St Ann’s Church in Tottenham, North London, has recently planted a worshipping community on the neighbouring Tiverton estate. This marks the latest and much prayed-for chapter in the church’s twenty-year history of connection and ministry on The Tiverton.
By Catherine EllerbyJanuary 2024
Revd Jess Swift has been vicar of St Ann’s since 2019. She acknowledges that the moment of planting, while a significant one, is less about ‘starting something new’ and more of a joining in with God’s work amongst the Tiverton community.
‘The way I see it,’ says Jess, ‘is that there has been history before and there is a future before us on the Tiverton and it will continue – so we’re just on that path and one piece of the history. It’s not really a matter of “arriving” or a beginning – we’re just energising what’s already there.’
It’s a feeling shared by planting curate Elizabeth Fellows.
‘The passage that I’ve had on my mind throughout,’ says Elizabeth, ‘is from Matthew 13:44 when Jesus talks about the kingdom of heaven…“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”
‘If we believe that God has already broken in and is already present on the Tiverton, then we are seeking the treasure of people, community, place and structures – it’s our role to find it and then nurture it, enabling what God is already doing to be shaped by the people who live there.’
St Ann’s history of connection and ministry on the estate has varied according to the community’s changing needs and leaders. It’s included a congregation meeting in a local pub, and a recent partnership with the local primary school, tots’ groups and weekly youth clubs for children led by St Ann’s Children, Youth, Families and Schools worker and the Licensed Lay Minister – a congregation member whose journey began in that pub congregation and continues on the team today.
‘Having Rob on the team is amazing’ says Jess. ‘He’s been around and involved in the estate for years – people can see that his contribution is lasting and that’s so important – vicars are transient but people like Rob are in it for the long haul.’
In the summer of 2021, a team from St Ann’s carried out a community audit, talking to community members of the estate and asking about their strengths and needs.
Some strong themes emerged, shaping the way the team has planned its activity. Responses indicated Tiverton is a diverse but divided community, that there was isolation and loneliness, and a feeling of dissatisfaction with the condition of the housing and services provided. There were known needs for English language lessons, a desire for activities for all ages, for financial and food support, to name but a few.
It was into this context that St Ann’s became a Resource Church in 2022 and received funding for Elizabeth, previously an ordinand, to become St Ann’s planting curate. While one of the stated aims has been to see a new worshipping community started, much of Elizabeth’s work and time – and most of the prayers of the small team of volunteers from St Ann’s – has focused on taking small steps to increase connection with those living on the estate and with local stakeholders.
In the last year, contact has been re-established with local schools, police, the council and councillors, local members of parliament, the health centre and dentist, shopkeepers and business owners, as well as other local churches who meet in the area.
Since September 2022, the church has organised a monthly event on the estate with the dual purpose of giving members of St Ann’s congregation an opportunity to be involved and build relationships with the community on the estate.
The resulting events have been wonderfully varied, including giving out chocolate hearts on the estate with details about St Ann’s, a pumpkin trail around harvest and thankfulness, a live nativity, coffee mornings for parents and carers at the primary school, a Valentine’s Day themed community event, litter picking, Easter egg hunt, Big Help Out and Community Celebration on the coronation Bank Holiday and an afternoon of craft to share hope on the estate.
A particular highlight for Jess has been seeing how people have entered into things so enthusiastically, with some great times of fun and enjoyment during the activities and events.
‘Whether it’s people walking past our gatherings and taking an interest, a church member getting really stuck into the litter picking, people’s faces and the fun of the live donkeys or the endless energy of the kids sliding down the bouncy castle at our fun day, never getting tired of it and getting joy from every go… every win is such a joy and a delight and something to celebrate,’ says Jess.
Prayer has been central to everything, with a small team meeting weekly online or in person to pray specifically for the estate. A main prayer point has been for provision of an indoor space to meet, to chat and connect:
‘We would ideally love to have somewhere at the very heart of the estate where people could meet to chat and connect with each other,’ explains Elizabeth, ‘where we could run services and activities — somewhere welcoming, warm and secure.’
Some progress has been made towards identifying a community space, and while good relationships have been developed with the authorities in the process of discussions, no space is yet available.
As a result, the worshipping community has started meeting in the open air; a service of pet blessing in October 2023, a service marking World Kindness Day in November and a live nativity telling the Christmas story on the move through the estate, which Elizabeth describes as being fun and quirky with team members in costume and Derek, a donkey from Spitalfields farm, in a starring role. The nativity drew more than 80 people, concluding with food, hot drinks and carol singing round a fire pit outside the community hut.
The team agrees that, while not part of the original plan, having to meet outside has seen God offer them new perspectives and unexpected opportunities.
‘The experience of being outside has brought surprises,’ shares Jess. ‘My reflection is that it has exposed what is important. It’s also shown us where the barriers are and made us think how we cross them.’
‘Being exposed to the elements has brought an entirely different perspective on God and his part in everything we’re doing. On days when we’ve planned things and the weather has looked menacing, it’s been a case of “Oh well, Lord, over to you!” And spiritually it’s always “Over to you Lord!” as we make ourselves visible in a central and public place. It’s a good place to be but challenging.’
They agree that the gatherings have also been a leveller. ‘It’s not our space’ says Elizabeth, ‘it’s everyone’s space. And keeping it simple means that the important thing stays important – participation and inclusion is high.
‘Even though being outside – or rather, not being inside – initially felt like a barrier, in fact there are fewer physical barriers to people joining in. And it’s forced us to look for what there is – it’s been a gift to have found a central spot where we can meet by a row of shop fronts, somewhere we’re seen, somewhere people can walk “in” and walk away.’
So, what are their reflections on the frustrations which have inevitably been present.
‘It would be our dream to have a shop front,’ says Elizabeth. ‘The lack of one has sometimes seemed frustrating when there is clearly unused space on the estate. However, when we’ve sometimes felt it’s tough and we haven’t been heard, that’s helped us to share in the experiences of many in the community and see things how they see things.
‘The process and planting journey so far has also shown me how long it takes to build relationships well, to build partnerships with schools, shopkeepers and other residents. It takes time and perseverance – we’re trying to keep building those relationships so that we continue to build up trust.
‘But overall, we celebrate! Even though it’s a bit rough around the edges we keep going and pray that people will see that we’ll be here and we’ll keep working on what we have to build on that relationship and build up that trust.’
The team’s strategy has been to ‘give it a go’ which Jess says has meant things feel more do-able.
‘It’s all definitely do-able,’ she says, ‘our ethos has been to “cut our coat according our cloth,” doing what we can with what we have. And when we’re talking about people, anything you do is good – we’re seeing that, and we know that God can and will work through whatever we do.
‘If we waited until the vision was perfected and taken on board by everyone, until more people came and we had a building, then we’d wait a long time and we’d miss out on things that are actually… wonderful.’
It’s the team’s hope and prayer that relationships, connections and mutual trust amongst the Tiverton community will continue to grow and be built up further as activities and services continue into 2024.
Elizabeth says: ‘God is showing us the “treasure” in the Tiverton community. We’re just happy to keep on doing what we’re doing, sharing God’s love at any opportunity with our neighbours, while praying to stay in tune and in step with what God has in his plan for the future on the estate.’ 
If you are already or would like to be involved in estates ministry, CCX offers a range of resources and courses to help and support you including: Introduction to Estates Mission and Become.
