MPs, peers and church leaders heard about the work of Gower’s Wonder of Wellbeing project at this year’s National Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast.

The breakfast, held on Tuesday (July 7), brought together around 650 MPs, peers and church leaders in the Houses of Parliament for a morning of prayer, reflection and relationship-building, offering space to pray for Parliament, government and public life and to encourage church leaders to connect with local MPs.

This year’s keynote address was given by Clare Williams-Sarpong, Associate Speaker and Tutor at The Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics, who explored the need for hope across the UK, suggesting that politics can serve the work of nurturing hope, but that political parties in themselves make a poor saviour.

Rev’d Peter Lewis, Ministry Area Leader for Gower, was invited to share testimonies from the Wonder of Wellbeing Gower project at a workshop following the event.

As a guest of Bible Society, Peter joined speakers from across the UK and a range of denominations to share stories of people discovering hope through encountering Jesus.

The Wonder of Wellbeing is a Church Growth Fund project based in Gower, now approaching its second year, which works with local communities and visitors, using wellbeing, the outdoors and creativity as pathways for spiritual encounter. At St Mary’s, Rhossili, the church now doubles as an art gallery, drawing around 1,500 visitors a month, while the project also runs monthly wild church gatherings, sessions in Swansea city centre supporting parents and carers through Faith in Families, and creative art sessions for new parents at a hospital’s neonatal unit.

“The project works with local communities and visitors, using wellbeing, the outdoors and creativity as pathways for spiritual encounter,” Peter said.

“We’ve had hundreds of comments on how people’s view of life and faith have been greatly encouraged,” he said, of the response at St Mary’s, Rhossili.

“We’re creating space for exploring faith through reflecting on life’s big questions in the context of landscape, nature and awe. Opportunities to go deeper in faith, coming alongside people and discipling them, are expressed at our monthly wild church gatherings, meeting outdoors and following a rhythm of curiosity and prayer.”

Peter said the group is a “growing community, like a church plant”, and “creates a context for church for many who struggle to connect with regular Anglican worship”.

“Through these varied avenues, people are finding new ways to know that Jesus brings hope,” Peter said. “Some are becoming Christians, others are discovering gifts for discipleship, and many are stepping forward into mission and church life for the first time.”

The team continue to branch out into new initiatives, including sauna prayers and community art, alongside free downloadable resources available at wonderofwellbeinggower.org.