hope it means that everyone gets to know me, so that if they ever need to talk, they know that they can, that I’m there. It’s often easier to talk to someone from outside. And I’m a good listener.

“So many people have lost touch with the church now and think of it only as a big, empty building. We want to give them something and show that we can make a difference.”

MARGARET was supposed to have retired in April, is gradually handing over parts of her job in preparation for working part-time later this year – we’ll believe that when it happens – but is still here, somehow juggling.

“I wear a lot of hats in this job. I walk a tightrope, I’m a bit of a clown, and I’m definitely a juggler.”

And she still loves nearly every moment, relishes the challenges.

“People talk a lot about how chapels are closing. But times have changed. Yes, once upon a time every village had its chapel – probably too many for the population even then.

Those days have gone,” she says.

“But there are still a lot of good things going on. It’s a very exciting time.”