Farewell to Mark Tubby
After Mark’s 10-year term in Weoley Castle, he has moved, along with Debbie & Hannah, to a new project at Dovercourt, near Harwich, there to meet fresh challenges, adventures and opportunities.
They will be much missed by community and Church, as many people have great reason to be grateful for Mark’s ministry in Weoley Castle. However we wish him well in his new post, while we attempt to honour his legacy by continuing his work. For example, Messy Church and Activity week will continue, and a group of committed helpers are now leading Tuesday Friends Club. If you had been thinking of contacting Mark about a christening, wedding or funeral, do contact our minister Leonora instead (contact details on our home page).
Some pictures from his departure are in our July 2019 Newsletter: go to the Newsletter page to click on the link to it
At his departure do, Mark read a poem he had written: it is a wonderful account of the things that make a Community Minister’s life so full. He was formally inducted to his post at Dovercourt on 7th September. Below his Ode to Weoley Castle, you will find his “formal” statement about his call to go to Dovercourt
An Ode To Weoley Castle.
Where’s Weoley Castle? said my dad and my mum,
It’s an outer estate in the South West of Brum,
A real maze of roads when you do make it there
And each of them leads to the place called the Square
The square really is the community hub,
Full of charity shops and take-away grub
The people here are a wonderful bunch
Go round for coffee and they’ll ask you to lunch
The community spirit can be tangibly felt
Despite the crap hand that many are dealt
Churches, groups and places for us all
People who care when your back’s to the wall
If you don’t mind boy racers in the dead of the night
You will find this community could be just right
The church here in Weoley does a brilliant job
Working together to show the love of God
Each year the festival is the place to be seen
Hundreds of locals right there on the green
Showing off talents like dancing and singing
Having fun with all ages, climbing and springing
Ten years has flown by, as the saying goes
Never a truer word could be spoken, I suppose.
So, kids clubs and day centres, schools and more
I found such inspiration in all, by the score
Messy Church, that really was such great fun
Activity Week, I enjoyed that from day one
When you look back and see the people you’ve known
It’s hard saying goodbye, coz the fondness has grown
I’ve been able to meet such great people here
So we’re leaving Matthew, to remind us of where
We saw God work through the people of Weoley
Sorry, if that sounds a bit touchy and feely
But I have seen people baptised and changed
Grow in confidence and never be the same
I’ve done quite a lot of funerals here too
It’s an honour when folk, hurting, turn to you
So, I’ve been involved from the cradle to grave
And you never once told me how to behave
It’s one of the things that got me you see
Is how you allowed this strange guy to be me
I haven’t needed to pretend or to fake
So please pass that on, for everyone’s sake
And it’s been a privilege to meet all of you
To work alongside you in all that you do
But my time here is done so I say goodbye
And may all of your aspirations be high
Reach for the stars, I pray you never fall
Bless one another and may God bless you all
Mark Tubby – June 2019
Called to Dovercourt Central Church.
Sifting back, for well over a year
I’ll tell you a tale, so lend me your ear
We searched through profiles of projects around
And needed a decision that was spiritually sound
We came across this one at Dovercourt CC
It seemed to be, much more naturally me
Whilst others had a managerial bent
Here it seemed chilled, and heavenly sent
I prefer coming alongside folk to work
Not be directive and shout when they shirk
It was called the Lighthouse Project, back then
An image I relate to, following light to haven
I met the Mod, who thought this was for me
An ecumenical place, where I could be free
To love and discover, challenge and explore
To grow and to pray and bring stuff from before
To add to all this, it was right by the sea
A place that’s always been special to me
Somewhere I can feel much closer to God
Despite the vastness and power, it’s odd
So we swapped over papers and prayed a bit more
Looking for signs that would make us feel sure
As we read on deeper into what I might do
There were familiar things and some that were new
So, we met up, October 12th, was the day
The anniversary of our baptism, coincidence you say!
But there were girls of our daughter’s age at the church
And we wouldn’t want to leave her in the lurch
The church folk here were ever so friendly
And a place where you can feel, real unity
Journeying home saw a brilliant rainbow, man
God said: now ignore that, if you can
Whilst all this was happening for us
Weoley Castle were exploring a call, and thus
Leonora came, and through talking to her
She said she knew Trevor, and, I should go there
To add yet more fuel, to this fire that was burning
Being closer to family became quite a yearning
So we met up again, but would I succeed?
We also explored houses, a manse we would need
And all the time in the back of my head
God said don’t worry, my son, you’ll be led
Harwich appeared in the news all the time
Was it just me? Or could that be a sign?
Well, a call was issued on Nov 24th
I accepted it immediately, of course
So, here we are, all exploring God’s vision
Bringing love and transformation, our mission
I’m excited to be here and see what God’s doing
Along with the others, in the project that’s brewing
So let’s discover together, what God has in store
And may Jesus love touch you all, forever more