'This was a very different way of mission for us'

Mairi and Graham McBain are Community Pastors in Hartlepool and in July served as volunteers when the Tall Ships Race visited the town. They explain how this was part of their incarnational 'joining in' ministry there

 

Having been used to leadership responsibility for decades, it was a joy to be able to join in with the last stages of preparation for the long-awaited Tall Ships Race visiting Hartlepool in July 2023. This is one of the largest free maritime events in the UK, with a fleet of more than 30 ships visiting Hartlepool's Marina and Victoria Harbour, accompanied by four days of live music, art and dance on the waterfront. 

It was great to be given roles and tasks and be part of a 300 strong team needed to support the Council workers put on an event which would host 80,000 visitors to the town.



On arrival to Hartlepool in January, we eagerly turned up to a volunteer recruitment event at the central community hub and struck up a conversation with someone who has become our friend – Hartlepool Borough Council’s Volunteer Coordinator, who we call ‘Tall Ships Tracy’. We were accepted as Quay Mate volunteers and enjoyed making connections at two engagement events in the run up to the event.

To ‘join in’ has been the stance we have been intentional with – not to takeover, manage lead or preach to. We have found it quite liberating to not be in positions with power, but rather use our influence to encourage, cheer on and be a positive ‘can-do’ presence among what for some has been a time of incredible stress and pressure.

It could be argued we ‘stuck out’ as volunteers; even our name badges were filed under ‘R’ for Rev and Mairi was asked by the Council’s media team to be interviewed by ITV Tyne Tees to find out why she was volunteering. It was a great opportunity to share how as a pastor she believes it is important to offer hospitality and welcome visitors, and also offer the people of Hartlepool a fantastic, memorable free event in recognition that life is challenging for many in this town experiencing multiple deprivation.

The four days were tremendous opportunities to talk to our Council team leaders as we worked alongside them at the information points we were based from. We loved being by the entertainment stages and one highlight was being in the crowd with a huge frame so visitors could take fun photos with their friends and families.

We heard local bands play and Graham fast became a super-fan of Cortney Dixon, a singer/guitarist from South Shields (we have the backstage photo to prove it!).

Across the weekend we often heard, 'This is great - just what the town needs.' We have often reflected on 'seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it…' (Jer 29:7) As we saw the local cafes, pubs and restaurants heaving with thousands of visitors and the hundreds of artisan stalls selling their homemade products and produce, we rejoiced with the owners and sellers at their well-deserved boost to business.

We loved listening to people, without an agenda, and were surprised by some of our encounters. We met a German crew mate who needed to find a post office (late on a Friday evening) and was delighted when we offered to send his postcards home for him – and he took a selfie with us as ‘proof of posting’!

We listened to the work stories of people working for the Council and how they were managing to juggle their community service with supporting the Tall Ships event. Being available and present, tuning in to the whisper of the Holy Spirit to guide conversations, we got a taste of chaplaincy, and we loved it.
 

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'Being present without agenda'

In this short video, Graham unpacks what it means for him and Mairi to be Community Pastors at the Tall Ships Race. What does it mean to be present and attentive as Christians here?
  

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You may be wondering whether Christians from the 36 Hartlepool churches got involved with Tall Ships. Well, there was a stand for ‘Creative Christians’ promoting crafts and writings and being available for conversation – this was led by the leader of Town Pastors. The Mission to Seafarers also had a visible presence and Good News for Everyone distributed thousands of Bibles from their stall.

I suppose the main difference was rather than having a stall to attract or invite people to, we were out with - we had no base to work from, we were ‘with’ and part of the crowds: we were two people who ‘blended in’ with the other volunteers, all dressed in our smart pink uniforms!

This was a very different way of mission for us and to be fair we entertained lots of questions and discussions whether this was mission or not?  Yet there is something incredibly liberating, powerful and biblical about being present without an agenda and being missional without the confines of a measurement.

This was definitely mission for us… Hearing stories, being present, having conversations and sharing words of encouragement - all undergirded by deep prayer and being open to the Spirit’s guidance and direction. This is how God is leading us and working through us as Community Pastors in Hartlepool.

For us, the legacy of ‘Tall Ships’ will be what ministry develops next – we are known to many in the Council as Community Pastors and exploring further what we can join in with next. We wanted this volunteering to be a gateway for us as we settle into incarnational ministry in a new town – and there was a shift in us – because by the end of the event, when people asked us where we were from, we were very proud to answer, ‘Hartlepool’!

 

Mairi is an Newly Accredited Minister and Senior HR Business Partner for a national charity; Graham has been a Baptist minister for 25 years and together they have served and led Baptist churches in a number of contexts, including overseas with BMS World Mission  

Mairi and Graham were inducted as Community Pastors in Hartlepool in January 2023 

 

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