30
Sep 2016
Messy Church launches again in autumn 2016

Messy Church launches again in autumn 2016

Children and Youth
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I wonder what comes into your mind when you hear the word “church”? For some of us, “church” might be all about Sunday mornings, sitting quietly in rows, and wearing the “Sunday best”. That’s great for some, but if we’re honest for lots of people they’re looking for something a bit different. If nothing else, Sunday mornings are busy with other things, and you just try getting two under 5s to sit still for more than ninety seconds! Over the last few years we’ve been running two different “Messy Church” events, along with hundreds of other churches across the UK and beyond. Messy Church is a way of being church for people of all ages involving fun, creativity, celebration, and food! The events usually begin with a long creative......

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30
Sep 2016

Shrewsbury Food Hub

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 As harvest approaches, do you ever wonder what happens to some of the unused food in our local supermarkets? Recent months have seen a joint venture between Bacon Buddies and the Shrewsbury Food Hub. Katy Anderson, co-founder of the Hub explains, “It’s a very simple idea, but it makes a big difference. Our volunteers collect food from Marks and Spencer’s and Sainsbury’s and then redistribute it. They hated the idea of all the good food going to waste and so have organised to take this food to 18 different groups across the town and it’s all free. Bacon Buddies is one of these groups.” Redistributing this food is very similar to the ancient act of gleaning. Farmers would allow passers-by to take grain from the edge of their fields;......

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23
Sep 2016
Did you try praying?

Did you try praying?

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In April, all the churches of Shrewsbury joined to make an invitation to those who ‘don’t do church’! Trypraying suggested that anyone can pray, offering a booklet, a phone app, Facebook page and website to help those starting out. With nearly 5000 booklets taken and a Facebook page ‘reach’ of 16,885 people over the four weeks, we think we struck a chord! Thousands more will have seen the ads on the buses and around town and perhaps visited the website or downloaded the app. We have heard some lovely stories from people who tried praying – the youngest was 8 years old, the oldest was in her nineties. Once came from someone who had never prayed before (and now does); another from a man with a financial problem who......

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19
Sep 2016
Shrewsbury Youth for Christ

Shrewsbury Youth for Christ

Children and Youth, Uncategorized
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It was great to welcome S-YFC to our evening service this weekend, and to hear about just a few of the different ways in which they are “taking good news relevantly to every young person in Shrewsbury”. Hannah Moore (Centre Director) and Malesi Sakala (International Intern) talked about some of the areas of ministry which S-YFC are involved in across Shrewsbury and beyond. After school clubs, RE curriculum, assemblies, gospel choirs… and much more. It was really exciting to hear the work they are doing, and to see some of the growth in opportunities and the lives of young people that have been changed. Take a look for yourself by watching the video below. And to find out more – and how to support them with prayer or with......

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31
Mar 2016
Interview with Ollie Abbott

Interview with Ollie Abbott

Cafe Connect, Staff Team
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After over ten years as Manager of Café Connect, Ollie Abbott hung up her apron and retired at the end of February. We caught up with her -amidst leaving parties and appointing two new co-managers – and reflected on over a decade spent at the church-run coffee shop at the heart of Radbook Green. When did you first get involved with Café Connect? I first go involved in Café Connect in 2002, when it was newly opened. I was – and still am – part of the Church of Christ the King in Radbrook Green, and I wanted to get involved in our local community. I became manager in 2005, and haven’t looked back since! You must have met some interesting people over the years…. The one that really......

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20
Mar 2016
Faith Stories - A Christmas to Remember

Faith Stories – A Christmas to Remember

Christmas
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For many people going to Germany pre-Christmas must mean just one thing… Christmas markets. But for Mike and Julie Kim, and a few others, they headed to Germany in December 2015 for a very different reason. After decorations were down, and the fridge was empty of leftovers someone asked one of my kids what the best thing about Christmas had been. “Visiting the refugees in Germany.” “What, better than any presents?” “Yes, making them happy was the best part of Christmas.” I shouldn’t have been surprised, as I think it would be safe to say that it was the same for all fourteen volunteers, who gave their time and energy to travel over to Neuss, near Dusseldorf in Germany, and put on three Christmas parties for almost one hundred refugees.......

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18
Mar 2016
Meole Brace Community Singing Group

Meole Brace Community Singing Group

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‘We laugh as much as we sing; it’s great fun and great therapy’ ‘It’s been amazing, my passion for singing has helped reduce my anxiety’ ‘I can come here feeling as low as low, but when I leave here, I’m on the highest cloud’ ‘Turns a bad day into a good day’ These are some of the quotes from local residents of our small, but steadily growing community singing group. We meet on a Monday afternoon at the Meet Place on the estate. We start with a cuppa and a chat at 1pm before we start to sing at 1:45. Our currently ‘un-named’ group have a couple of public appearances over the Christmas period and are looking forward to attending more events in the near future to promote our......

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11
Mar 2016
Secret Church

Secret Church

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We arrived after dark, parking in or walking into an unfamiliar farm yard. Our venue was the barn ahead but we should not be seen to enter in groups so waited in the shadows allowing each other to approach and enter one by one. At the door to the barn we gave our pass word, ‘It’s good to be here’ and were welcomed in. So began ‘Secret Church’ at 9pm on Monday 7th March. We were there to experience what worship can be like for many of our Christian brothers and sisters in communities where open practice of their faith is frowned upon, banned or even life threatening. We watched a film from Open Doors about life and worship for the persecuted Christian church around the world with a......

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04
Mar 2016
Is there anyone you talk to about your relationship with God?

Is there anyone you talk to about your relationship with God?

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Charles Ruxton, one of the clergy here, is doing some research on “spiritual companionship”, and the value of having other people around us to talk about our relationship with God. See below, and do please be in touch with him if you can help. ___________________________ REVIEW OF DIOCESAN PROVISION OF SPIRITUAL COMPANIONSHIP Spiritual Companionship (also known as Spiritual Direction) is a confidential relationship which allows room to discern the presence of God in life’s experiences. It is for anyone. It is well established in Lichfield Diocese, with over 60 active Companions trained and registered on a Diocesan list. We want Spiritual Companionship to be available to all who want it, and for it to be as good as we can make it. In order to ensure this, we are......

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25
Feb 2016
2016 Easter Egg Appeal

2016 Easter Egg Appeal

Cafe Connect
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Every year, Café Connect launch their Easter Egg Appeal to collect Easter Eggs for Shrewsbury Homes for All and their families. Are you able to help out and donate an Easter Egg? All eggs must be  delivered to Café Connect by Thursday 17th March,   Your help will be much appreciated,   Thank you!...

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