Cavan Methodist Church
NORTH EASTERN DISTRICT
Congregation at Cavan Methodist
What started in a living room in Cavan about 7 years ago is currently about 75 people meeting weekly in a community hall. Cavan Methodist Church is a story of sustained and continuing growth but has a lot more to teach us.
Methodism largely ceased in Cavan town about 50 years ago and the church buildings were sold. However, Ireland has changed considerably over the subsequent decades; with new citizens and many new possibilities.
There is no church building and no current desire for one. There is no resident minister or lay worker, and there is very little finance involved. Cavan Methodist is one of the largest Methodist churches in the Republic of Ireland and is a community that is largely lay volunteer led. Preachers, musicians, two choirs, IT experts and close to all that is required.
Rev Dr Stephen Skuce is with this church around once a month and Rev Ken Lindsay is there roughly once every two months, but apart from that, this church is led by a small group of excellent people and an inspirational key leader called Martha.
Of course there are challenges. The church is in their third premises and starting to look for their fourth as they continue to outgrow buildings. A church that has an African background congregation and a largely Pentecostal approach fits well within Methodism, but not always smoothly.
Speaking about Cavan Methodist, the Rev Dr Stephen Skuce said,
“My approach is invariably to see how the rest of MCI can learn from Cavan rather than trying to get Cavan to conform. New wine does need new wineskins.”
If there is a secret to Cavan Methodism, it’s that there are people who are committed to Christ, committed to building and growing a church who welcome all and have deliberately become family to each other.
Most members have moved to Ireland after a decade or more living elsewhere in Europe and some others direct from a wide variety of African countries. Almost nobody has their wider family in Ireland. However, every time there is a birthday, anniversary, celebration or bereavement, it’s so obvious that the church is a family.
“God willing, we are courageous enough to learn from Cavan.”- Rev Dr Stephen Skuce (Growing Churches Officer)
