We were delighted to welcome Charlie & Abby Clayton and their two boys in January 2020 to serve as pioneers in Mevagissey, a coastal community in Cornwall.
Despite a thriving summer season this beautiful town, like many coastal and rural communities, has high levels of need, poverty, and a lack of opportunity. The Christian witness is a faithful but dwindling collection of traditional churches who are seeking a way to maintain the gospel message in a culture that largely does not relate to institutional forms of church. The need is great, the opportunities are many and Charlie and Abby are already beginning to journey with those in the town seeking faith for the very first time.
Take a read of Charlie and Abby's story and their call to Mevagissey - click here.
Unfortunately, like for most pioneers, there is no manse that Charlie & Abby and their family can live in. They presently rent a house at considerable personal expense but would like to purchase a home for their family in Mevagissey so they can put down strong roots in the community for the long-term. A house to meet their needs will cost in the region of £350,000 – which they are not able to afford on their own.
A brilliant Christian agency called 'Mission Housing' helps Christian mission workers such as the Claytons to purchase houses where they are called to serve. Mission Housing have historically worked almost exclusively with mission workers in London. We're thrilled that Charlie and Abby will be the very first mission workers in the South West that Mission Housing have agreed to help which they do through a 'shared ownership' scheme. The Claytons will own the share that they can purchase with their deposit and mortgage, while Mission Housing will own the remainder. Mission Housing can only do this because people lend them the money to do so.
Are you in a position to help Charlie and Abby buy a house from which they can minister in Mevagissey by making a donation or by providing a loan to Mission Housing?
For details of how the scheme works, please click here. Alternative, contact Phil Green, Mission Housing’s CEO to talk further and answer your questions. Please call 020 8318 4432 or email phil@missionhousing.org.uk
If you'd like to contact Charlie and Abby you can do so here.