Music and ministry will combine for ordinand Lewis Simonds this week as he forms part of the Church of Glastonbury.
For the second year, Lewis is one of several ecumenical ministers and volunteers who provide spiritual and pastoral support to the thousands of festival-goers who arrive on Worthy Down Farm from today.
The church, which has a high-profile spot next to the Pyramid Stage, is a space where people can come and sit quietly, seek counsel from one of the volunteers or take part in a service. There are also baptisms and wedding vow blessings. Over the five days the festival is open to the public, the volunteers will also hand out thousands of cups of water.
Lewis said: “I love it because it is real people in a real place. To bring God to places where people are living their lives really enthuses me. To show them a gentle God experience where they are living their lives, where people can stumble across Christians, or be led by God to our church.
“It is something I really enjoy being part of and it chimes with my own slow burning, coming back to faith. Ministers just being there for me when I was ready.”
Visitors to the church will be welcomed by sofas, bean bags and even wallpaper in the small marquee. It can easily be found, from the large cross on the roof of the tent. There are also daily services for people to join.
Lewis added: “Last year a lady came to see me and she was here with her husband and they were Christians. She was talking about how she felt quite imbalanced in life, being too work centric and they were holding that dilemma that there must be more to life than this. Her husband was feeling a calling to church leadership. It was definitely a God moment.
“I was able to listen and to share with her a bit of my positive experience of saying yes to God and what that has led to. That felt like a brilliant encounter.”
As well as meeting people where they are, Lewis is looking forward to some good music, especially Alanis Morissette.
Lewis is one of 20 ordinands who will be ordained deacon at Christ Church Cathedral on 5 July. He will serve his curacy at St Frideswide's Church in Water Eaton.