Churches Churches CHURCHES TOGETHER inENGLAND Together No 73 Winter 2010 No 78 Autmn 2011 in Sussex Why Voices in Exile call for churches to JUST WHAT DO THE CHURCHES DO? Sponsor a Cook. Page 3. When asked Brighton & Hove churches responded with a substantial report n a word, the churches meet an incredible number of varied social needs in our society, When a voice said, contribute to the musical and cultural life of the city, support political and civic life, provide ‘The poor in our Iinformal counselling for residents and visitors and make a contribution to the overall quality community are of life way beyond their own walls, and observation and anecdotal evidence suggests that if the behind closed doors’ survey had taken in the whole of Sussex the picture would not have been radically different. Jean Forster set out to find them while Being Here Revisited* is a story in three parts: kind of crisis, giving professional pastoral and legal two MPs set out to Services, Projects and Activities. Services, such time to enable clients to talk through their problems find the hungry and as lunch clubs for the elderly, hospitality and and difficulties. those who care for safe havens for people of all ages, regardless City Gate Centre Church offers counselling to them. of race, faith or gender, are now becoming the women with problems related to unplanned Pages 4-5. staple diet of church life alongside worship and pregnancy, termination or miscarriage alongside prayer meetings and need neither defence nor a befriending service, free baby clothes and help elaboration. on a whole range of related issues. Projects are more specific, usually set up to Activities range from youth football groups like meet a particular need and sometimes going ‘Being Here’ in Dorset the one pro vided by the Downs Baptist Church to on to have a life of their own while still drawing Gardens, Brighton, a variety of holiday clubs for children and young strength from the overall church community. Off and Horsham. people, through to gardening and allotment groups the Fence, for example, focuses on the most Page 6. for older people like those provided by Christ vulnerable and marginalised, addressing issues Church in Preston Park. of street homelessness, women in times of The object of the Report is not to beat either the crisis, schools and youth, and The Clock Tower ecclesiastical or the ecumenical drums but to Sanctuary runs a Day Centre for homeless provide a basic understanding of what is going on young people (16-25) offering one-to-one ‘in each place’ as an expression of ‘good news’. It support, confidence building and emergency is to encourage others to do likewise and for the ‘Faith is about flying, financial assistance. not wabbling on the most part what lies behind most of the programmes ground’? Brighton & Hove City Mission, with ‘Treasured nowadays is every bit as much by a commitment Gavin Ashenden Moments’, addresses the needs of marginalised to create a caring and loving community as to fill Page 8. communities on estates and their Basics Bank pews on Sunday. programme provides food parcels for the needy and start-up packs for those moving from * Published by the Brighton & Hove Community and Voluntary Sector Forum, an update of an earlier Report, homelessness or temporary accommodation. Being Here, written by Tim Lawrence and published by Engage, the Brighton & Hove Churches Community St Luke’s Advisory service offers a holistic Development Association in 2004. Copies available from approach for those going through any and every Ian Chisnall (see page 8). ABZORBING What’s going on here? See page 7 Is not this the fast that I choose . to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house? . Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly . Then you shall call, and the Lord1 will answer. (Isaiah 58: 5-9). Ian says . Ian says . Ian says . Ian says . voice of the voiceless voice of the voiceless voice of the voiceless VOICES IN EXILE a result of recent financial challenges, strategic decisions are Can Your Church righton Voices in Exile is unique being taken at the table of the willing, and that can include the in Sussex. It exemplifies the church if we are ready to join in, taking advantage of our ability B Ian Christian mission to be a voice for to reach into each neighbourhood of Sussex. SPONSOR A COOK? the voiceless, to seek release for Not that we lack financial clout (our combined budget and oices in Exile is looking for The Group of fifty immigrants, many says . the oppressed and freedom for churches to sponsor the costs of with no recourse to public funds, meets property holdings would surprise us all) and it is encouraging prisoners. It is a part of the great a weekly Cookery Group (about on Fridays in Brighton, from 1 to 2.30, that we are some way to agreeing to hold these assets in V mission to see justice roll on like £250) for immigrants for and offers training courses common (despite the challenging words in the New Testament). a river and to show compassion to one month in the year. It in cookery and a support A recent decision by Central Government to encourage local the needy. Its scope is wide, across mapping of public assets has been extended to include the is a golden opportunity group to help them feel at efining broad agreement on the role of the church has Sussex and beyond, and serving voluntary sector which includes the church. for sympathetic churches home and welcome in our already taken nearly 2000 years and whilst there is asylum seekers and refugees from with no immediate outlet country as they cope with much to be thankful for there is still plenty to discuss. By way of response, East and West Sussex took different many parts of the world. D for this form of Christian delays, waiting and the Bearing in mind that Together attempts to reflect the work of routes. Sadly, the early starter, West Sussex, all but ignored service to support those intricacies of the British In times of financial stringency the churches across Sussex such lack of clarity could be seen the voluntary sector but are now wishing to look more widely, who have and to enable a legal system, knowing burden must not fall on the neediest. to be an obstacle for us. For some, an inability to define the while East Sussex kicked off with a much more inclusive group much neglected section of full well what is going on This is why the sponsorship scheme church means that working together is pointless; for others, of partners including churches. With a potential to release the our community to feel the at home and what they is so important and timely. clarifying the role of the church is vital if we are to plan together capital value of underused buildings, both however took it as an warmth of Christian love might have to face if they I hope and pray that many parishes effectively. Yet, despite these uncertainties, this edition (like opportunity to look at public services and find the right location and proclaim the gospel return. Once the training is in the Diocese of Chichester will its predecessors) reports many examples of the value of from which to deliver them. at the same time. Twelve done and the food is ready take up the challenge to contribute local church cooperation. This is not due to a suspension of The value of the church getting involved in such an exercise would mean it only came Courtesy, Creative Commons they then conclude with a £260 for one month in the year. I discussions on truth and validity but because some people may seem peripheral, but some readers will recall how in the round once a year. With getting on for shared experience as clients, helpers, recommend it to you unreservedly have found a way of cooperating in meeting social need despite late 1980s, a forward thinking vicar in Hove began (as a result 100,000 members in 1,000 churches in volunteers and advisers eat together and hope that many individuals will their differences and in some cases the shared commitment of pressing social need) to transform a large and underused the County we can leave you to work and invite representatives from their also offer their support. has provided the relationships needed to further and inspire place of worship into a building that still enables the homeless to out statistics. sponsoring church to join them. Bishop John Hind. Bishop of Chichester the discussions. live in comfort whilst the worship space was transformed into a I am constantly encouraged by stories from around Sussex of more manageable setting. Others, in Worthing, may remember how different groups and their plans connect with one another. that the highly successful Worthing Churches Homeless Project The Story of Bakri One example is the arrival of foodbanks and the FareShare had a similar origin, and a church in Devonport now shares its akri was 34 when he arrived in too he met another Sudanese man who Some Personal project in Sussex (see pp 4-5). Reports might suggest they are space with a public library. In other communities the police, fire Brighton from Darfur. He was offered him accommodation in his flat. Testimonies the result of some strategic plan. First, set up an industrial scale and rescue and health services are sharing accommodation B homeless, destitute, suffering from ‘I enjoy cooking as it helps project in the largest population centre of Sussex, followed by and there is no reason why the church cannot be part of these All the time he was a member of the severe depression and post traumatic with language, it’s good to be a series of smaller scale initiatives spreading east, west and discussions too.