The parish of St Mary Magdalene in Gorleston is home to almost 11,000 people. According to various deprivation statistics compiled by the Church Urban Fund, it ranks in the bottom 10% nationally and is the sixth most deprived parish in our Diocese.
Many residents of the Magdalen estate, on which the church is situated, experience challenges in relation to low household income, employment levels, life expectancy and other key metrics.
Despite this, St Mary Magdalene serves as a hub for a thriving community – the success of which is built on the time and skills donated by volunteers who live on or nearby the estate.
In this video, Revd Matthew Price, Vicar of St Mary Magdalene Church in Gorleston and the Bishop’s Adviser on Urban and Estates Ministry, discusses the opportunities, joys and challenges of ministry in communities facing very real day-to-day challenges.
Volunteering underpins much of the work carried out at St Mary Magdalene, and also in this short film dedicated volunteers Nic and Amanda share their stories of how they became involved with the church and what being part of the community means to them.