This morning the focus of our service is on the work of the Mission to
Seafarers (www.missiontoseafarers.org); I spent a year working with this
organisation as a chaplains assistant in the Port of Auckland between 1998 and 1999, and so it is a charity which is very close to my heart. In Britain seafarers are
responsible for bringing over 90% of our daily needs to this country, we
rely on them for our food, our clothes, our petrol and our cars, yet I
suspect very few of us give much thought to the men and women who work on
board the ships that bring these goods to our shores, the saying 'Out of
sight, out of mind' could very well be applied to seafarers.
Life at sea is fraught with many hardships and dangers. Long periods away
from home, isolation and the dangers of being at sea are things that all
seafarers have to face. Whilst the large majority of ship owners treat
their seafaring staff well, there is still a rogue minority that do not, and
so abuse on board ships and the non payment of wages are situations which
are not uncommon. That is why the support of The Mission to Seafarers can
make all the difference to their lives and working environments. As an
international mission agency of the Anglican Church, The Mission to
Seafarers reaches out to the 1.2 million seafarers that man the merchant
fleet with a message of love and hope in a harsh and often inhospitable
environment.
In over 230 ports worldwide, Mission chaplains and staff visit seafarers on
their ships extending a hand of friendship and help in times of crisis. In
over 100 ports, The Mission to Seafarers operates seafarers' centres. These
are inviting places in the middle of dull, featureless docksides. Inside,
crewmembers can make the most of their limited time ashore by replenishing
essential items from the shops run by the Mission, celebrating Communion and
fellowship in the Mission
chapels and, crucially, they can use our telephones and computers to keep in
touch with their loved ones thousands of miles away. Should problems arise
on board ship, local representatives of the Mission work with ships' agents and other partners to bring resolution and
comfort to crews.
Although here in Walsall we live far from the sea, we are all dependent on
the work seafarers do. Whilst they may be 'out of sight' we can make sure
that they are not 'out of mind', by remembering them and the work of the
Mission to Seafarers in our prayers.
If we do this, we are not only serving and supporting those who work at sea,
but also Jesus as well, who told us 'whatever you did for one of the least
of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' (Matthew 25:40)
God bless
Simon
Monday 28 July 2008
Newsletter 20th July: Pastoral Visitors Course
At
We intend to meet as a group from time to time to encourage each other and we also had a few practical ideas. We now have some specially designed cards to leave at a house if no one is in, letting someone know they are thought of and being prayed for. We will soon have some printed prayers to give out as well.
Please contact Simon, Lesley or Diane if you would like someone visited and we will do our best to send a member of the team.
You can request prayer for yourself or someone else by putting a prayer on the prayer board or by asking Simon to send out a message. You can also ask Lesley to put it on the prayer cards, which are distributed each month for people to pray for daily. You do not need to give details if you don’t want to, maybe just a name or even an initial. Many thanks to Lesley for leading and all who attended.
Diane
Monday 14 July 2008
Newsletter 13 July: The Drinkers Ministry
Over the last 18 months I have been a member of one of the teams involved in the Drinkers’ Ministry. Every Friday night from 8.30.pm until midnight a team of Christians, drawn from the churches across Walsall, sets up an area alongside St. Paul’s church to provide soup, tea, coffee, squash, biscuits and a listening ear for anyone who wants to stop and chat.
It has been a real education for me. At first I was frightened and inhibited, afraid I would not be able to cope if anyone was threatening or aggressive. But to date no-one has ever behaved like that towards us. People enquire about what we are doing; many joke about the soft drinks asking, “Is there any vodka in it?” Most people are really supportive and happy that we are there.
I am constantly surprised at the number of people who are prepared to stop and talk. But it has saddened me to meet so many people in desperate need of support. What has really shocked me is the number of homeless people who come to us: some are straight out of prison, others are drug addicts, prostitutes or alcoholics – people with real problems or addictions. But some are just like you and me – ordinary, decent people, who have fallen through the cracks in our society. It truly is a case of, “There but for the grace of God goI”
Imagine how heartbreaking it is on a freezing, wet December night not to be able to do more for these needy people. I have experienced great guilt after my sessions with the team: I leave these poor people to sleep in doorways or in derelict buildings while I go home to my safe, warm, comfortable house to sleep in a soft, cosy bed. It just doesn’t seem right.
Thankfully attitudes are changing and the team leaders are meeting with the Chief Executive of Walsall this week. Pray with all of your hearts that something good will result from this and some proper support will be put in place for the most needy and vulnerable people in our town.
“Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” (Hebrews 13 v.2)
God bless, Jackie.
It has been a real education for me. At first I was frightened and inhibited, afraid I would not be able to cope if anyone was threatening or aggressive. But to date no-one has ever behaved like that towards us. People enquire about what we are doing; many joke about the soft drinks asking, “Is there any vodka in it?” Most people are really supportive and happy that we are there.
I am constantly surprised at the number of people who are prepared to stop and talk. But it has saddened me to meet so many people in desperate need of support. What has really shocked me is the number of homeless people who come to us: some are straight out of prison, others are drug addicts, prostitutes or alcoholics – people with real problems or addictions. But some are just like you and me – ordinary, decent people, who have fallen through the cracks in our society. It truly is a case of, “There but for the grace of God goI”
Imagine how heartbreaking it is on a freezing, wet December night not to be able to do more for these needy people. I have experienced great guilt after my sessions with the team: I leave these poor people to sleep in doorways or in derelict buildings while I go home to my safe, warm, comfortable house to sleep in a soft, cosy bed. It just doesn’t seem right.
Thankfully attitudes are changing and the team leaders are meeting with the Chief Executive of Walsall this week. Pray with all of your hearts that something good will result from this and some proper support will be put in place for the most needy and vulnerable people in our town.
“Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” (Hebrews 13 v.2)
God bless, Jackie.
Monday 7 July 2008
Newsletter: July 6th 2008
I was reading Matthew recently and in chapter 20 Jesus tells the disciples he is going to die - this bombshell seems to be completely missed by the disciples . Why? Because they are absorbed with their concern about who will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. So Jesus tells them the one who wants to be the greatest in God’s kingdom must be the servant of all.
‘This, however, is not the way it shall be among you. If one of you wants to be great , he must be the servant of the rest;…’
Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians chapter 12 says the church is like a body ,one unit with many parts, each part necessary for the whole to work.
Our church has many parts/people :- vicar, church wardens, church council, ministry team, musicians, flower arrangers, pastoral visitors, homegroup leaders, children's group leaders etc. All necessary and important to the life of the church, lets be careful, that like the disciples, we don’t miss the important point of what the church is really be about because we are too concerned with our own position and status.
Mick
Tuesday 1 July 2008
Newsletter 29 June: Mission Giving
As a church we donate 10% of our giving to international, national and local charities. At the D.C.C. last week it was agreed that we support the following charities by donating these amounts:
Local Charities:
Glebe Centre £900
The Vine £900
Walsall Samaritans £600
National Charities:
Children's Society £600
Scripture Union £600
International Charities:
Christian Aid £600
Tearfund £600
Africaid £1200
TOTAL £6000
It is possible that our donation can be targeted towards a particular project rather than simply in aid of the charities general funds. In the past our donation to Tear Fund went towards the Yanapanakuna project with the Quecha indigenous people and we helped to purchase a dishwasher for the Glebe Centre.
Our representatives inform us about their charity through displays, prayers in the prayer diary and during intercessions in the month when their charity is the primary focus. They also encourage us to give practical support, whether by donating clothes and tinned foods for the Glebe Centre or delivering envelopes during Christian Aid week. As our link they are also happy to talk to members of the congregation on an individual basis about the work of their charity and can advise if anyone wishes to be involved further, whether through signing up for receiving prayer emails or contributing financially or practically on an individual basis.
As we pray for and support practically and financially these charities let us always remember that
‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me’ (Matthew 25 40).
God bless
Lilian
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