Coming Together

Hannah’s Story

I first visited the Tab when I was in my first year at Uni in 2000, for a mission prayer meeting.  After that it wasn’t until 2014 when the Tab kindly let the Frontline Toxteth Service use the building for their services, that I had any interaction with the Tab at all.  It was clear from the start that this was a church that was in the heart of the Toxteth community & really connected with the community.  It didn’t even cross my mind that the 2 groups – Frontline Toxteth and the Tab Church would merge but I was part of an initial conversations between Dave Connolly and the Tab leaders where Dave shared that he thought perhaps this is where God was directing us – to join together.  It was quite a nervous moment – for me anyway!  I remember Richard standing up at this point and disappearing without saying anything.  He returned with the photo of the young tree growing out of an old tree stump – that hangs in the corridor by the café – and saying that God had given him this picture for the Tab years ago – about a new tree being grafted into an old tree root. 

Wow – it was electric & we knew God was doing something, something He had planned for a while.

Since then, we’ve made really good friends at the Tab.  I love the way the children are really part of our services, not in a tokenistic way but have the opportunity to be fully involved.  I love that we’re not that ‘shiny,’ this helps me to connect with God as I am and not feeling like I have to put on any kind of front.  I’m excited to see what God is doing, particularly at the moment with bringing people from all around the world to the Tab – who somehow feel at home here.  I look forward to being part of the next chapter.