Celine Cuddihy Writes…

“We specifically don’t have a building here because we wanted to push ourselves to go to where the people were, rather than having them come to us.

Our job is two-fold, to create a fresh expression of faith here at Merlin’s Bridge, but also to promote community, wholeness, and wellbeing. We’re trying to create structures where connection, friendship, and family can grow, and then inviting people to take the next step towards Jesus in that.

I want to see people healthier and more whole, without strings attached. Though I genuinely believe Jesus is the best antidote for someone’s wellbeing, my only agenda is to see people become the best version of themselves, and so if they don’t want to step closer to Jesus, that’s OK, I will still love and serve them.

Who doesn’t have a wellbeing need today?

I think all of us, because of the crazy couple of years we’ve had, have had our mental and emotional health affected in some way.

We focus on showing people that we love and care about them, that we’re committed to them, and that we’re going to walk alongside them in their journey, no matter what they choose to do.

One guy started coming to our community drop-in after a relationship breakdown.

HE SAID THAT HE WAS READY TO END EVERYTHING. BUT THE DROP-IN GAVE HIM A SAFE PLACE TO BE, SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO EACH WEEK, AND HE MADE A CIRCLE OF FRIENDS THERE.

Recently he told us that if he hadn’t have met Mike [Dare] and I, he didn’t think he’d still be here. But now he says he is enjoying his life, that he likes living here, and that life is good.”

Celine Cuddihy, Haverfordwest Centre of Mission

Haverfordwest is one of three Centres of Mission in Impact 242, a partnership between Church Army and the Diocese of St David’s, Church in Wales.

I see that everywhere I go, people are wanting to belong to a family and actually there is no family more attractive than the family of God. Church is about family, it’s about belonging, it’s about being loved, seen, and known and then knowing God.

I think I’m most excited about the hunger that I see and feel, especially in young adults – the age gap that often slips through the cracks; 18-35yrs old.

THERE IS THIS HUNGER, WANTING SOMETHING THAT IS REAL AND AUTHENTIC, HUNGERING FOR FAMILY AND FOR BELONGING, AND A REAL OPENNESS TO GOD.

We were running our wellbeing drop-in at the college a couple weeks ago, and these young people are not from Christian backgrounds at all, like I don’t think we’ve had any Christians come to us yet.  From the moment we sat down, to the moment we got up, people came to our table wanting to know about Jesus – every single one of them! That’s not a normal day at the college, we often don’t get to offer prayer as they’re not always open for that, but this time we prayed for every young person that came to us. It was just amazing, everybody wanted to talk about Jesus.

Everybody’s different and I thought I wasn’t an evangelist for years because I thought I had to look like the guy that was on stage kind of shouting at people, and that’s not me at all. But I think everybody wants a King like Jesus, they just don’t know it. So, because I really believe that, it took the fear away of speaking to people.

Celine Cuddihy, Haverfordwest Centre of Mission

Haverfordwest is one of three Centres of Mission in Impact 242, a partnership between Church Army and the Diocese of St David’s, Church in Wales.