Cynthia Pocock says: We were blessed with all the help and support we needed for the Bible Alive exhibition in May as part of our Action Group’s bicentenary celebrations. We are now praying for the service at the Baptist Church in June and for the Bible Society of Egypt whose CEO Ramez Atallah will be our main speaker and whose experience of Cairo through the past year or so will be the subject of his talk. In our ongoing support of Bible Society we shall be needing help with our coffee morning at St. Nicolas Church Hall in July and our Market Stall in August. As always we continue to pray for representatives from a wider group of Newbury churches to join us.
For more details contact Cynthia: 01635 247617 or e-mail cynthia.hillcrest@btinternet.com
BUS OF HOPE:
Is a community project which is supported by CTNA which sees many Christians across Newbury working together. It is a Double Decker bus resource in providing somewhere to go, something to do and someone to talk to. We are refitting the lower part into a kitchen, it already provides a lounge and large screen area. It is intended that all mission organisations in Newbury use this bus to support their activities.
For more details: www.busofhope.com
CHRISTIAN AID:
Mark Tullis says: Recent events: Skittles with 24 teams, flag day and spring Fair in April. Christian Aid service and market stall in May. Coffee morning in August. Door to door collections take place once a year. Monies raised go towards aid and education all over the worlds and to all faiths. Christian Aid have donated to Middle East Emergency Fund.
For more details contact Mark: 01635 551442
COINS:
Liz How says: I’m Trustee of COINS and in that role I take on the Leadership (apart from being part of the general making process) to do with staffing; recruitment and interviewing, dealing with any issues, and visiting volunteers when they are running clubs; I meet with Tania for support or to drum up interest… That’s the sort of things. Sometimes it feels like a huge responsibility to be employing people especially when the money gets low. We have a really strong Leadership Team; it’s a bit scary when good people leave – we do need a treasurer.
For more details contact Liz: 0163548660
COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS DAY:
This is held at St. Georges Hall every year, where a Christmas lunch is provided for older people who would otherwise be on their own. Entertainment is facilitated after the meal. Transport is provided, some meals are transported to homes. Many Churches across Newbury are involved. Volunteers needed.
For more details contact Joanna Abraham on 07828244119 or marinaoabraham@gmail.com.
GOLDEN YEARS: is a small group of Christians going into local care homes to sing hymns, pray, quote psalms and chat to the residents and generally try to bring God’s love to them. We go into 5 homes at the moment and there are 5 different churches represented in this work by their members. We could take on more visits if we had others to join us. It’s great fun and very rewarding. Your prayers for this work are very welcome. Julie Phillips.
HEART FOR TRUTH:
Sarah (a former Heart for Truth client) says: “Heart for Truth is such a blessing, they helped my church help me to overcome the negative effects of child sexual abuse. They taught the church how to support me and others who are hurting and so enabling me to become free in Christ to be all he intended me to be. I can’t express enough how important the work of Heart for Truth is”.
Heart for Truth encourages and equips Christian leaders to recognise the huge, untapped potential of those in our Churches who are hurting or marginalised due to trauma, depression, mental illness or anxiety.
For more details contact Carolyn Bramhall: 07922 083584
INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP GROUP:
We are a Friendship Group reaching out to International people in our community. People from a variety of countries meet every Tuesday at 7.30 in Shoemakers Café in the Arcade in Newbury. Some of our friends have been with us for a long time, others come for only a few months and move on. We never know how many people will be there – so every evening is different.
We have a varied programme with ‘themed evenings’ introducing the geography, culture and food of a new country, games, quizzes, outings, BBQs and an annual canal boat trip and a big Christmas party! Snacks and drinks are provided.
We always finish with a short Bible study or talk or someone’s testimony. So why not come and meet new people and make friends.
For more details contact Christa (christa.e.mccormick@hotmail.co.uk) or Jane on (janesutton@talktalk.com) and check us out on facebook : Newbury International Friendship Group.
LOOSE ENDS:
A drop in centre serving the homeless and vulnerable in Newbury by providing food, clothes, bedding and friendly support. We meet at the Moreton Hall, at NBC, and are open on Monday from 12:30 to 13:30, Tuesday from 12.30 – 13.30, Wednesday and Friday from 9:30 to 10.45 and Sunday from 14:00 to 15:15. On average we serve over 110 meals a week. Our chaplains visit Loose Ends on a Wednesday to offer support. Volunteers are needed to help at sessions, cook food for Sundays, make soup and help with food collections. We always welcome donations of tins of food, toiletries, clothes, socks, hats and gloves, bedding, sleeping bags, towels and money.
For more information on what we do and how you can help please visit our website- www.looseendsnewbury.org
or
Email – looseendsnewbury@hotmail.co.uk
or
Tel – 07887978546
MEET MONDAY:
The Group meets every 2 weeks on the 2nd and 4th Mondays at 19:30-21:00
For more details contact Christine Mackie: 0118 9417170
SHOEMAKERS:
The Christopher Shoemaker Christian Centre is a place of Christian witness in the town. In our coffee shop we try to combine a pleasant, peaceful atmosphere with professional service and a friendly listening ear to all customers. The bookshop attempts to reach people for Christ through a wide choice of books, CD’s/DVD’s, greeting cards, small gifts and of course bibles. We are a fair trade organisation selling a variety of products as part of our witness to the community.
For more details contact Steve Wood on 01635 37836 or visit us on Facebook
STREET PASTORS:
Newbury Street Pastors is made up of local Christians from different church denominations in our town. Out trained teams go on to the streets of Newbury every Saturday night, whilst supportive Prayer Pastors remain at base, to pray for the different situations encountered. Observers are always welcome to join a team on one of their shifts.
Much of the work of Street Pastors is about safeguarding those who are faced with situational vulnerability, through intoxication or becoming separated from friends. A typical encounter sees our volunteers approaching someone in apparent distress. Often they say they are OK but after a quick check it becomes obvious they are unable to contact a friend e.g. lost phone. At this point, volunteers stay with them, providing water to help them sober up and a safety blanket to keep warm and ensure that someone they trust is alerted to their need. During such encounters, volunteers can hear of broken relationships and shattered lives. Street Pastors then spend time quietly listening, providing reassurance and signposting if necessary. Sometimes volunteers have opportunities to share their own personal journeys and on occasions respond, if individuals request prayer.
Newbury Street Pastors is making a real difference in our community and prayer is being answered. Police Statistics for 2013 reveal that although violent crime has risen by 10% throughout West Berkshire, the incidence of weekend violent crime in Newbury town centre has dropped by 13.4%. The Police are the first to say that Newbury Street Pastors has played a part in this reduction.
We need more volunteers to make sure that Newbury remains a safer place and that Newbury Street Pastors is here to stay. If you have a heart for serving others in our community and are interested in becoming a trained Street or Prayer Pastor or would like further information please contact:
Deborah Arden-Hunt (Co-ordinator) newbury@streetpastors.org.uk
WEST BERKS. FOOD BANK:
West Berks Foodbank is run by the community for the community: non-perishable food is donated by local people – schools, businesses, churches and individuals. Volunteers of all backgrounds help run foodbanks by packing, sorting and distributing the food. Every client is referred to the foodbank by a frontline care professional such as a doctor or social worker. Foodbanks are an emergency food service. To help clients break out of poverty, we signpost clients to organisations able to resolve the underlying problem. Food parcels have been designed by dieticians to provide recipients with nutritionally balanced food for three days. There are now over 50 referrers in the area who can issue vouchers, and the emergency food is supplied at any of our 4 Foodbank centres located in Newbury, Thatcham, Hungerford and Lambourn Valley.
For further information, including locations and hours of opening, please see our website at http://westberks.foodbank.org.uk or email/phone our Administration office on info@westberks.foodbank.org.uk or call on 07955 626621.
It is great to welcome back James MacMahon as the part-time worker for Newbury YMCA
Sue Smith says: The YMCA in Newbury is made up of board members, full members and associated members from across Newbury churches. We are the next exciting stage of looking for a building to fulfil our Vision for a central Youth Café, recording studio, games room, gig hall, youth gym, counselling room and a 5-a-side football pitch, yep its got to be big!
For more details contact Sue: 01635 864802
Christians Together Newbury Area 