Familiar faces return for chapel’s new era

A couple have returned to the Hellesdon chapel where they were married to take on the role of site pastors.
Marc and Katie Lillystone exchanged their vows at the Meadow Way Chapel in 2008. They had both grown up attending services there and were baptised at the chapel.

The leadership of the chapel has now been taken on by the Gateway Vineyard Church, with Marc and Katie as pastors.
Now called Gateway at The Chapel, it formally reopened with a service on September 11.

Marc said: “We had a great time re-gathering and welcoming new people on our first Sunday at the chapel as a new site of Gateway Vineyard Church.

“It’s really encouraging to have so many of those who have faithfully been part of the history of Meadow Way Chapel in Hellesdon over the last 51 years continue with us into this next season as a church in this local community.

“Many of the values have aligned as the two churches come together under new leadership, honouring the legacy that has been but looking ahead together with excitement at what will come next.”
As well as their own deep connections with the chapel, Marc and Katie’s families have a long history there.
“My wife’s grandfather Howard was the first employed church worker at Meadow Way Chapel,” said Marc. “When he retired, my father took on the job which brought us to Hellesdon from Buckinghamshire.”

Marc and Katie moved away to Leeds after they were married but later returned to Norwich and joined Gateway Vineyard.

“It’s come full circle with us taking over the church we grew up in,” added Marc.

Marc and Katie have plans to refurbish the many rooms at the chapel to ensure its availability to be used for and by the local community.

Marc, who is also an assistant pastor for the wider Gateway Vineyard, added: “We’re really excited about what comes next and our plan is to use the chapel as a base to bless and serve the local community, particularly as the cost-of-living crisis develops and we continue to adapt and recover from the pandemic.
“We have plans for various community groups and projects serving different ages, and an early idea for some inter-generational groups to bring the youngest and oldest together to learn from each other and build a closer sense of community.”

To find out more about the church and the regular groups it runs, see its website at gatewayvineyard.church and follow it on Facebook (@gatewayvineyardchurch) and Instagram (@gatewayvineyard).