The inaugural service for the new Herts and Essex Border Ecumenical Area (HAEBEA) took place at St. Andrew’s Methodist Church, Harlow on Sunday September 10^th.

The service marked the uniting of the Lea Valley North Methodist Circuit and the West Essex United Area.

With the proposed housing developments for the M11/A10 corridor the Rev Andrew Hollins, Chairman of the new Area, said: “This is the result of three years discussions about how best we could serve our communities now, and in the future.”

The 16 churches that have come together to form HAEBEA have almost 1000 members and include the Methodist, United Reformed Church and the Church of England.  One church also has strong links with the Roman Catholic Church and another with the Baptist Church.

Rev Anne Brown, Chair of the Bedfordshire, Essex and Hertfordshire Methodist District and Rev Elizabeth Caswell, Moderator of the Eastern Synod of the URC and this year’s Moderator of the URC General Assembly, had a “conversation” in the service likening the coming together as first an engagement, then a marriage and that it is now that the hard work begins.

“This is an exciting opportunity for the churches as they can bring heart to the new communities and help existing communities meet the challenge that housing developments may bring.” Said Rev Brown.

During the service Rev Mary Dow was welcomed to the Area as the new minister serving Roydon URC and Watton-at-Stone Methodist Church.

Rev Jane Dicker, Rev Mark Bennet, Rev JenniferRagan, Canon Eileen French, Rev Jim Gill, Rev Anne Brown, Rev Mary Dow, Rev Elizabeth Caswell, Rev Albert Watson, Rev Andrew Hollins, Ven. Trevor Jones, Rev Tom MacMeekin.