Peterhead Methodist Church
Meet our Minister Andy Renshaw
I have been at Peterhead Methodist Church for 18 months
and it is great. I could spend the rest of this introduction on all of the positives and good things about the church. When you come along on a Sunday or in the week you will find a people who are welcoming and friendly. I have had so many meals out and so much care since I have been here. You can usually judge a church by how well they care for new people, each other and their minister (pastor) and they are brilliant. Many times I have been moved to tears by the care, prayer and support of the people in the congregation.
I grew up in a home with a violent and abusive father which resulted in my parents getting divorced when I was 12. This then lead to some fairly difficult teenage years. I became involved in burglary, an interest in the occult and experimenting with gas sniffing. I was an angry teenager who struggled with school and relating to people.
At 16 I had become fairly depressed when I met a guy (John) on a Sunday evening in Oldham (my home town) who told me about God’s love I argued that if God existed he was weak and the devil was far more powerful. Around this time I watched a film at Easter about Jesus and found myself asking why they had to crucify him, it seemed unfair.
After three weeks I went to a little Pentecostal (Assemblies of God Church) at Bow Street in Oldham and as soon as I walked in I had a feeling that these people had something I hadn’t. They were happy and when they sung – they sung it like it was real.
I went to church for a further three weeks and I finally prayed a prayer, I said: “God, I don’t believe you exist but if you do the pastor will ask people to know Jesus one more time” (I noticed over the three weeks that he only asked three times and he had already said it three times). He asked a fourth time and put up my hand not really knowing what I was doing. After a few weeks I knew something was different, but I couldn’t put it into words.
Within a few months I joined a large House Church and then met a beautiful girl (Jan) and I went along with her to the South Chadderton Methodist Church. I then went to Birmingham Bible Institute for three years which changed my life as I got to know God more and the Bible. God began slowly to heal the hurts of the past. I then became a Lay Worker at Whitchurch Methodist Church in Shropshire and candidated for the Methodist Ministry. Three years at Durham University followed and I was sent to Chandos Street Methodist Church in Hereford, then to Rochdale and Hartlepool and finally after 13 years I am here in Peterhead.
I ought to mention that Jan and I got married 20 years ago and have four wonderful daughters, Rebecca, Rachael, Sarah and Hannah.
God changed my life, turned it around, gave me purpose and meaning and showed me a Fathers love. He can also do it for you.
Peace
Rev Andy Renshaw