Weston-super-Mare & District AGENDA ANNUAL MEETINGtransform-wsm.org/images/stories/CTWD Annual...

Weston-super-Mare & DistrictChurchesTogether

Wednesday 10th September 20147.30pm

St Peter’s ChurchBaytree Road

Weston-super-MareBS22 8HG

Including:

a presentation byRev John Simons & Rev Gill Putnam

Churches Together in Weston-super-Mare,Worle & District

ANNUAL MEETING 2014

AGENDA

Refreshments on Arrival

Opening Worship – Salv and Noelle LomantoWelcome and Opening Prayer – Rev Gill Putnam

ApologiesMinutes of Last Meeting July 2012

Matters ArisingFinancial Reports and Accounts to 03/13 and 03/14

Presidents Report Presentation of Annual Report

Election of Officers:President | President-elect | Treasurer

Secretary | Assistant SecretaryMembers of Executive

President’s Oath / BiblePrayer for the New President

Any other BusinessGabrielle Grace -

County Ecumenical Officer for Somerset Churches TogetherWsM Street Pastors DVD – Pete Maxwell (Trustee)

Worship

‘Stepping Out of the Boat’Rev John Simons | Rev Gill Putnam

WorshipClosing Prayer / Blessing

Prayer Slides

ANNUAL MEETING

‘Stepping Out of the Boat’‘Stepping Out of the Boat’

Churches Together in England Statement of Belief

This is the statement of belief for Churches Together in England, and is applicable at all levels, from CTE Presidents to local groups of

Churches Together.

Churches Together in England unites in pilgrimage those churches in England which, acknowledging God’s revelation in Christ, confess

the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Saviour according to the Scriptures, and, in obedience to God’s will and in the power of the

Holy Spirit commit themselves:

• to seek a deepening of their communion with Christ and with one another in the Church, which is his body; and

• to fulfil their mission to proclaim the Gospel by common witness and service in the world

to the glory of the one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Churches Together in Weston-super-Mare and District

Member Churches

All Saints with St SavioursBoulevard United Reformed Church

Christ Church, MontpelierChurch of the NazareneChurch Road MethodistClarence Park Baptist

Corpus ChristiDestiny Church

EmmanuelHoly Trinity

Hope ChurchLocking Castle Christian Partnership

Mead Vale ChurchMilton Baptist Church

Milton Methodist ChurchOur Lady of Lourdes

Prime Time Christian FellowshipSt. Andrews, BournvilleSt. Augustines, Locking

St. John the BaptistSt. Joseph'sSt. Lawrence

St. Mark's, WorleSt. Martin's, Worle

St. Mary the Virgin, HuttonSt. Nicholas, Uphill

St. Paul's, Weston-super-MareSt. Peter's & St. Paul, BleadonSt. Peter's with St. Jude, MiltonSeventh Day Adventist Church

The Religious Society of FriendsThe Salvation Army

Uphill Methodist ChurchVictoria Methodist Church

Vintage Community ChurchWoodspring Church

Worle Baptist Church

CTWD Executive Committee 2013/14

President: Andrew Williams (Resigned 22/03/14)President-Elect: Rev Gill PutnamSecretary: Lydia Williams (Resigned 22/03/14)Secretary: Rev Claire Rogers (01/04/14)Treasurer: Kim Hunt (Resigned 31/03/13)Treasurer: Caroline Jones (01/04/13)Executive Members: Major Gordon Fozzard

Kevin Bale

Co-opted Members: Rev John Simons (01/07/13) Weston-super-PrayerAndy Page (01/04/14) LOVE WESTON

Website and Latest News: www.ctwd.org.uk

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2014 ANNUAL MEETINGChurchesTogether 2014 ANNUAL MEETING ChurchesTogether

CTWD Interim President’s report

Churches Together Weston-super-Mare, and District has been through a challenging couple of years. Andrew Williams took over the Presidency from Rev Andrew Alden in June 2012. During his time in office, he continued to organise our joint acts of worship and some prayer gatherings at LIFE Christian Bookshop. He also started a roots and branches review of Churches Together. During this review, he visited many of our member churches and instigated some lively and relevant discussions about the role of CTWD. Regretfully the review was not completed due to his resignation in the Spring of 2014 for health reasons. We extend our thanks to Andrew for all that he did whilst carrying the mantle and wish him a continued recovery. Our appreciation is also extended to Lydia Williams who stood down as Secretary at that time.

Although I was Vice President at the time Andrew resigned, I was in Israel and therefore unable to take over effectively although some meetings of the Executive were possible when I returned to England. My thanks go to all the members of the Executive who have kept us together during this difficult time: Canon John Simons who has kept WSM praying together with Love Weston, Prayer on the Hill and Weston Super Prayer; Major Gordon Fozzard for arranging the Good Friday Walk of Witness and the Easter Sunrise Service; Andy Page who stepped up to the mark with wisdom and inspiration to keep us together and help us through; Caroline Jones who valiantly took on the book-keeping; Kevin Bale for faithfully and wisely contributing to the Executive meetings, and to Claire Rogers without whose secretarial skill, tenacity and patience we would probably not be meeting tonight. I lost count of how many emails Claire patiently sent back and forth to Israel in her efforts to get us all to a meeting in the same place and at the same time! Thank you all so much.

For reasons that are not clear, we did not hold an annual business meeting in 2013. This annual meeting is therefore presenting reports and in particular the accounts for the last two years to March 2014 - for our members’ approval.

One of the main areas of activity of CTWD has been through LOVE WESTON, which we have adopted as a central campaign. We are

encouraged to see 10% of local streets already being prayed for regularly as part of the initiative. A fuller report is contained elsewhere in this document. The fore-runner to LOVE WESTON was Weston-super-Prayer. Under the guidance of Canon John Simons and the steering group, café style worship and prayer gatherings prayed over specific topics and issues affecting the town. We had a tremendous turnout for the Prayer on the Hill gatherings on Uphill each July, where hundreds of people worshipped and proclaimed blessings over our town.

Brian and Valerie Kellock have recently ceased running the Oasis postal mailing service. We are grateful to them for their commitment in providing this much needed facility. We are looking to continue providing church mailings / circulations, mainly electronically, but with postal deliveries where appropriate. We will communicate specific plans soon after the AGM.

Something like 15 years ago, I heard a preacher at a service of Revival and Renewal in St Paul's, Walliscote Road, give a prophecy that revival was imminent in Britain and would be particularly strong down the A38 and embrace Weston-super-Mare.

The thought of revival set my heart on fire and I prayed, and have continued to pray, that God would use me in that revival, and so that prophecy has remained on my heart and in my mind, and God has honoured my prayers in giving me the vision for ChA+ and then blessing it and sustaining it.

Throughout these years I have seen many signs of revival not in the way it is usually thought of with full churches, etc., but in the actions of Christians in the town. These are the new shoots which have been planted and grown into a beautiful forest of Christian love: Winter Warmth, Comfort at Christmas, STG, ChA+, Love Weston, Lighthouse, Foodbank, Vision, etc., etc., Many of these projects show that God is turning His church inside out - taking down the walls and getting people of faith out to express his love to a hurting people where they are, not expecting them to come to church in order to receive.

And now I feel rather like Moses: the Promised Land, Revival in Weston, is close, even happening in this new way but God is taking me

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away. I'm not staying for the moment to lead the Churches in Weston into the Promised Land, the time of Revival, and at our AGM we are asking God for a Joshua to take on the mantle, grasp the baton, and, with his/her heart set on revival, revitalise CTWD to go forward to what I pray will be full revival however God wills it. I'm sorry I won't be part of it, I would love to be the one, but I can't deny God's calling to Jerusalem for the immediate future. I do however look forward to staying on the Executive Committee and using the wonders of the internet to stay in touch with future meetings as circumstances permit. I look forward to a deeper future involvement if elected as vice President to follow Ian Fraser.

I know Ian Fraser well. He and I have met many times, as we have discussed his God given passion for the people of Weston and his calling to serve them by ministering to them where they are, and whatever their circumstances. I extend to him my full support and wish him God’s speed as he takes on the role of President. I would encourage each Church Leader to support him in whatever way possible.

Every blessing,

Gill Putnam – Interim President

Minutes of the Annual Meeting of

Churches Together Weston-super-Mare and DistrictThursday 5th July 2012, 7.30pm

Held at Emmanuel Church, Oxford Street, Weston-super-Mare

1 Present - Representatives of the following churches; St Paul’s Weston, St Mary’s Hutton, Locking Castle, St Paul’s Kewstoke, St Peter’s Milton, All Saint’s Weston, St Saviours, The Salvation Army, Corpus Christi, Milton Baptist Church, Christ Church, Emmanuel, Church of the Nazarene, St Augustine’s Locking, Holy Trinity, St Marks, Worle Baptist, 16 churches in all.

2 Apologies - Sgt David Holtby, Kim Hunt (Treasurer) XM

3 Minutes of previous meeting - were handed out and accepted as a true record.

4 Matters arising - none

5 Finance Report - Was handed out as the treasurer was unavailable. There were no questions. They were unanimously accepted by the meeting.

6 Other reports - from chat, CLIFF, Life Bookshop, Somewhere to Go, Street Pastors, Foodbank, Weston super Prayer, Winter Warmth, and WWJD were handed out.

7 Guest speaker - Stuart Johnson of Newport Night Shelter gave an informative talk explaining how the Night Shelter model works. Churches work together to provide shelter and food for the two or four coldest months of the year for ‘people without a roof’ over the age of 18. The number of places available is determined by the smallest participating church and each church or hall would open for approximately one night per week. Guests are referred by other agencies on a ‘no referral - no place’ basis. A vote of thanks was given by Gordon Fozzard.

8 Election of Officers - The following were nominated, seconded and voted on;

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President: Andrew WilliamsPresident-Elect: Gill PutnamTreasurer: Kim HuntSecretary: Lydia Williams

Executive committee: Gordon Fozzard, John Simons (Prayer) & Kevin Bale.

9 Swearing in of President: Andrew Alden handed over the presidents Bible to Andrew Williams, who was then sworn in. After which Andrew Alden prayed for him.

10 Future Priorities: Proposals/Suggestions were made from the floor to the incoming Executive - someone to sit in on council meetings to liaise/feedback, encourage Night Shelter planning, town-wide Halloween alternative, National Day of Prayer promotion (29/9/12 at Wembley Stadium), WsM Christian School, a Christian voice in the benefits system, resume of CTWD meetings for inclusion in church magazines, a town-wide Passion Play, press liaison.

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Churches Together WsM Treasurer’s Report

We start this two year period by thanking Kim Hunt for her dedicated service as treasurer and introduce Caroline Jones, who took on the role in April 2013.

The membership of Churches Together now stands at 37, with one or two linked churches where one subscription covers both.

The main outgoing for the last two years has been relating to Weston-super-Prayer meetings and the more recent LOVE WESTON campaign, which has been adopted by CTWD as a central initiative. We are looking to encourage more donations at each event, with the aim of making the project self-funding.

The Oasis Newsletter postal delivery service subsidy steadily increased to £169.40 (2013) and £228.23 (2014) largely we believe due to people / churches using email as their preferred delivery route. The service was discontinued during the year to March 2014 and is subject to review possibly as a mainly email distribution service.

During the year to March 2013, Churches Together funded a multi core audio lead for LOVE WESTON, which is used at their rallies and Prayer on the Hill at a cost of £118.99. We are grateful to Christ Church for donating their old audio mixer for CTWD use.

Churches Together hold a public liability insurance certificate to cover potential claims at a limited number of public events. The renewal premium was paid after year end for 2013/14 due to a change of treasurer and the need to organise new signatories with our bankers. The premium is therefore not showing in the attached receipts and payments account for this last year.

Weston-super-Mare & DistrictChurchesTogether


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There was a delay in requesting subscriptions from member churches during the year to march 2013. This was in part due to the illness of one of our officers. Subscription letters have been despatched and at the time of writing the situation is only partly rectified. We would ask church representatives to check with their treasurers to confirm payment.

The closing balance of our Current and Savings accounts at the end of March 2013 was £2,535.83 – and the year to March 2014 was £1,512.58.

Caroline JonesTreasurer

CHURCHES TOGETHER IN WESTON-SUPER-MARE AND DISTRICT

RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT FOR THE YEARs ENDED 31 MARCH 2013 and 2014

RECEIPTSSubscriptionsOasisWeston-super-Prayer DonationsBank Interest

Total Receipts

PAYMENTSOasis NewsletterInsurance (2014 premium paid after year end)Printing and PostageWebsiteLove Weston / Weston-super-Prayer PublicityMulticore audio lead (for W-s-P)Emmanuel Donation (for W-s-P)RNLI donationTeen Challenge Speaker

Total Payments

Deficit of Receipts over Payments

BALANCE SHEET AT 31 MARCH 2014

ACCUMULATED FUNDSBalance at 31 March 2013Less: Deficit(-)

Balance at 31 March 2014

Represented by: CASH FUNDS(Lloyds TSB Bank)Bank Current AccountBank Deposit Account

2014£

0.007.00

200.370.45

207.82

228.230.000.00

216.00709.34

0.0077.50

0.000.00

1231.07

-1023.25

2014£

2535.83-1023.25

1512.58

294.791217.79

1512.58

2013£

950.00140.00440.73

0.50

1531.23

169.4066.7818.00

233.18648.00118.99119.00212.77100.00

1686.12

-154.89

2013£

2690.72-154.89

2535.83

1318.491217.34

2535.83


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Food Bank

We now have over 150 agencies that use our vouchers

We see approx 300 clients a month.................in 2012 the number was approx 100

Amount of Clients over the year:

2012...............1,788...... (709 of these were children)2013...............3,533...... (1,287 of these were children)2014...............2,193 up to end of July

Food donated.................45 tonnesFood given out...............42 tonnes Financial Donations..............Over £12,000

The Friday before Christmas 2013 we saw 27 families and fed 175 people in total in 3 hours

We now have established relationships with:TESCO... WAITROSE... ASDA... CO-OP... LIDLE... ALDI and SAINSBURY

Overall we have approx 16-18 collection days per year

We have numerous permanent boxes/ bins in supermarkets/ churches and businesses around Weston.

During Harvest season we can receive up to 10 tonne of food during the 6 week period.

We have 30 volunteers helping in the foodbank and another 50 helping collect for supermarkets.

Volunteers come from a variety of churches plus non church people.

Apart from the food, we can also supply toiletries, pet food, blankets, towels, saucepans, bedding, sleeping bags, tents and last year toys for Christmas presents.

EXAMINERS REPORT TO THE MEMBERS

I have examined the Receipts and Payments Account for the years ended 31 March 2013 and 31 March 2014 and confirm that they are in accordance with the books of accounts and supporting documents. I have also examined the bank statements and confirm that the Balance Sheets show true and accurate positions of the Cash Funds as at 31 March 2013 and 31 March 2014.

David C. Wilkes ACMA


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At times we can pass on some excess food to other charities that have a focus to help those in food crises.... The Kings Table...Somewhere to go.....Ravens basket......Salvation Army.Looking Forward:

Our plan for 2015 is to set apart a voluntary role which will be able to better signpost clients to the extra help that they need, hoping to get to the root of their problems. The plan is to join with hopefully a ‘Churches Together’ CAP team which will be able to give the short course to those clients who are really wanting to learn how to manage their money.

CLIF (Church Leaders in Fellowship)

CLIF, the church leaders network, has continued to meet on a monthly basis with a regular attendance of about a dozen.

This year has seen a deepening of fellowship and relationship among the leaders, with hosts facilitating discussion on some very pertinent topics. Each meeting concludes with lunch provided by the host church. CLIF continues to provide a forum for information exchange, and the opportunity to take soundings on local and national issues.

The one external speaker was Paula Gooder, the September Bible week guest, who led a memorable and challenging Bible Study.

Life @ LIFE

It is amazing to us to realise that we have been in Life book shop now 3 years. God has been amazing, he has given us the best 3 years of our lives …..and the very hardest. ‘BUT GOD’ in his grace mercy and generosity has allowed us the privilege to be a part of so many peoples’ lives.

We have prayed with people for their healing and they have been, and in another moment we are prayed for by stranger or friend and we have received healing and blessing too. It is an exciting day when we see

people we have shared time with come in encouraged, strengthened and some for whom their lives have completely turned around.

The open Bible in the window has been read by hundreds of people we have testimony of how it spoke into one man’s life every day and contributed to his confession of faith and recent baptism Heaven is richer!

Weston and Worle as an area is very blessed to have a Christian book shop as we are told almost daily by people who now travel many miles to find one in order to purchase card or gift with Gods living word printed on or Bible, book, study material etc. with which to bless or be blessed, tools and equipment to be used for the glory of God as he builds his Church.

Thank you for your prayerful and practical support that has, these 3 years, provided a place which equips, mission, ministry, fellowship, friendship, healing and hope. We have shed and shared many tears, laughed a lot and made many teas and coffees. We invite you to come and share a bit of life together; we hope to see you soon.

If you want to know more about the business and ministry please feel free to speak to us.

Lydia, Andrew (and our wonderful) team.

LIFE 13 THE CENTRE, WALLISCOTE ROAD, WESTON SUPER MARE, BS23 1UW TEL: 01934 418109. www.life-wsm.org


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WINTER WARMTH PROJECT

Oct. 27th-Dec. 22nd & Dec. 27th-Mar. 29th(Comfort at Christmas operates Dec 23-Dec 27)

Church Premises:Saturday – St. Saviour Church Hall, Locking RdSunday – Emmanuel Church Hall, Union St.Monday – Corpus Christi Church Hall, Walliscote RoadTuesday – The Salvation Army, Carlton St Wednesday – Victoria Church House, Station RoadThursday – Friends’ Meeting HouseFriday – Emmanuel Church Hall, Union St.

During the five months over 4,000 meals were provided, ranging from sandwiches to two course dinners. What this means is that on average 30 guests received a meal every night. Feedback from the various centres suggests that while there were occasional issues, on most of the evenings guests enjoyed the meals and were very appreciative of this provision. Many also took the opportunity to talk with some of the volunteers. As in previous years 75% of guests were male and 25% female.

Each of the centres has a team of volunteers. Some team members are there every week; in other teams a rota system is used.

I would like thank those Churches, individuals and other organizations that have contributed in any way to this project. As in previous years each team was given funds by Winter Warmth to help run the service. Unfortunately we were only able to give each team £400.00 this year as opposed to the normal £500.00. This was due to a shortfall in donations received.

Winter Warmth has faced some challenges this year. We still need an organising secretary following the retirement of XM. We are also facing a major funding shortfall for the coming year.

Winter Warmth relies on donations to fund this provision, and I would make an appeal to those churches and individuals who feel they are

able to financially support the project and thereby enable us to carry on this much needed service to the poor and vulnerable in our community.

Gordon Fozzard.Chairman.

WW Chairman Major Gordon Fozzard Salvation Army Carlton Street WsM Tel 01934 628513WW Treasurer Cllr Ray Armstrong 16 Stanley Grove WsM BS23 3EB Tel 01934 618127

ChA+

ChA+ continues to thank God for His blessing, seen through the way in which the charity has developed. It has been a year of change, which has been Spirit led and during which we have sought to remain obedient to God’s vision.

Major developments have taken place through the remodeling of the chaplaincy, dividing the ministry into sectors each with a Team Leader. The four teams are: Town Centre; Nursing Homes; Custody Suite and Counselling. This new style ensures the charity will continue to operate well in the absence of an individual Lead Chaplain. The structure has worked very well, so much so that I have been able to be away in Israel for some time knowing that all is in safe hands. Plans also are to appoint a new Lead Chaplain either by securing funding to employ one or by recruiting a full-time non-stipendiary person but so far we’ve not succeeded with that plan.

My thanks to all who have supported the ChA+ vision so faithfully, the Trustees and Consultants, Volunteers, Friends of ChA+, our regular visitors and all who are involved in any way. Without their support, ChA+ would be unable to continue its vital work.

The volume of our encounters has increased in all areas, assuring us that the ministry we are offering is needed and valued. Volunteer hours were slightly down - it’s amazing how so much can be done by so few!


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The harvest is still great and the workers are still few so we continue to pray that God will send more workers. However many recruitment pleas we put out, however many talks we give to a wide variety of groups, however much press coverage we seek, only those Volunteers whose hearts are touched by God and who respond to His Divine call will be led to share in this great adventure. If you feel that God may be calling you to join ChA+, please come and talk to me at 67 Meadow Street or call me on WSM 643533 or 416917. God, ChA+ and Weston-super-Mare need you!

My thanks for all that has been, and my prayers and blessings for all that is to come.

Revd Gill PutnamChair of ChA+ Trustees and Lead Chaplain

LOVE WESTON

2013/2014 has seen a steady increase in awareness of this ministry in the town, with currently over 160 people signed up to pray for their streets, which has covered approx 10% of the total streets in Weston.

In April a successful vision evening was run at Emmanuel Church, with corporate prayer, worship and a vision presentation. It was explained at this evening that Weston super Prayer from which Love Weston was birthed would be coming to an end, to make way for Love Weston to organise ecumenical prayer and care. Prayer on the Hill 2013 enjoyed superb weather – and over 250 Christians from the town’s churches gathered on the hilltop at Uphill. Prayer on the Hill 2014 (held in St Nicholas Uphill, due to inclement weather!) was also very well supported, and we enjoyed a fantastic evening of worship, prayer, proclamation over the town and fellowship over a BBQ.

We have received positive endorsements from the majority of church leaders in Weston, who are continuing to encourage people within their congregations to sign up to pray for their streets, and we also continue to work hard on communication with those who have committed to pray, producing our first quarterly news sheet, and sending text message

updates of any relevant information.

We have also been encouraged to hear of a few groups of Christians who have got together on their street to pray together (or are planning to in the near future), and also of a local group that held a BBQ for their street over the summer. Small yet significant beginnings, as we seek to encourage united prayer and care across our town.

Rev Claire Rogerson behalf of the Love Weston steering group

Weston-super-Mare Street Pastors

We have continued our weekly work each Saturday night on the streets of Weston-super-Mare meeting the needs of the revellers as the Lord has guided us. We pray each week that He will guide our path and give us his words to minister to his people and this request has been answered many times. We have been able to pray into many situations requiring instant action and have seen these prayers answered, people ‘lost’ on the beach recovered; friends reunited so that someone under the influence of alcohol or other substances is cared for and taken home safely; parents called to collect their offspring who have got themselves into vulnerable situations. We also received request for prayers to be said for particular situations causing distress in someone’s life and often we can do this on the streets witnessing to those around.

Our relationship with Police, Street Wardens, Door Staff and Ambulance crews has continued to strengthen and we have a briefing session together at SP base every Saturday night. The police share intelligence with us and if necessary ask us to watch out for specific things. Each year we have been walking the stronger this relationship grows and now SP’s are considered an integral part of the night time economy in Weston.

Early in the year we decided that we needed to find ways of highlighting our work to the wider church families in Weston so we have commissioned a DVD showing our story. The launch is to be at St Pauls Church at 9.00am Saturday 27th September and we would be


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has supplied funds to help replace our broken water heater and Alliance Homes have promised money for new IT equipment and I would like to thank these organisations formally for their valued contribution to our work.

The churches in Weston have been magnificent during the past year, providing amazing harvest produce and financial help when we’ve asked for it. In the winter months, many of our members find it difficult to put money in their meters to pay for heating. Having asked for contributions to a fund to provide help with this, we were given £ 300.00 which was very much appreciated by those who benefitted from it. Our thanks are due also to those who provide toiletries, towels and used clothes. These have been such a blessing for those who have nowhere to wash/shave or launder their clothes. On behalf of everyone who attends the day centre, thank you so much for your donations, without which we would be unable to provide our service.

We continue to rely on a small team of volunteers who work really hard to help those less fortunate than themselves. I am very grateful for their commitment and love. We still need more workers so if anyone is interested, please feel free to come and have a chat with me.We always welcome visits by people who are interested in what we do so if you would like to come and spend time with us, please contact me and we will look forward to welcoming you at the day centre.

Joan Eales - Day Centre ManagerSomewhere to Go

‘An idea which emerged last year was to organise some regionally focused gatherings during the year. The first of these was a ‘Mini-Forum’ for the Mendip area last October. Over thirty people representing Churches/Christians Together groups in Frome, Glastonbury, Shepton Mallet, Street and Wells met from late afternoon

[email protected] | 01934 641880

delighted to invite you to attend.

We were privileged this year to host Les Isaacs, founder of the Ascension Trust the overarching charity responsible for the Street Pastor movement when he visited to speak and worship at Milton Baptist Church in March a truly inspiring and uplifting occasion for us all.

In His nameTrustees of Weston Street Pastors

SOMEWHERE TO GO

The day centre continues to look after between 40 and 60 disadvantaged people on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The range of problems that people are facing have become more and more complex over the last few years; the changes and cuts to the welfare system have undoubtedly contributed to this and as a consequence, it is harder for us to help sort out these problems. In the last couple of months we have been unable to house anyone as landlords already have waiting lists and give priority to people who are not likely to cause any problems. Our main concern is for those with alcohol dependency who are now sleeping rough. Quite a few of them have chronic health problems and we fear for their survival over the winter, especially if we face a bitter cold spell. We are very grateful for the good relationships we have with other organisations in the town that have been exceptional in their support for us and our members. Staff from the council’s Housing Advice Team, the Citizen’s Advice Bureau, Addaction, Alliance Homes, Nightstop, W.D.G.B., A.R.A., Curo and others spend time with us helping our members in a safe, non-threatening atmosphere.

We still provide a wonderful meal for our members and are able to do this because of the generosity and graciousness of others. Sainsburys continues to provide bakery produce (great for puddings) and Waitrose provide fresh fruit and vegetables. We have also been blessed with some financial support from North Somerset Council for this year, although it’s not guaranteed after December. The Quartet Foundation


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to mid-evening at the Elim Connect Centre in Wells. The theme was ‘Deepening our unity – Strengthening our relationships to one another in Christ’.

We worshipped together and used Bible Studies and activities including ‘What the World thinks of the Church’ and ‘What I value in other denominations’. We also enjoyed a delicious supper and four after-dinner ‘testimonies’.

The consensus was that it had been a very worthwhile experiment and the intention is to try one or two similar gatherings in the coming year.’

Gabrielle GraceCounty Ecumenical Officer for Somerset Churches [email protected] | Tel: 07811 108218

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