There followed many months and years during which the church wrestled with different possibilities of ministry and ways of redesigning the buildings to accommodate it all.
In the latter months of 1992, there was general consensus that Jill should be invited to develop her present ministry beyond the boundaries of the local church—make it wider and more deliberately ecumenical. How this would be done was not clear and so a discerning group of about twenty people from different churches was gathered together to pray about the whole issue.
That first meeting decided unanimously to press towards the development of a "WellSpring" ministry. But the following meetings were marked by vigorous discussion and an attempt to struggle realistically with the difficult issues involved. Where would the ministry be centred? If it was to be ecumenical should it be a joint effort with other branches of the Church? Should it be in a "neutral" place? How would it be funded?
These and many other pressing matters were debated, prayed about and reflected upon deeply. It was a demanding process of discernment for everyone. By December 1992 four months after they commenced meeting, it was decided that the WellSpring ministry should be developed at the Ashburton church. How, where, when or if there would be a physical "home", an actual building for this ministry was not decided.
But the ministry itself was certainly not to be deferred!
And so for the next three years, the fledgling ministry was housed in Anglican, Roman Catholic and Salvation Army premises where WellSpring was warmly welcomed. It was an encouraging affirmation from the start of its intended ecumenical life.
| 1 | To Dream the Impossible Dream |
| 2 | Do you think we could develop that WellSpring place here? |
| 3 | Deliberation, Discussion, Decisions… |
| 4 | The Boot of the Car! |
| 5 | To be or not to be? |
| 6 | Tragedy, And Further Doubts |
| 7 | A home of our own! |
